Today’s first QT comes to us from a Premium Member who wished to remain anonymous. As his tip dealt with a method for cleaning glasses post-ride – and I’ve been wearing, and cleaning, glasses for most of my life, I thought I’d add my own tip as well.–J.M.
Here’s what Anon wrote:
Most roadies need to clean their glasses after every ride. I stumbled on a method that works great for me.
I have a cup with soap in it and a boar bristle brush for shaving. When I need to clean my glasses, I just wet the brush (already soapy) and use it to thoroughly clean the lenses, bridge, and all the crevices a cloth never gets to.
If you don’t shave this way, just use a small boar bristle paint brush and any bar of soap.
And here’s my Method:
Not only do my Rx sunglasses provide the sun- and wind-protection I need, I simply could not ride without them. My vision, uncorrected, is, in a word, terrible. So my cycling sunglasses are an absolutely vital piece of equipment, and I put a premium on taking care of them.
But I’ve found that sweat, and the salty residue left behind on my specs after a ride, comes off pretty easily with water alone.
So, before my post-ride shower, I place my sunglasses, my watch and my Epic ID Emergency Bracelet (click to read my review) – all the non-apparel stuff I wear that gets sweaty – on the bathroom counter. After the shower, I then run the glasses under a stream of water in the sink, making sure to thoroughly rinse off the lenses, temples, everything.
Then, with the damp towel I used to dry off, I dry off the glasses (without rubbing the lenses; I’m just removing the moisture for now). I use the same towel to wipe off my watch and the ID bracelet. There’s no real need to run them under the water; the towel is damp enough to clean them off.
Before putting my sunglasses back in their carrying case, I spray a microfiber cloth with Sven Can See (my favorite anti-fog treatment), and use the cloth to apply it to my lenses, finishing the cleaning process.
Not only are the lenses spic and span, they’re also treated so they won’t fog up on my next ride.
Then I wrap the pen-like spray bottle of Sven in the microfiber cloth and put it in my carrying case, along with the specs. That way, I have everything I need in one place and don’t have to search for any of it next time.—John Marsh
Please share your own glasses-cleaning tips in the Comments!
If you have an idea for a QT, fire away. We’re always looking for good info we can share with fellow roadies. We would love to hear from you with any suggestions you have. Contact us by clicking Quick Tips Ideas.
—John Marsh & The RBR Team
Liquid dish washing detergent is better than soap as it does not leave a film. Wet the lenses, apply a drop of detergent and rub it on the inner and outer surface of each lens. Rinse thoroughly and let dry. Been doing it for decades with excellent results. .
An optometrist told me to refill my lens spray bottle with distilled water and add a drop of dawn dish detergent – as dawn is a degreaser.