ep cleaning

[estwing]

without spending daft amounts how do you clean properly?

[KevG]

I use a 'lenspen', keeps them nice & clean, quick easy & safe to use, and there fairly cheap to buy

[Telrad]

I use Isopropyl Alcohol to clean mine. To start cleaning, make sure the eyepiece is free of dust and grit. I examine the eyepiece under good lighting. I carefully blow on the surface, then lightly brush the surface with the anti-static brush. I don't use canned air as it is very easy to get the very cold liquid propellant on the eyepiece and damage the coatings or glass, or both. Once the surface of the eyepiece is free of dust and grit, examine it for smears or streaks of oil. If there are any, lightly moisten a Q-Tip with alcohol. Starting from the center, lightly rub the Q-Tip in a circular motion from the center out, until you are at the edge of the eyepiece element. Don't use a lot of alcohol, as you don't want the alcohol to pool and run under the edge of the eyepiece lens. While the alcohol should not harm the inside of the eyepiece, the alcohol will dissolve any grease and oil on the lens, an it will flow inside the eyepiece with the alcohol. The alcohol will evaporate, but the oils won't and they will remain.

Once you have cleaned the lens on the eyepiece, use the dry end of the Q-Tip and mop up the alcohol on the surface. Discard this used Q-Tip. It is important to mop up the excess alcohol as if it fully evaporates, it will redeposit the oils and grease back on the lens. You can safely perform the alcohol cleaning again with a fresh Q-Tip if necessary.

[perrin6]

I breathe on the lens & wipe with BPC cotton wool which is often enough else I add a bit of isopropyl alcohol (available in large aerosol cans).

[estwing]

and the same for my telescope lens?

[blinky1983]

I use the Celestron LensPen £10 from FLO. Works wonders mate...

[CJBooth]

I use the Celestron LensPen £10 from FLO. Works wonders mate...

Ditto.

I've used lens pens for years (photography first), they work wonders.

[glowjet]

Baader Wonder Fluid, get it with the microfiber cloth, well worth the outlay, FLO should have it in stock

[LukeSkywatcher]

I simply wipe them with a soft cotton t-shirt. I make sure there is no grit on them before i do it. It has never harmed mine. I do store them in a hard case though and only take them out before use.

[estwing]

it's been in the loft some 10 years and there's a kind of dust layer but not too thick on the lens just wanna be extra carefull, sorry for being whimpish!