You know how it can be so annoying when your reading sunglasses are smudged with grease, finger prints, or grit – worse, covered with scratches. Not only can dirt affect your vision, but unclean glasses can even cause physical discomforts, such as headaches and eye strain.

Some folks usually just grab the nearest cloth such as their shirt to clean their glasses. Not a good idea. Why? Improper cleaning can do more damage to your dual-purpose eyewear.

Here are some hacks on how to clean, protect, and store your reading sunglasses. Even thebest eyewear needs quality care.

How To Clean Your Reading Sunglasses

1. Wash Your Hands

Before cleaning your reading sunglasses, it is important that your hands are thoroughly cleaned first. Dirt from your fingers can cause scratches on your lenses. Make sure to dry your hands completely using a clean towel.

2. Gentle Rinse

Put your sunglasses under running water to wash away and dust or debree stuck to your lenses. The water stream should be gentle and not hot. Heat, or a strong water current, can cause damage to your glasses’ lens coating.

3. Soap With Fingertips

Using your fingertips, gently soap the lenses. Use a lotion-free dishwashing liquid, but do not directly pour it onto the lens. Squeeze out a drop onto your fingers then gently soap your entire sunglasses— not leaving a single surface un-soaped.

4. Thoroughly Rinse

Still using tap water, rinse your glasses thoroughly. After rinsing, shake off the excess water. Examine the lenses if they are now truly clean.

5. Dry Properly

Completely dry the lenses using a microfiber cloth or a clean lint-free towel that has not been washed with a fabric softener.

6. Polish

After drying your glasses completely, wipe the lenses using disposable cleaning wipes. These wipes are actually designed for eyeglasses cleaning. This is to achieve thoroughly polished reading sunglasses (you may skip steps 2-5 if your lenses just need a good maintenance polishing).

How To Protect Your Reading Sunglasses

1. Avoid Bad Cleaners

Never use the following to clean your lenses as they can cause damage, or worsen the smudges and even leave bacteria on your glasses:

• Acetone
• Saliva
• Tissue or paper towel
• Any article of clothing

They can damage your reader sunglasses lenses.

2. Handle Properly

• Don’t set your glasses lens face down.
• Use both hands to remove from face.
• Hold the glasses by the temples.
• Avoid touching the lens.
• Avoid setting them down on chairs, beds, sofas.

How To Store Your Reader Sunglasses

Use The Protective Hard Case

When you buy your reading sunglasses, they come in a carrying case as well as a microfiber cleaning cloth. This case is designed to protect your eyewear. When you’re not using your glasses, secure them in their original case.

Keep Them In One Place

To avoid misplacing your glasses, choose one area in the house to store your glasses. This is going to be that permanent safekeeping place whether it’s inside the drawer of your bedside table or your home desk. It’s highly stressful to keep losing your glasses.

Final Thoughts

Owning reading sunglasses – whether they are polarized or bifocal is a great way to be able to step out of the house with your eyes protected from harmful UV rays. With reading sunglasses, you can enjoy reading books or digital files outdoors without straining your eyes.

To keep your glasses in top shape, you have to practice proper cleaning, protection, and storage. Handling your reading glasses like a pro can also help prevent eye issues.