Best DIY Eyeglass Cleaner Recipes

Published May 25, 2020
woman cleaning eyewear surface

Making DIY eyeglass cleaner couldn't be easier. Not only do they take few ingredients, but they are cheap. Learn how to make homemade glasses cleaner with ingredients like witch hazel, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and dish soap.

DIY Eyeglass Cleaner Ingredients

After buying your glasses at your local eye doctor, they might try to push lens cleaner in a tiny bottle for $10-15 dollars. Don't dole out your hard-earned cash for that. Rather, go home and open your pantry. You can make glasses cleaner for a few dollars or less. To make these recipes, you'll need:

Making Homemade Eyeglasses Cleaner With Soap

One of the simplest DIY eyeglasses cleaners is made with a little Dawn. You can use any dish soap you have at home; however, blue Dawn is one of the best cleaners.

  1. In a bowl, add 1 to 2 cups of water and 2 drops of Dawn.
  2. Stir it with your finger.
  3. Holding your glasses by the bows, gently submerge the lens in the mixture for a few minutes.
  4. If you have crusted gunk on your lenses, let them sit in the water for a minute or two.
  5. Rinse with water.
  6. Dry with the microfiber cloth.

How to Make Homemade Glasses Cleaner With Alcohol

Another quick and easy to find glasses cleaner is rubbing alcohol. It can be made into a spray lens cleaner that is easy to grab and go. To use this recipe, simply:

  1. Mix ¾ cup of rubbing alcohol with ¼ cup of water.
  2. Add a drop of Dawn.
  3. Shake the bottle to mix.
  4. Spritz your lenses.
  5. Wipe with the microfiber cloth.

Alcohol recipes can be too harsh for some glasses coatings. If in doubt, use soap and water.

Man Cleaning Eyeglasses

How to Make DIY Eyeglass Cleaner With Witch Hazel

No alcohol? No problem at all. Check your cabinet for a little witch hazel. This works to create an alcohol alternative for cleaning greasy kid finger prints from glasses. To make this recipe, just follow these directions.

  1. In a small spritz bottle, mix ½ cup distilled water to ½ cup witch hazel.
  2. Add 2 drops of Dawn to the mixture.
  3. Shake the bottle to get them mixed together.
  4. Spritz the mixture on your lenses.
  5. Use the microfiber cloth to wipe your lens gently.

How to Make Vinegar DIY Glasses Cleaner

Looking for a cleaner that works double-time as a cleaner and anti-fogger. Then reach for the vinegar. Vinegar has the power to clean grim and anti-fog lenses, which is great if you have to wear a medical mask! When mixed with dry mustard, it can also act as a scratch remover for plastic and polycarbonate lenses.

  1. In a spray bottle, mix ⅔ cup of white vinegar to ⅓ cup of distilled water.
  2. Shake the bottle to mix.
  3. Spray down your glasses.
  4. Use the microfiber cloth to wipe.
  5. Reapply as necessary.

Anti-Fog Homemade Glasses Cleaner

If anti-fogging power is what you're looking for in your cleaner, you can use both vinegar and alcohol, depending on the lens. For this recipe, you'll follow these instructions:

  1. In a spray bottle, mix equal parts vinegar, distilled water, and alcohol.
  2. Shake to mix.
  3. Hold the bows and spray down the lenses.
  4. Wipe with a microfiber cloth.

Helpful Tips for Cleaning Eyeglasses

When it comes to homemade glasses cleaners, there are a lot of them out there. However, to get the most out of your cleaner, you need to make sure you are cleaning your glasses correctly.

  • To wipe glasses, use a lens or microfiber cloth.
  • Do not use your shirt or clothing to clean glasses - this can scratch the lenses.
  • Avoid using paper products to clean lenses.
  • Using distilled water in recipes is best to avoid minerals in the water.
  • Try cleaning your glasses with a cloth first, then adding a cleaner if necessary.
  • Remember your eyeglass cleaning cloth will also need to be cleaned occasionally.

Finding the Perfect Homemade Glasses Cleaner

You don't have to spend money to get your lenses clean and clear. Instead, you can reach in your pantry to create a homemade glasses cleaner that works just as well as a commercial cleaner.

Best DIY Eyeglass Cleaner Recipes