How to Clean & Take Care of Your Sunglasses
Now that you’ve found your perfect shades, you’ll want to brush up on how to clean sunglasses and keep your new favorite pair looking sharp. Smudges, scratches, and that stubborn mystery haze? Not on our watch. Your sunglasses deserve better, and with the right care—proper wiping techniques, smart storage, and a few pro tips—you can do right by your sunnies. We’re dishing out the QUAY to crystal-clear lenses, so you can see (and serve) a flawless look every time.
How to Clean Sunglasses
We’ve all been there. You go to put on your sunglasses only to find they’re super smudgy or there’s a mystery haze right in your field of vision. Avoid this scenario with good habits. The best way to clean sunglasses is committing to maintenance. Make a point to give your shades a cleaning once a week or so in order to keep them tip-top and remove the need to perform a less gentle clean on-the-go.
Rinse Whether you’re giving them a routine cleaning or getting rid of smudges, start by rinsing them with water. This removes any dry dust that could scratch your lenses. A mild soap is okay too, if you need to remove stubborn oils and grime.
Wipe with a Microfiber Cloth This next part is major, especially if you’re wondering how to clean polarized sunglasses: a microfiber cloth is the only thing you can dry your lenses with that won’t scratch them or damage the lens coating.
What Not to Do When Cleaning Your Sunglasses
Like we said, avoid desperate cleaning moments by committing to regular maintenance cleaning so you won’t have to use less-than-ideal cleaning methods. By less-than-ideal we mean using your shirt front (no matter how soft it feels) or reaching for a paper towel or whatever you can find in your glovebox. Anything other than a microfiber cloth leads to tiny scratches. Definitely avoid anything other than a mild soap too. Vinegar, glass cleaner, and other things can erode the coating on your lenses. And don’t bother with a spit-shine. Saliva won’t remove oil (and it’s kind of gross).
Storing Your Sunglasses
Keeping your shades looking sharp doesn’t just mean cleaning, proper use and storage will extend their life. That hard case they came in? That should be considered your sunglasses’ one and only home—not the dash of your car or not the inside pocket of your purse. And that case should have a designated space at home where they live when you’re not out and about. Leaving your sunglasses in the car exposes them to heat that can warp your frames.
Hopefully, you’ve developed the habit of only putting them on your face or in their case. But if you do set them down, lay them on their folded arms, not the top of the frame or lens-down—that’s a recipe for scratches and damage. Whatever you do, don’t put them on top of your head either, this stretches the frame and makes for a loose, awkward fit.
The gist of it is, a little effort goes a long way to extend the life of your shades. Take care of your sunglasses and they’ll always look great and give you that crisp, sun-shielding vision you loved from the get-go.
