Cleaning lenses..

[ironglow]

  I have some scopes that have been sitting little used in my gun locker.  A couple have developed what look like small, iridescent speckles or stains.
  The soft optical cloth won't wipe them off, so how do I clean these lenses?  Is there a safe liquid cleaner to use?

[JustaShooter]

I'd start by dampening the soft lens cloth with distilled water.

[gene_225]

I have used alcohol on lens cleaning cloth for both my glasses and scopes with no apparent problems. Actually I use a cloth for scopes and spray for glasses.

[Graybeard]

I used to build and clean lens on binoculars and other optics for a living. We used a combination of soapy water, alcohol and acetone on lens cleaning paper.

Best I've found since leaving the job is a Q-Tip. I'd start by soaking it in alcohol and using that. You might find it hard to avoid leaving a stain that way which is what acetone is for. It evaporates immediately so no residue left behind.

Blow off the worse of it using an ear syringe and then use those liquids with a Q-Tip. It is the best most can do these days. We used tweezers and had a special way of folding the lens tissue to use. I have found Q-Tips to do just as well.

[gene_225]

Thanks GB sounds better than mine.

[ironglow]

Thanks guys...I just knew i would get some good info from you guys !

[mcbammer]

I used to build and clean lens on binoculars and other optics for a living. We used a combination of soapy water, alcohol and acetone on lens cleaning paper.

Best I've found since leaving the job is a Q-Tip. I'd start by soaking it in alcohol and using that. You might find it hard to avoid leaving a stain that way which is what acetone is for. It evaporates immediately so no residue left behind.

Blow off the worse of it using an ear syringe and then use those liquids with a Q-Tip. It is the best most can do these days. We used tweezers and had a special way of folding the lens tissue to use. I have found Q-Tips to do just as well.

  Cotton balls  an alcohol  work well on the  larger lenses . I  use a dry one to cleanup any stain .

[ironglow]

  Question...  Will alcohol or acetone do any harm to the lens coatings..or are the coatings on the inside surfaces only?

[gene_225]

  Question...  Will alcohol or acetone do any harm to the lens coatings..or are the coatings on the inside surfaces only?

I've never seen any damage from the alcohol.

[Graybeard]

Coatings are on all air to glass surfaces. Neither alcohol nor acetone will harm modern coatings. What hurts the coats is use of hard cloths and especially rubbing with something like a shirt tail when lens has dust and dirt on it.

Use something to blow off as much of that sort of loose dust or dirt first. Then use the Q-Tips or cotton ball if you prefer but NOT CLOTH wet with soapy water or alcohol to gently wipe off the rest. Final cleaning should be done with alcohol and finished with acetone for the best cleaning job but can be done only with alcohol tho that often leaves a residue spot since it doesn't evaporate as quickly as acetone.

[ironglow]

  Thanks Bill, I will follow your instructions..

[Ranger99]

I use either the scope cleaning
gadget that Weaver had sent as
a promotional deal, or a camera
lens brush doo-dad I've had for
years when I used to take a lot of
35MM photos, along with a micro
fiber cleaning cloth.
Whatever you use needs to be CLEAN.
Small particles of dust and debris
is what abrades lenses and coatings

[ironglow]

I use either the scope cleaning
gadget that Weaver had sent as
a promotional deal, or a camera
lens brush doo-dad I've had for
years when I used to take a lot of
35MM photos, along with a micro
fiber cleaning cloth.
Whatever you use needs to be CLEAN.
Small particles of dust and debris
is what abrades lenses and coatings

  Thanks, Ranger..