burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Zeiss wipes are pre-moistened tissues containing pure isopropyl alcohol. Boxes of 50 and 100 are available at big box stores.

I start with the Giottos Rocket Bulb Blower shown above, which is one of my most-used accessories. It gets most grit and dust off the lens before wiping.

I generally use two wipes per surface. Used wipes are good for lens mounts and camera bodies… use while still moist.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

While the lens is glass, most lenses have dielectric coatings. The coating materials should be resistant to most cleaning chemicals, but I would avoid even mild abrasives. I use a sponge with a scotchgard layer to clean dirty dishes and glassware, but although it doesn't hurt the glassware I wouldn't use something like that on a lens.

10MPlayer Loc: California

Windex is mostly ammonia. Ammonia is good for cutting through oils ( like oily fingerprints for example ). I use it on my glasses, which have anti-reflective coating on them. All camera lenses have special coatings on the glass. I'd be very careful about how I handled them. Look up the manufacturer's recommedations before using harsh chemicals. I replace my glasses every two years. My camera lenses are meant to last a lifetime so I treat them accordingly.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

There are several types of Windex (and other glass cleaners)...

I am not certain, but I think it is the cleaners with ammonia that shouldn't be used on cameras, lenses, eyeglasses, etc.

At any rate, I simply don't use any Windex. I use a lens cleaning solution (or a sensor cleaning solution... essentially the same thing).

My process for cleaning lenses:

1. Remove any dust or grit with a blower, gentle brush, minivac or gentle use of a micro fiber cloth. Dust particles can be minerals that might scratch the coatings on the lens.

2. Wet clean with lens/sensor solution... just a few drops on a Pecs Pad or the corner of a clean microfiber cloth. I currently have a small spray bottle of Zeiss lens cleaning solution and spray one or two shots of that onto the cleaning pad. (Never spray directly onto the lens... too much moisture there can get "wicked" inside the lens around the perimeter of the elements, where it might do damage or take forever to dry.) Single use, pre-moistened wipes like Zeiss are fine too, but are more expensive.

3. Let it air dry or use a clean, dry microfiber cloth to dry it.

4. Polish with a Lens Pen. The wet cleaning often leaves a little "haze". This polishing removes that and makes it less likely that dust, etc. will adhere to the surface in the future.

Microfiber cloths can be cleaned and reused. Just put them in the laundry. HOWEVER, never use "fabric softener" with them in either the washer or the dryer. It will leave behind a residue that causes smearing when cleaning optics.

Pec Pads are available inexpensively in bulk. I also make my own sensor swabs with them, wrapping them around a reusable "wand".

Microfiber cloths are available in bulk, too. They seem to cost less any place other than a camera store! Auto parts stores have larger "terry cloth" style microfiber cloths sold in relatively inexpensive bundles and great for all types of external camera cleaning. I keep one or two in my camera bag all the time.

Jack 13088 Loc: Central NY

No! Not now, Never! Even though they claim it no longer contains ammonia. It eventually causes crazing of coatings.

Don’t use paper towels or other actual paper. They make sandpaper that is less abrasive than paper products. Treat them like eye glasses since they are relatives. Only don’t flood them with water. The Zeiss packets are also available at any Walmart.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I agree and I would include paper "lens tissues" that are sold in camera stores. Don't use them either!

Most paper is made from wood pulp. Trees take up minerals from the ground water they draw in with their roots. Some minerals are hard enough to scratch glass or the coatings on it.

There are specially made, single-use cleaning products like Pec Pads especially made for optics. Those and microfiber cloths are much safer to use than any paper products.

Note: If you read some of the camera repair books, they often advise use plain "facial tissues" for lens cleaning. However, a repair tech will likely only be cleaning the lens once... not repeatedly over it's life time like the lens' user will be. Repeated use of paper products is probably the cause of "cleaning marks" on old lenses, which are a permanent haze of very fine scratches.

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

-----
I use a rocket nlower to remove and dust then zeiss wipes.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I'm surprised someone hasn't mentioned 40-grit sandpaper yet... There's always some joker who does.

Bill_de Loc: US

I guess you just made yourself the Joker!


----

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Don

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

I use a brush to get rid of "grit". I then either use a Zeiss lens cleaner or my eye glass lens solution sprayed on a micro-fiber cloth. When using the "wet" solution, be sure to start at the center of the lens and (using a circular technique) work your way to the edge of the lens.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

ROR- Residual Oil remover 1 drop using lens wipes, folloed by lens wipes again, and then microfiber cloth. Any big crud removed by rocket blower first.

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

I breathe on the lens to create a very fine coat of moisture and then wipe with lens tissue or microfiber cloth. That thin coating is the key. Using a lens liquid is usually overkill, and means many more wipes to remove the,excess moisture, while dry does not allow the paper/cloth to grab dirt and oils.I was taught this trick decades ago and have used it throughout my professional career in the field.

agillot

Been using Windex for ever with no issue . For cloth , pieces of 100% or so cotton T shirt seem safe .Always wonder about Zeis or others cleaning swabs , they smell very chemical .

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Everything you need to know, what to use, how to use it, and More!!
Way to go Jerry . . .