what do you use to clean your optics?

[gregbradley]

Looking for other's experiences cleaning optics and what cleaning fluids they have found to be useful.

Greg.

[SB (Chris)]

Hi Greg
I use isopropyl alcohol spray on lenses and warm water followed by isopropyl alcohol on mirrors. 20% methanol is also good. I use fresh microfibre cloths each time.

Chris

[Startrek (Martin)]

Newtonian mirrors 8” , 10” and 12”
Run under the laundry sink with warm water and lightly cotton swab in circular motion , then rinse off with distilled water , drip dry on all angles then use a cotton tip to pick up any beads
(Mirrors are generally cleaned once a year )

Finderscopes and Guide scopes objectives
Hurricane blower and Microfibre cloths

Televue eyepieces Powermates and Parracor
Hurricane blower and Microfibre cloths
Cleaned as required

Filters
Hurricane blower and microfibre cloths
Filters in filter wheel have never been cleaned so far after 7 months and minimal dust spots
Visual filters cleaned once a year

My gear keeps pretty clean as it’s well covered and sealed when not in use and I don’t observe or image when dew is around

I’ve used isopropyl alcohol on eye pieces and finder / guide scopes as find it leaves a very faint smear , I can never get a super clean clear surface , maybe I’m doing something wrong , so use a microfibre cloth with good results

[The Mekon (John Briggs)]

Warm water with a drop of dishwashing liquid. And I use plenty of it - don't think trying to wipe dirt around a lens with a teaspoon full of alcohol is a good idea. My refractor's lenses are spotless.
I only do this job on a warm dry day, turn the scope with the objective down then wash away followed by distilled water rinse.

[gregbradley]

Some good tips here. Keep em coming.

I have been using Bintel cleaning solution for years but it's getting expensive and shipping doubles the cost.

Greg.

[floyd_2 (Dean)]

Originally Posted by Startrek

I’ve used isopropyl alcohol on eye pieces and finder / guide scopes as find it leaves a very faint smear , I can never get a super clean clear surface , maybe I’m doing something wrong , so use a microfibre cloth with good results

I agree with your experience using isopropyl alcohol Martin. 20 years ago I had the remains of a bottle of hospital grade isopropyl from a chemist. That stuff never left a smear when used with surgical cotton wool. It was lost in a house move so I used another brand of isopropyl and had the same smearing problem as you ever since. It makes a mess and it's marked as 99.9%.

I've since moved onto ROR (Residual Oil Remover) drops with Roscoe wipes and a hurricane blower and like the results. I researched for ages before I settled on this solution.

[croweater (Richard)]

I use Windex and Q tips mainly.
Cheers, Richard

[Leo.G (Leo)]

I've used white vinegar on mirrors and lenses, I also use it on stripped down camera lenses with mould. Rinsed with distilled water every time.

[bluesilver (Peter)]

I made up this solution and use it on the Skywatcher esprit optics.
https://arksky.org/asoclean.htm
It has worked fine for me and no issues.
I use cotton wool dipped in the solution to then clean the optics, then just use clean multiple cotton wool to dap it all clean.

[gregbradley]

That link goes to a page that says 403 Forbidden.

Greg.

[bluesilver (Peter)]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

That link goes to a page that says 403 Forbidden.

Greg.

It shouldn't do, i just tried i again and all is good.
Basically the main ingredients are:

1) distilled water
2) "pure" isopropyl alcohol (I got mine from Jaycar electronics store, bust be 91% or higher )
3) coffee filters ( I used paint filters )
4) "regular" Windex, the blue kind
5) Kodak PhotoFlo solution

Here is a copy and paste straight from the site:

HERE IS HOW TO MIX ALL THIS STUFF:
You are making TWO solutions:

1) Solution 1 - Cleaning Solution: This is the active part of the cleaning and should be mixed very precisely in the quantities provided.
2) Solution 2 - Rinse Solution: This is ABSOLUTELY necessary for most cleaning session; however, you MAY find that you do NOT NEED the final solution if your optics dry streak-free (which likely they will!).

SOLUTION ONE: Cleaning Solution.
You are going to have much more solution of each component than need for one quart of final SuperPlus Cleaning Solution. Keep all left-over unused and unmixed components well sealed and marked for future use.

Step 1: FILTER THE WINDEX VIA THE COFFEE FILTER into a thoroughly washed and dried container; go ahead and filter the entire bottle as this is much simpler and more effective than attempting to filter one ounce.

Step 2: FILTER THE DISTILLED WATER using a second clean coffee filter into another jar. Yes, I know that distilled water is supposedly inclusion free, but trust me on this one.

Step 3: MIX...... In another quart jar, add the following (do NOT substitute nor change amounts!)
a) the filtered and purified WINDEX - 1 ounce
b) ALCOHOL - 1.5 ounce
c) PHOTO-FLO - two drops...that's RIGHT, I said "two drops"....any more and you will be sorry. And I mean SMALL drops!! (about 1/16th ounce is pushing the limit)

Step 4: MIX together gently but do NOT shake.

Step 5: ADD 12 OUNCES OF Distilled water. I chose to mix my solution in empty quart plastic alcohol bottles; if doing so, merely fill the bottle to within 1" of the top.

Step 6: Pour liquid into your MARKED squirt bottle for use.

SOLUTION TWO: Rinse Solution.
In 32 ounces of filtered distilled water add TWO drops (only!!) of Photo-Flo solution. No more no less. Transfer liquid into SECOND MARKED squirt bottle.

[gregbradley]

Thanks for that.

Getting streak free isopropyl alcohol seems to be important. I got that from another thread on the same subject on Cloudtnights.

Greg.

[Leo.G (Leo)]

Weird, the link works for me:

https://arksky.org/asologo.jpg

The

ASO fine optics CLEANING SYSTEM: Part I