6 Simple Steps to Take Care of Sport Sunglasses

[CNM]

Always Use A Case

When not in use, the case keeps it safe from the elements and surroundings, so it’s pretty obvious why you need it. If you like carrying around your sport sunglasses in a purse, bag or something similar, it’s prone to scratches and smudges from keys, books, cosmetics and pretty much everything you keep in the bag. The case keeps it safe from all these hazards.

Proper Handling

Always taking off or handling sport sunglasses with one hand will cause the joints on the frames to loosen. If you’re in the habit of twirling sunglasses or holding them by one arm, you’d be wise to avoid it. The best practice is to use both hands to put on and take off sunglasses, this way there’s no extra stress on one particular joint and you won’t have to deal with broken sunglasses.

No Breathing Out On The Lens & Rubbing !

One of the most common ways to ‘clean’ glasses is to breathe out on the lenses and wipe it off with any cloth or your shirt. This is completely wrong on so many levels. First of all, breathing out and using the condensation to clean the lenses only make it worse by spreading the dirt/oil/smudges around. Secondly, using just any cloth or napkin to wipe your sunglasses only causes tiny scratches. The right way to clean your glasses is to rinse them with warm water, gently rub all around using your forefinger or thumb with mild soap, rinse them again, then dry them with a clean, lint-free cloth. Napkins, polyester, cotton, wool and pretty much all common clothing fabrics will only damage the sunglasses over time, so avoid using them to clean.

Avoid Dry Wiping

Another common mistake is to wipe the sport sunglasses while completely dry. The lack of moisture and friction can cause the lens coating to degrade, or simply get scratched. Of course this is probably where the whole breathing out and cleaning lenses came from, but no matter how many people you see do it and how convenient it seems, just don’t do it !

Proper Storage

We recommend always using a case, but if that’s not possible, be very careful about how and where you place down your sport sunglasses. Never place them with the lenses facing down, it will cause scratches, if that wasn’t already obvious. Another more important thing is, never keep it exposed to the sun in a closed car. The intense heat that can build up in a closed car during the day can seriously damage the lens coating or in some cases, even melt the frame !

No Chemicals!

Sport Sunglasses lenses are very sensitive to chemicals, and incorrect usage can result in complete lens damage. Since they’re often coated with UV protection material, damaging the coating would defeat the entire purpose of having sunglasses. So make sure you don’t use household chemicals or even harsh soaps. If you must clean, there are plenty of made for sunglasses cleaning solutions available out there.

[David in FL]

Well, pretty much the same can be said for any eyewear.  

[Darkfrog]

2 hours ago, CNM said:

We recommend

Who is “we”? Is there some sales pitch coming, or is this a copy / paste from elsewhere on the web?

[boogielicious]

12 hours ago, David in FL said:

Well, pretty much the same can be said for any eyewear.  

I usually throw them in my bag with a handful of gravel.

[Missouri Swede]

13 hours ago, CNM said:

then dry them with a clean, lint-free cloth. Napkins, polyester, cotton, wool and pretty much all common clothing fabrics will only damage the sunglasses over time, so avoid using them to clean.

What cloth is recommended, if synthetics, cotton and wool are to be avoided?

 I’ve been using microfiber, since that’s what came with my Oakleys and my Ray-Bans.

[nevets88]

I try and use solution and lens cloth, but harder to do so with sunglasses for golf. There are scratches on the lens, I guess I'll eventually order lens replacements.

[CNM]

In my opinion, it is the best way to clean the lens by water 😀