How to clean your lenses without ruining the coating
LearnDraftDraft article — the wording is under review and may change before launch.
Most scratched lenses are not unlucky — they are dry-wiped. Ninety seconds of the right habit keeps a coating clear for years and keeps your warranty intact. Here is the whole method.
Written by CLIFF Lenses · Last updated 1 Oct 2026
3 min read5 sections3 diagrams
At a glance
- 01Never dry-wipe: grit dragged across the lens by a dry cloth causes nearly all fine scratches.
- 02Rinse, a drop of dish soap, rinse again, then dry with a clean microfiber cloth.
- 03Heat, paper and household chemicals quietly destroy coatings.
- 04A coating that fails on its own is covered for 12 months; damage from heat or dry-wiping is not.
The one rule: never dry-wipe
Almost every fine scratch on a lens comes from the same mistake — wiping a dry lens to clear a smudge. The smudge is not the problem; the invisible grit sitting on the lens is, and a dry cloth drags it across the surface like sandpaper. Wet the lens first, every time, and you remove the cause of nearly all lens damage.
Illustrative · the shape of the principle, not measured data
The method, step by step
- 1Rinse the lenses under a gentle stream of lukewarm — never hot — water to float off dust and grit.
- 2Put a tiny drop of plain dish soap on each lens, or use a proper lens spray. Skip anything with ammonia, bleach, alcohol, or household glass cleaner — those attack coatings.
- 3Rub gently on both sides with your fingertips for a few seconds.
- 4Rinse thoroughly.
- 5Dry with a clean microfiber lens cloth, or shake off the water and let them air-dry. Never use tissue, paper towel, a shirt tail or a napkin — paper is wood, and it scratches.
The things that quietly wreck a coating
- Heat: a hot car dashboard, a sauna, hot tap water, a hairdryer. Coatings and heat do not mix — this is a leading cause of the fine crazing that looks like the coating is peeling.
- Paper and clothing: every dry-wipe on a shirt is a small scratch.
- Harsh chemicals: household cleaners, hand sanitizer and hairspray all take a toll. Wipe splashes off promptly.
- Face-down: never rest lenses on their front surface. Fold the arms and set them down lenses-up, or use the case.
Little habits that add years
- Handle glasses with two hands and hold them by the arms, not the lenses — keep fingerprints and pressure off the surface.
- Keep the case in your bag and the cloth clean; a gritty cloth is worse than none. Wash the cloth occasionally in plain water and let it air-dry.
- Take glasses off with both hands to avoid twisting the frame, which shifts a progressive off its fitting height and gets the lens blamed for a frame problem.
Why this protects more than the lens
A coating is not decoration. The anti-reflective layer is what cuts night-driving glare and lets people see your eyes; the hard coat is what resists scratches in the first place. Ruin it and you lose the performance you paid for, not just the looks. Looking after it is the cheapest upgrade you will ever make.
Illustrative · the shape of the principle, not measured data
Covered — the coating fails
Peeling · crazing · lifting away
Not covered — wear from handling
Scratched while wiped dry
Illustrative · the shape of the principle, not measured data
What is and is not covered is set out on the warranty and support page, and the coatings themselves are explained on the coatings page.
Terms in this article
Common questions
Are pre-moistened lens wipes safe?
Wipes made for coated lenses are fine when you are away from a tap, as long as you blow or brush off loose dust first. Avoid general-purpose wipes and anything with alcohol unless the packet says it is safe for coated lenses.
How should I wash the microfiber cloth?
Hand-wash it in lukewarm water with a little dish soap, rinse it well and let it air-dry. Skip fabric softener, which leaves a film that smears lenses.
Can scratches be polished out of a coated lens?
No. Polishing a coated lens removes coating along with the scratch and leaves a patch that flares and smears. A badly scratched lens is replaced, not repaired — which is why prevention matters.