Cleaning Optics
The best form of cleaning for optics is, of course, to avoid getting them dirty in the first place.
Extreme care is needed with any form of cleaning, otherwise irrepairable damage will occur on your
optical component. Consider that the optic may be coated, and the coating might react with your cleaning
agent. BE WARNED... BE CAREFUL.
Air can
Liquid air cans are risky if you have expensive or delicate optics. A filter attachment can be
obtained which fits into the metal "snout" which prevents bursts of liquid but will not help if
you turn the can upside down.
Pressurised Nitrogen
This is the preferred solution compared to air cans. Ideally, it would be used in a clean room
with an ion generator on the tip (charges the dust particles so that they repel themselves away
from the optic). The nitrogen should be blown at an angle onto the optic (unless the N2 source
is totally free from contaminants, and the jet of gas has some shielding around it to prevent it
entraining dust or other things from the ambient air. Or it's done in a clean room).
CO2 Snow gun
Depends on what you're cleaning. Snow guns do impact on the surface of your optic. They're better
for cleaning optics with "gunk" on them. It seems that the CO2 dissolves the contaminants off the
surface, at the same time evaporating and firing the contaminant off the surface. They have very
good claims for their performance.
C-Spray is a solid/gas CO2 product produced by "Sub-Micron Cleaning Systems"
designed for cleaning
critical optical components in space-based imaging systems. It will remove lightly adhered contaminants
such as solvent residue, some hydrocarbons and fingerprints.
Washing
You need to be really,really careful when washing. Washing is recommended when an optic is seriously
contaminated and can't be blown clean.
Cleaning binocular objective
If you promise not to tell anyone or hold me criminally liable if there is
a problem, I'll tell you what I do after many years of cleaning all kinds
of optics.
Get some "no-spot" liquid dishwashing soap.(Make sure it is a kind with
absolutely no grit in it).
Make a _very_ hot solution with about 10 parts hot water to 1 part soap.
Wash your hands _very_ well.
_Very_ gently rub the lens with the solution and your finger -almost no
pressure at all.
Repeat the last step several times with very hot water until the soap is
all gone.
"Dab" the lens dry with a Bounty or Viva quilted paper towel (these are
very absorbent , lint free, and non abrasive).
I've never had any problems with scratching or the soap hurting a coating,
although there may be some exotic coatings that wouldn't like this.
P.S. --This works well on your eyeglasses, too - you just don't have to be
as careful.
Go to a photo dealer and ask for a Lenspen. (http://www.lenspen.com)
It contains a special cleaning tip and dry cleaner that will remove greasy stuff without a
trace. I've used this on problem smudges and they look as good as new.
Just be very careful about not letting grit or dirt on this device if you are going to
use it again and again as suggested.