Cleaning.

[anaxa]

Hi,
Can anyone give me an idea on the best way to clean eyepieces.
Every time I try I just seem to make it worse?

Regards Syd.:question:

[ab1963]

Hi
I have found it depends on the stain ,Water based stains just breathe on the lense and wipe with a microfibre cloth ,Oily based stains from fingers and eyelashes i use isoprophyl alchohol and a microfibre cloth but before you use anything always use a blower to remove any specks of dirt etc because if you do not it can damage the coatings on the eyepiece .

Hope this helps

[m11]

Hi Syd,

I have the same fear with my eyepieces as they are not cheap accessories.

I have found this lenspen that work well cleaning off smudges. Before I used I use a blower to get rid of dust.

Hope it helps,

M11

[Wavytone]

Syd,

1. Use a blower brush (camera shops) to blow away any grit/dust. DO NOT scrub with a fabric or kleenex.

2. As per Andrews advice, assess what's on the lenses as to whether its greasy (usually).

3. Using a cotton bud (the things women use to clean their eyes) dip this into solvent and then wipe the lens. Try to use as little as possible - using too much means the liquid will seep into the lens cell and contaminate the inside surfaces of the eyepiece and the only way to fix that involves complete dis-assembly - see 5 below.

Ideally use isopropyl alcohol (visit your local chemist or ask Bintel), but in a pinch "Windex" works well, as does water with dish-washing detergent - just as good at removing greasy marks - but this has to be flushed afterwards with distilled water. Scotch whisky or OP rum should work nicely too, for that matter, and cheaper than isopropyl alcohol. Acetone is not recommended - it leaves a waxy scum.

4. Modern lens coatings are quite tough (I wear prescription specs with coated lenses) and its quite safe to wipe eyepieces gently. The best material to use is a well-washed cotton hanky, or a damp (not sopping wet) Kleenex tissue.

5. If you wet the eyepiece so badly liquid gets inside this is a REALLY BAD THING. The eyepiece will fog up internally every time it cools down, and quite possibly you'll have liquid floating around inside if you did a really bad job.

The only way to fix this is to dismantle the eyepiece and carefully wash and dry every element then reassemble.

6. If you want to clean a bare lens, holding it under flowing hot (ideally boiling) water will remove most things with no rubbing at all.

But remember this: An eyepiece that has been dismantled never works as well again as it originally did, when new.

So look after the things.

You have been warned.

[Atmos]

You can get little spray bottles of 100% isopropyl alcohol from Office Works. There are a few that aren’t 100% and can leave a residue.

[wavelandscott]

Just a side comment as Wavy suggested, modern coatings are tougher than you might think. Use reasonable care and you will have no difficulties, they are made to be cleaned when needed.

[bigjoe]

I use a blower, Isopropyl alcohol from Jay Car and buds mostly ; but have successfully used windex sparingly as Wavy says..these guys are using Acetone. https://youtu.be/wdNS2mGSTfI .hmm residue? Maybe not if done correctly.
bigjoe.

[Wavytone]

Unfortunately there is a lot of variability in the quality of acetone. You can be lucky and get a pure batch, but the stuff sold by chemists usually includes added wax on the assumption its for removing nail polish and without the wax it dries the nail out very badly. I've tried industrial acetone too (Bunnings sell it in 5 litre bottles) - not bad, but not a perfect result.

Windex came second best IMHO to isopropyl alcohol from Bintel.

I did actually try scotch whisky and OP rum, the scotch worked quite well too.

[anaxa]

Thank you all for your replies to my question.
You have given me great advise and I am very appreciative of this.
Your comments have help enormously.

Thanks Syd.:thumbsup: