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When you bought your eyeglasses, your optometrist probably told you how important it is to keep them clean. They may have even shown you how to care for the lenses, but you should also learn how to care for the frames. Most eyeglass frames are made from plastic or metal, so they're easy to wash up with basic dishwashing soap. You can also deep-clean your nose pads or polish up the frames if they're looking cloudy.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Washing Eyeglass Frames

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  1. If you have dirt, lotion, or natural oils on your hands, you'll transfer them to your eyeglass frames. The tiny dirt particles can even scratch your frames and lenses. To prevent this, wash your hands thoroughly with soapy water for at least 20 seconds. Then, rinse your hands and dry them.[1]
    • Don't use hand sanitizer instead of soapy water. The water rinses away grit and dirt particles from your hands.
    • Choose a non-moisturizing soap to wash your hands. Moisturizing soaps contain oils or lotions that can get on your frames and lenses.
  2. Running the glasses under water removes dust from the surface of the frames and the lenses. Once the eyeglasses are wet, squirt a single drop of basic liquid dish soap on each lens.[2]
    • Avoid using a moisturizing dish soap, which could leave a greasy or oily residue.
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  3. Gently massage the soap over the frames to create a lather. Rub this lather across both sides of the frames. Spend a little extra time cleaning around the bridge of the nose since it might be greasy.[3]

    Tip: If your hinges have built-up dirt or grime, fold frames closed to expose the hinges. Use your fingers or an old toothbrush to gently rub soapy water around the hinges.

  4. Hold the frames under warm running water to rinse off the soap and dirt. Remember to fold in the sides of the frames to rinse the hinges.[4]
    • Rinse your hands well while you do this so you don't get the clean frames soapy again.
  5. Take a soft fabric or microfiber cloth and rub it gently over the frames and lenses. Avoid using a tissue or paper towel since these could scratch your eyeglasses or leave tiny fibers behind.[5]
    • Clean your eyeglasses frames every time you clean your glasses. Try to do this at least once a day.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Cleaning Dirty Nose Pads

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  1. To make a soapy solution, squirt a drop of basic liquid soap into a small bowl or dish. Pour in about 14 cup (59 ml) of warm water and swish an old toothbrush in the container to make a sudsy solution.[6]
    • Try to use a brush that has soft bristles since these are gentler on the nose pads.
  2. Gently rub the toothbrush on both sides of each nose pad. If your nose pads have metal wires connecting them to the bridge of the frame, take extra care to scrub them.[7]
    • Don't rub the toothbrush over your eyeglass lenses because the brush would scratch them.
  3. Hold the nose pads under warm running water to rinse off the soap and gunk. Then, pat the nose pads dry with a clean cloth. Let the nose pads air dry before you wear your frames so you don't trap moisture between the pads and your nose.[8]
    • To speed up the drying time, spray condensed air on the pads until they're dry.
  4. If you can't seem to completely remove the green buildup or if the nose pads have an unpleasant smell even after you've cleaned them, take them in to your optometrist for a professional cleaning.[9]
    • Most optometrist offices won't charge for a quick cleaning, which they can usually do while you wait in the lobby.

    Tip: The eye doctor might offer to replace the nose pads. This is also a good time to get your frames adjusted if you don't like how they sit.

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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Polishing Plastic Frames

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  1. Get out your pair of plastic frames that look dull or covered in white film and set them on a work surface. Take a clean soft cloth and squirt a coin-sized amount of furniture polish or lubricating multipurpose oil onto it.[10]

    Tip: Don't use a paper towel since it can leave lint on your frames. You could use a cotton cloth or microfiber cloth instead.

  2. Use gentle pressure to rub the polish or oil onto the surface of your frames. Keep moving the cloth so you coat the front, back, and sides of the frames.[11]
    • If your frames were covered with a milky white film, which is normal wear, you may need to apply extra polish or oil until the white discoloration disappears.
  3. This gives the polish or oil a chance to work deep into the plastic so the polish lasts longer. If you used lubricating multipurpose oil, it can seep into the hinges, which makes them bend easier.[12]
    • If you're in a hurry, you can skip this step but your frames might not have as high of a shine.
  4. Take a completely clean soft cloth and gently rub it over the entire surface of the frames. Keep rubbing to pick up excess oil or polish so it doesn't come off on your hands when you touch your frames.[13]
    • You can polish your frames whenever they're looking dull or cloudy.
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Tips

  • Always use gentle soap when cleaning any part of your eyeglasses. Harsh cleansers, especially ones that contain ammonia, can damage your frames and lenses.

Tips from our Readers

  • Use a toothpick or the corner of a business card to scrape out any dirt or grime stuck between the lenses and your frames.
  • Be sure to clean your frames regularly so you aren't transferring germs to your face that can cause breakouts.
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Things You'll Need

Washing Eyeglass Frames

  • Basic liquid dish soap
  • Clean cloths
  • Old toothbrush, optional

Cleaning Dirty Nose Pads

  • Basic liquid dish soap
  • Small bowl or dish
  • Clean cloth
  • Old toothbrush

Polishing Plastic Frames

  • Soft cloths
  • Furniture polish or lubricating multipurpose oil

About This Article

Claudia & Angelo Zimmermann
Reviewed by:
House Cleaning Professionals
This article was reviewed by Claudia & Angelo Zimmermann and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Claudia and Angelo Zimmermann are the founders of Everneat, an Eco-Friendly Cleaning Service based in New York City and in Connecticut. They are also the founders of Clean Code, a DIY 100% natural cleaning product line. This article has been viewed 22,242 times.
18 votes - 94%
Co-authors: 3
Updated: May 25, 2021
Views: 22,242
Categories: Cleaning Eyeglasses
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 22,242 times.

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