What’s more unbearable than dirty glasses? The answer: dirty glasses that are a pain to clean! Whether you’re a wearer of all kinds, a toddler, a vintage-aged retiree, or a digital nomad soaking up the sun, we all have the same problem: how to clean those pesky glasses that are so practical but so incredibly annoying!
As you’ve gathered, the task I’m tackling today is finding you the best eyeglass cleaning products. Come on, let’s get to it—it feels good to scrub!
Best eyeglass cleaner
To see our selection at a glance for easier glasses cleaning
| Type | Product | Expert recommendation | Rating |
| Budget | Dish soap | L'arbre vert | 4.8/5 |
| Natural | Marseille soap | La Corvette | 4.6/5 |
| Modern | Cleaning spray | Zeiss | 4.3/5 |
| Cloth | Microfiber | MS. SIGA | 4.5/5 |
Important: Whether you choose the budget, natural, or spray option, a microfiber cloth is essential. We recommend it in any case!
The budget option
Pro tip: dish soap. Even a struggling student has this on hand, so no excuses! Dish soap is particularly effective for cleaning our glasses (or any other type of eyewear). With its degreasing properties, your greasy fingerprints will be gone after a quick polish!
Use a basic, neutral product; no frills with almond or goat milk moisturizing agents, which might leave streaks. (Truth be told, I have nothing against goats; I'm from Ardèche!)
Easy tutorial:
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Wash your (big) dirty hands.
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Rinse your glasses under lukewarm water (be careful, avoid ice-cold or boiling water, which could damage your lenses and optical coatings). This rinses away dust, impurities, and other grime you don't want to smear across your lenses, which could lead to micro-scratches.
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Add a drop of dish soap; these are generally quite concentrated, so you don’t need much.
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Use two fingers and gently rub both sides of the lenses.
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Rinse your glasses under lukewarm water again and thoroughly remove all the soap to avoid streaks.
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Dry them with your dirty T-shirt! NO NO NO! So close to the finish line, this is not the time to mess up. We use a microfiber cloth here; I talk about it a bit further down. No T-shirts, paper towels, tissues, TP, or sanitary pads!
The natural option
The fastest way is to spit on your lenses, but I don't recommend it since I know you like eating greasy food.
Jokes aside, if you’re looking for a natural solution, you can refer back to the first point and use a natural dish soap.
Another solution is using Marseille soap or black soap, two alternatives that work well.
I see you coming—don't rub the bar of soap directly against the lens; instead, put some soap on your fingers and then rub your lenses! You can pick up at step 3 of the tutorial.
Eyeglass cleaning sprays
This is the most well-known and perfectly suitable solution, and it’s easy to use!
There are many sprays available in stores or online. Some are even multi-functional and can also clean your screens. However, be careful to check the credibility of the brand and the quality of the product; there is no miracle 13-in-1 product. If it claims to clean your glasses, degrease your lawnmower, and shampoo your dog, be wary and opt for a specialized product that will preserve your lenses: A frame like that, you’ve got to cherish it, my friend!
To properly clean your lenses with a spray:
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A quick spray on both sides of the lens.
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Use a microfiber cloth (see below) and use circular motions for a few seconds.
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Stop only when there is no product left on your lenses, otherwise, it may leave streaks.
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If you still see spots, whatever you do, do not scratch them with your fingernail or anything else; apply more product and repeat the operation.
You have to repeat this daily; it will prevent the buildup of grease, grime, and dust that are always harder to get rid of once they’re embedded (a bit like you at a party).
Eyeglass cleaning wipes
The first time you SAW them, you were 3 years old at your grandfather’s house.
We’re talking about an age-old concept, but many brands offer pre-moistened cleaning wipes for glasses. The choice is wide, and price differences are relative to the quality and quantity of the product inside.
What’s nice is that you can always keep a wipe in your pocket if needed.
The downside: not very eco-friendly between the optical cleaning solution, disposable wipes, and individual packaging. This isn't exactly the most sustainable solution. Though some wipes have fewer chemicals and are more environmentally friendly.
The microfiber cloth
We are talking about an essential and irreplaceable tool that is easy to use. Some have tried to compete with it, even big names like paper towels! But nothing beats it—the microfiber cloth is the best of the best for cleaning your glasses without the risk of scratching them.
Whether you use a cloth dry or with a liquid solution, it is the point of contact with your lenses, so you need to be particularly careful and not choose just anything.
We always tend to do this in a rush with a 12-year-old T-shirt covered in dubious and countless impurities; that’s a big no! There is a material specifically developed for this that significantly reduces the risk of damaging your lens and/or the coating on it, such as anti-reflective or anti-blue light coatings.
>> Complete guide: Cleaning glasses with anti-reflective lenses.
In many cases, when you buy glasses, a microfiber cloth is included. If it is, take the time to check its quality and effectiveness. Sometimes, brands try to save money on this type of accessory.
If the provided microfiber cloth isn’t quality, or if you lost it (yes, yes, I know you little rascal, your room is a mess), don't hesitate to order one or ask your optician for advice. You don’t need a 50-euro camel hair cloth either, just something worthy of the person you are!
Microfiber cleaning mini-brushes
Alright, I’m including this product for gadget fans who would be ready to buy a batch of 50 for 0.99 euros on Dealabs. (only god can judge me)
In recent years, we’ve seen mini microfiber cleaning brushes arrive straight from China. So yes, they exist, yes, they look cool, but no, they aren’t very useful. Your fingers are tongs, so use a quality microfiber cloth and clean those fingerprints yourself like a grown-up! There's no need for this product, which won’t reach into the corners and whose microfiber quality leaves much to be desired!
As you’ve gathered, I definitely don't recommend this type of product, which isn’t easy to use and can potentially scratch your lenses.
Best product for cleaning glasses: The final word
As you’ve understood, different options are available to you to have clean, scratch-free glasses. If you take care of your glasses, you can significantly increase their lifespan (and stop adding to the national health system costs by constantly replacing them).
It’s actually very easy to have clean glasses, so gear up!
FAQ: Some frequently asked questions:
Best product for cleaning glasses: with or without alcohol?
"Wait, alcohol isn't cool?" Well, that depends. Indeed, generally, alcohol-based products aren’t very eco-friendly and aren’t the most sought-after products for cleaning glasses. However, in the COVID era, it might be legitimate to want not only to clean but also to disinfect your glasses. Nothing better than a glasses cleaner that eliminates 99.9% of germs! It’s also handy for your smartphone screen or for cleaning your computer screen after your parents have touched it with their big dirty fingers.
Come try our virtual try-on and test our most beautiful models.
Is there an anti-fog glasses cleaner?
Had to wear a mask during COVID, suffered, bumped into doors because you couldn't see a thing? And you're wondering how to keep your glasses from fogging up?
It’s very simple; among all the liquids and products that exist, some have been specially designed to resist fog. They are generally a bit more expensive, but it’s worth it depending on your usage!
What should you NOT do to clean your glasses?
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Use anything other than a microfiber cloth: we can't say it enough, even if it feels like it "works fine," using something else can very easily create micro-scratches.
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Clean your glasses dry: lukewarm water, cleaning spray, cleaning wipes—you have a choice; avoid cleaning your glasses without liquid as much as possible, as tiny dirt particles risk scratching your lens.
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Use window cleaner: even if your glasses are as thick as double glazing, that’s no reason to use window cleaner, which risks attacking the treatment on your glasses. No window sprays or household cleaning wipes.
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Use white vinegar: we all have someone around us who uses white vinegar for everything (or baking soda, it’s the same team). For this, they should keep it for themselves and use it for a drink because it’s not a good idea. Depending on the material of the lens, I’m thinking of organic lenses for example, white vinegar attacks the treatments and coatings.
Can you clean a mobile phone screen with glasses cleaner?
Yes, absolutely, no specific worries. The opposite, however, should be avoided. The treatments on glasses are generally more fragile than those on screens, so as mentioned before, don't use just anything.
