I've touched my filter.....

[Odd Thomas]

....and its got a greasy mark on. Have I jiggered it???

I accidentally touched my Baaders solar continuum filter. Is it cleanable? If so, how?

Cheers. Tom

[Tonynexevo925]

Ooh good question - I await the answers I have a small smudge on mine too. Haven just tried to ignore it and haven't used enough to tell whether it is causing any problems.

The ocd part of me hates marks on EPs etc but I read somewhere that you should avoid the temptation to clean. Wonder if that applies to filters too?

[Stu]

Baader filters are pretty durable. I clean mine as I would eyepieces, a good blow with a rocket blower to get rid of any grit then gently clean with Baader Wonderfluid and their microfiber cloth. Never had a problem doing it this way.

[Odd Thomas]

That's good news. Many thanks

Tom

[RikM]

Baader filters are pretty durable. I clean mine as I would eyepieces, a good blow with a rocket blower to get rid of any grit then gently clean with Baader Wonderfluid and their microfiber cloth. Never had a problem doing it this way.

Same here.

[Alien 13]

I use a lens pen for all my lenses/filters/sensor.

Alan

[m.tweedy]

remember to spray the fluid onto the cloth not the filter if you decide to go down that route.

[Macavity]

Note to self: Must investigate this "Baader Wonderfluid".

For the moment, I have a set of totally pristine filters...

I suspect it won't last! But no reason for despair.

If you're really enthusiastic, get an instrument screwdriver

and remove filter from housing. Clean right to the edge?

[ronl]

I have cleaned mine a couple of times with Wonderfluid, no problems at all,

it's easy to touch the filter when it's dark, spray a little fluid on to the Baader

cloth, never spray the lens. 

[Tonynexevo925]

I have the baader wonder fluid and cloth and will proceed to test with a cheapo old EP. From the feedback above it seems to be a good solution.

Better not let the missus know I'm into cleaning things though - that'd be a dangerous precedent

[Odd Thomas]

Thanks for the tips guys. I've got wonder fluid and cloth arriving imminently from FLO. I do feel a bit daft though making such a basic error!!  I'll be sure to spray the cloth too!

[Stu]

Thanks for the tips guys. I've got wonder fluid and cloth arriving imminently from FLO. I do feel a bit daft though making such a basic error!! I'll be sure to spray the cloth too!

Happens to us all so don't feel daft. I managed to let my young daughter stick a grubby finger onto an expensive eyepiece at the weekend! You've done the right thing checking how to clean them so no harm done.

[RikM]

I dropped an Astronomik UHC in a muddy puddle once It cleaned up just fine fortunately

[Eigen]

Shouldn't be an issue, as above carefully blow away all debris from the optical element before cleaning. Clean with whatever fluid you prefer, I tend to use isopropyl or ethanol alchohol and a second pass with distilled water on all of my optical elements, it has served me fine through the years, Baader woderfluid is also an option, though I do not have first hand experience with it.

Regards,

Eigen

[Odd Thomas]

Well the Baader wonder fluid and cloth arrived today, thanks FLO, and the filter has cleaned up like new...PHEW!!!

Thanks for the tips and advice.

Tom

[Dave In Vermont]

Rocket-Blower and a Lenspen. Must-haves for us EP/Filter users.

Fear not,

Dave

[MarsG76]

You touched your filter!!!???!! Did you ask for consent?? Ha ha

I clean filters using the blower to remove and loose dust and then with lens tissue and rosco lens cleaner fluid.

[PeterW]

Lens pen. The small headed one for "sensor cleaning" can get into tighter spaces, but the bigger one is better for larger areas. I'd be careful with older coated filters, but coloured glass and modern filters can take some cleaning... As long as you are careful about ensuring there are no bits of scratchy dirt floating about.

The recessed nature of these things stops one using the "drop and drag" approach I use at work on far more expensive optics.

Cheers

Peter