How do you clean your scope lens?

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BackStop

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Oct 10, 2020
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I do everything I can to keep my scope lenses clean, but eventually they have to be cleaned.

Although I have heard that some/many throw away the lint free cloth that comes with most scopes, I have found them to be very good.

I don't like to use any solvents to clean my scope lenses for fear that will remove the coating(s). I also like the lint free clothes that come with the scopes because they don't tend to scratch the lenses. Sometimes I just breathe on the lens and wipe, just like you would if you wear glasses.

However, I may be doing it all wrong and would like to hear what you do? Do you use solvents, alcohol, etc? What is bad for the lens coatings? Etc...

Thanks!

All my best!

Kerry
 
I've used the Zeiss lens wipes many times, they work very well. Also have used the 90% isoropyl alcohol and cotton swabs and several brands of lens cleaner fluids with the microfiber lens cloths. Small oil smudges from accidentally touching the lenses can be wiped away with the lens cloths without any cleaning fluids, but if there's a large amount of film visible or dust it's best to use wet cleaning methods so as to rub gritty particles around on the lens surface. I guess my favorite would be the Zeiss wipes, they're effective, compact to carry and easily availabe.
 
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Filnez said:
I've used the Zeiss lens wipes many times, they work very well. Also have used the 90% isoropyl alcohol and cotton swabs and several brands of lens cleaner fluids with the microfiber lens cloths. Small oil smudges from accidentally touching the lenses can be wiped away with the lens cloths without any cleaning fluids, but if there's a large amount of film visible or dust it's best to use wet cleaning methods so as NOT to rub gritty particles around on the lens surface. I guess my favorite would be the Zeiss wipes, they're effective, compact to carry and easily availabe.
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Thanks for the reply, although I think you meant to say what I corrected? in my quote of your post. Then again, maybe I am wrong?

However, it seems that any grit would be more prone to being rubbed around the lens with a wet solution. Again, I may be totally wrong.

All my best and Thanks!

Kerry
 
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I use a Vortex lense cleaning kit. It has all the necessary cleaning tools. One thing I also bought is a squeeze bulb meant for blowing dust off the lenses. Sometimes that’s all there is on the lens and I don’t like anything touching lens, cleaning included, unless necessary. One thing I learned, if you ever are doing any bore cleaning with solvents be sure to put your lens caps on. This mostly applies to PB’s with the bronze brushes because they fling bore cleaner everywhere. And, if I’m not shooting my rifle, the caps are on the scope.
 
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rcs9250 said:
I use a Vortex lense cleaning kit. It has all the necessary cleaning tools. One thing I also bought is a squeeze bulb meant for blowing dust off the lenses. Sometimes that’s all there is on the lens and I don’t like anything touching lens, cleaning included, unless necessary. One thing I learned, if you ever are doing any bore cleaning with solvents be sure to put your lens caps on. This mostly applies to PB’s with the bronze brushes because they fling bore cleaner everywhere. And, if I’m not shooting my rifle, the caps are on the scope.
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Is there anything special in the Vortex cleaning kit that is out of the ordinary? I can blow loose particles from the lens with my breath, so that little doo-dad doesn't mean anything since I often clean my scope lenses with my breath, just like I do with my glasses.

Just wondering if the Vortex lens cleaning kit has something "special"... and apparently it does not.

Thanks in any case!

All my best!

Kerry
 
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If my lenses are really dusty or gritty looking, I'll take it to the kitchen sink and gently rinse off the dust before I use cleaner on it. I make my own cleaner: About 3 oz 70% Iso. Alcohol, a drop or two of Dawn, fill with water in a 8 oz spray bottle. Dry off with microfiber cloth.

I do this on my glasses too, daily. Glasses are about 3 year old and there's barely a scratch on them.
 
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BackStop said:
Thanks for the reply, although I think you meant to say what I corrected? in my quote of your post. Then again, maybe I am wrong?

However, it seems that any grit would be more prone to being rubbed around the lens with a wet solution. Again, I may be totally wrong.

All my best and Thanks!

Kerry
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You're correct, I missed a word. Wet cleaning should act to float loosened debris away from the surface, like with washing most things. Rubbing it dry would have a tendency to grind debris into the surface. You can often see where this has happened on older lenses that got wiped with whatever was handy. That's one good thing about the prewetted lens wipes like the Zeiss brand. Wipe clean and throw away, no cloth getting reused with dirt in it. There are other brands of lens wipes, those are just easy to get at Wal-Mart. The prepackaged lens tissues are easy to carry and keep with you. Handy for eyeglasses, phone screens and such too.
 
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Mr.H said:
If my lenses are really dusty or gritty looking, I'll take it to the kitchen sink and gently rinse off the dust before I use cleaner on it. I make my own cleaner: About 3 oz 70% Iso. Alcohol, a drop or two of Dawn, fill with water in a 8 oz spray bottle. Dry off with microfiber cloth.

I do this on my glasses too, daily. Glasses are about 3 year old and there's barely a scratch on them.
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Same here, really dirty lens goes to the kitchen sink using the sprayer. Then take a wet cotton swab with a drop of dawn on it, wiping lens from middle out being sure to get that inside metal edge cleaned out too. Then rinse well with the same sprayer. I should be using a spray bottle with distilled water for the final rinse but don't. Then dry with soft wash cloth and/or micro fiber cloth.

If the lens looks pretty clean but needs a touch up I use a S&B lens kit.
 
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I never really considered having dirty/gritty lenses on my scopes. I guess that is because I don't go out hunting and only shoot in my backyard and usually from my "sniper window" for pests. I do have flip-up scope caps and even when I was smoking, I would keep at least the ocular cap closed so my cigar smoke didn't have a chance to gum up the lens. Depending on the wind, I might close both caps.

I can't stand fuzziness when I try to focus.

So, I guess I should have qualified my question a little better?

I NEVER have grit, but over time, I do notice the clarity becomes a bit "smudged" because the lenses have a little bit of ambient residue. I really only have to clean my scope lenses about every 4 to 6 months and it doesn't require a lot of trouble. Usually my breath will do and I use the lint free cloths that come with the scopes that I keep in plastic bags and that is ALL they are ever used for. I still hesitate to use anything other than water because I am not sure how the lens coatings will hold up if I used alcohol, or other solvents.

I NEVER use tissue paper. I ALWAYS use the lens cloths that came with the scopes and I take extreme care of them to ensure they don't have any grit, grime or oil on them. They stay in a plastic bag until needed and go back into the bag ASAP when I an done.

Thanks for all of the replies and I will keep all the suggestions in mind if I ever let my scope lenses get THAT dirty... which will never happen! (smile)

All my best!

Kerry
 
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BackStop said:
Is there anything special in the Vortex cleaning kit that is out of the ordinary? I can blow loose particles from the lens with my breath, so that little doo-dad doesn't mean anything since I often clean my scope lenses with my breath, just like I do with my glasses.

Just wondering if the Vortex lens cleaning kit has something "special"... and apparently it does not.

Thanks in any case!

All my best!

Kerry
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A lens brush , lens paper and lens cleaning fluid and lens cloth.
The blow off bulb, I bought seperately.


IMG_1828.jpeg
 
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All honestly I do use a lint free or eyeglass cleaner pad , but most times in the field about all I got handy is my breath and shirt tail .. thing is you ain't got to bare down hard and scrub it to death .. just enough time clear the lens of a smug or something .. that glass used now a days is pretty tough stuff for scratch resistant.
 
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