Recommendations on how to sanitize your eyeglasses without damaging coatings, platings, and plastics that are present in most frames. Many commercial sanitizing products contain chemicals that over time will haze coatings or even fracture frames and lenses. The following three options will keep your eyewear looking great for years to come.
With any of these methods you will want to start by cleaning your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer before then putting on vinyl or latex gloves.
Cleaning with a mild soap and warm water: Encore Vision recommends cleaning all frames with an anti-bacterial lotion-free soap or a mild dish soap such as Dawn mixed in with warm water.
If you have many eyeglasses that you need to clean and sanitize, consider filling a tub with warm water and soap and submerging the frame while moving it back and forth to make sure the water/soap solution penetrates all areas of the eyewear before removing the frame and rinsing with clean water under a sink or in another tub with fresh/distilled water. Finish by drying frames with a microfiber cloth.
You can also apply small drops of soap directly onto the frame and lenses and begin to work a lather with a splash of water in a sink that spreads across the entire frame and lenses. After 20-30 seconds you can begin to wash off the eyewear under a stream of warm running water to remove soap film and finish by drying the lenses with a microfiber cloth.
Cleaning with a 1.5% diluted hydrogen peroxide solution: You can make use of hydrogen peroxide 1.5% wipes and gently wiping the entire frame including nose pads, frame temples, and lenses. Let it stand on the frame for several minutes following the directions on the package to give the hydrogen peroxide solution enough time to kill off bacteria and viruses. If you cannot source prepackaged wipes you can make your own solution by using a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and diluting it with water in a 50/50 concentration. Pour or spray onto a microfiber cloth and wipe down the entire frame. You can also fill a small tub with the solution and submerge larger batches of frames for cleaning.
Hydrogen peroxide begins to lose its effectiveness when exposed to light so keep bottles in dark containers, or regularly replace the solution with a new batch.
UVC Chamber: Sanitize frames utilizing 200-280nm light in the ultraviolet spectrum in a UVC chamber. Make sure to follow the manufacturers recommended guidelines to ensure the eyewear reaches sanitation. This includes making sure the light hits every part of the frame and is not obstructed by frame parts such as folded temples. Also make sure there is no dirt or dust obscuring the light penetration.
Please refer to the CDC and Vision Council for more information regarding these sanitation methods. DISCLAIMER - The above information is provided for reference purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have medical related concerns about the spreading and/or contracting of infectious diseases associated with wearing or cleaning of eyewear frames, please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov for the most recent developments and advice. Encore Vision assumes no obligation or liability for the information contained herein.