People who work in construction, auto repair, welding, lab technicians, manufacturing, and even athletes are at an elevated risk of sustaining an eye injury.
Such people need to invest in a pair of high-quality protective eyewear to protect themselves from eye injuries. However, prevention does not stop there, you need to know how to clean safety glasses. If you own a pair of safety glasses, here are six steps you should follow:
Steps to clean your safety glasses
1. Perform Maintenance Care
People need to inspect their lenses on a regular basis to ensure their vision remains uncompromised. Dirty lenses can reduce vision while severely scratched lenses can cause them to crack and break.
Safety glasses with headbands can increase the risk of the wearer sustaining an eye injury if they are soaked with sweat, worn-out due to excessive use, or have lost their grip to stay in place. If the headband has lost its elasticity, people should not continue using it, as it can slip out of place in the middle of work and result in an injury.
2. Dust off Any Debris and Dirt from the Safety Goggles
If the protective eyewear passes the initial inspection, workers need to know the steps to clean safety glasses next, starting from dusting off any debris and dirt found on them. Wearers can rinse their protective eyewear underwater or use a cleaning solution, specially designed to clean lenses.
Employers may provide their workers with a cleaning solution, but athletes will need to purchase it. For instance, cleaning motorcycle goggles will require motorcyclists to carry a cleaning solution. To dry the lenses, use a microfiber cloth. It removes streaks and residue left from the cleaning solution.
3. Rinse Safety Goggles Using Lukewarm Water
Wearers should clean their safety glasses under lukewarm water. They can either submerge the protective eyewear in water or place it under running water in the sink. This will clear off any leftover debris and dust from the frames and the lenses. Wearers can also clean the safety goggles with purified water kept at room temperature, especially if the water from the sink is not safe to drink.
4. Use a Toothbrush to Clean the Frames
To clean the frames, use a toothbrush with soft bristles. Do not place a lot of pressure on the toothbrush, as it can scratch the lenses. Do not use a shop rag, paper towel, shirt, or facial tissue to clean the lenses.
The fabrics, although soft to the touch, contain coarse fibers that can graze the lenses. Moreover, these objects may contain traces of fabric softeners, detergents, dust, and dirt particles. By using them, it can damage the lenses of the safety glasses, causing scratches.
5. Use Microfiber Bag to Clean the Lenses
An extra step to take to ensure the safety goggles remain in good condition is to clean them using a microfiber bag. Use the inside of the bag to clean the eyewear, as the outside of the bag may have collected debris, dirt, or other impurities with time.
Make it a point to clean the microfiber pouches and any cleaning cloths used to clean the safety glasses. If possible, invest in more than one microfiber cloth or other cleaning materials used to wipe the lenses.
Use the cleaning cloth with a type of solution, as using it alone can cause significant damage to the safety goggles. In addition, wearers need to follow the directions provided with the safety glasses upon purchasing. The manufacturer may have stated another and more specific method to clean the protective eyewear.
6. Place Protective Eyewear in a Glasses Case
After use, place the safety glasses in a glasses case that came with it. In doing so, it will protect the safety goggle from sustaining any scratches. Wearers can store them in a microfiber pouch or in an eyeglass case. Make sure the case has a hard exterior. Other containers to place safety goggles in include a plastic envelope, dust-proof container, bag, or box.
Before placing the eyewear inside the case, make sure to clean it using the steps described here. People with prescription eyewear need to follow the same aforementioned steps for cleaning prescription safety glasses. Establish a cleaning routine after each workday or each athletic activity that requires you to wear protective eyewear.
Hunters, anglers, plumbers, motorcyclists, machinists, laborers, carpenters, golfers, and more are just a few people who should know how to clean safety glasses. Now that you know what the six steps to clean eyeglasses are, it is time to practice them to ensure your safety eyeglasses remain in good condition.
