How to Clean Sunglasses

Whether you’re always wearing the most popular sunglasses styles or you’ve been wearing the same pair for the last decade, knowing how to clean your sunglasses can make them much more pleasant to wear. Smudged or greasy glasses not only look sloppy and gross, but they can also interfere with your vision and even cause the deterioration of special coatings applied to your lenses.

Fortunately, cleaning your sunglasses is a pretty straightforward and simple job. If you make a habit of cleaning your glasses on a regular basis, they’ll always be ready to protect your eyes and make you look your best at a moment’s notice. Be sure to check out our guides on how to remove scratches from sunglasses and how to take care of your sunglasses!

Step One

Start by moistening the lenses and frames with clean water. You can simply run them under the tap if you’d like. Whatever you do, though, don’t moisten them with your breath or saliva--all that does is smear dirt around on your lenses.

Step Two

Drop a dab of mild dish soap onto your lenses and gently rub the soap into the lenses, the frame, and the arms. You don’t need to use a cloth for this step--you can just use your thumb and forefinger.

Make sure you thoroughly wash the parts of your sunglasses that regularly come in contact with your skin. For example, you’ll want to rub soap into the nose bridge and the ends of the arms.

Step Three

Rinse the soap off your glasses using warm water. Again, tap water is perfectly suitable for this step. Rinse them until you don’t see any more bubbles from the soap.

Step Four

Dry your sunglasses with a clean, lint-free cloth. Avoid using paper towels, napkins, or other wood-based materials, which can scratch your lenses. A thorough drying job not only prevents water spots, but also gives your lenses and glasses an appealing shine, making them look as good as new.

Options

Some people like to use a lens cleaner spray that's designed specifically for glasses. This can be used in place of soap and water. However, we do have one word of caution about lens cleaner spray: make sure it’s safe to use on anti-reflective and coated lenses if you want to use it on your sunglasses.

If it’s been a long time since you last cleaned your sunglasses, you might want to consider removing the lenses before cleaning them. This is especially true if the creases are coated in dirt and grime. If you’re unsure of how to remove the lenses, but you think it would be helpful to do so, stop by an optician’s shop and ask them to remove them for you. It's a simple process, but we understand if it makes you a little uneasy!

A soft-bristled toothbrush can be helpful for getting into the nooks and crannies of your sunglasses. You may want to use a toothbrush to clean out the hinges or the grooves where the lens sits. If you choose to use a soft toothbrush, use it in Step 2 when you apply soap to your sunglasses.

Also be sure to evaluate any rubber pieces that are attached to your glasses. Rubber nose pieces, like those that usually come with metal-frame sunglasses, are heavily exposed to sweat and oils, and they eventually become tacky. If you find that cleaning them doesn’t restore them to their original state, consider replacing them. They’re fairly inexpensive, and a fresh pair will give your sunglasses new life. If the rubber nose pieces are not removable, knead a dab of hand sanitizer into them to clean away any grime that remains after you’ve washed them with soap and water.

And there you have it--it’s easy to keep your sunglasses looking good as new, especially when you set aside a regular time to clean them. Buy sunglasses online from our Tabulae shop or our pop up shops if you're looking for unisex sunglasses, men’s sunglasses or women’s sunglasses, and enjoy the many different styles, colors, and features we offer!