How often do you clean your EPs?

[Kon]

I thought this might be the best forum to ask my silly question but how often is it safe to clean the EPs with cleaning fluids? I have purchased the Baader Optical Wonder and a  Hurricane Blower; I also have the Celestron Lens pen but I prefer the Baader. I noticed that not all small particles are removed after blowing them with the blower so I probably need to use the Baader fluid more often. Would that have an effect on the coatings or is it safe to use it often? Would cleaning every 2-3 viewing sessions be an overkill and just leave some of these dust particles (most likely oily particles from eye lashes thus the sticking)on the EP?

Edited September 16, 2021 by Kon

[Pixies]

Probably dust sticking to the oil from your lashes.

I'm interested in the answer too. I probably only clean them a couple of times a year! I do occasionally check them against some white paper and they never get that dirty.

I don't wear mascara, though!

[Pete Presland]

To be honest, other than maybe a blow with a manual air blower i never touch them.

[pete_81]

As a glasses wearer, I'm always amazed how dusty and greasy my spectacles are and how much I can see through them when in that state!

Same issue for reflector telescopes - the general advice is don't clean unless you *really* have to.
My advice would be similar to above (Pete Presland) - use the blower to remove coarse dirt/dust of EPs (and front elements/primary of telescopes occasionally) and then leave alone until they get so dire that you have to clean them (similar to specs!)

[banjaxed]

I have only ever cleaned one that I accidentally touched with my finger, the rest are fine as I make sure to replace the caps every time after using.

[John]

I only clean them when I see something that needs cleaning. Perhaps 3-4 times per year ?

I use the Baader Wonder Fluid applied with the Baader micro fibre cloth to clean mine, when they need it.

Eyepieces with short eye relief tend to need cleaning a little more often than those with longer eye relief I find. Most of mine have long eye relief.

 

[Don Pensack]

4 hours ago, Kon said:

I thought this might be the best forum to ask my silly question but how often is it safe to clean the EPs with cleaning fluids? I have purchased the Baader Optical Wonder and a  Hurricane Blower; I also have the Celestron Lens pen but I prefer the Baader. I noticed that not all small particles are removed after blowing them with the blower so I probably need to use the Baader fluid more often. Would that have an effect on the coatings or is it safe to use it often? Would cleaning every 2-3 viewing sessions be an overkill and just leave some of these dust particles (most likely oily particles from eye lashes thus the sticking)on the EP?

I look at my eyepieces between each session and clean if necessary.  The ones I use with glasses rarely need cleaning.  The ones I use without glasses sometimes get cleaned each time, sometimes every other time.

I have had eyepieces 20+ years old, cleaned >100x, which still looked new.

[johninderby]

I also check before using and clean if needed. No set schedule.I use the Baader fluid and an air blower and no matter how many times I’ve cleaned a particular eyepiece still in perfect condition. 

[vineyard]

A related Q to this pls: do people (occasionally) zap their EPs with UVC?  I've heard of folks doings that with OTAs (either w lamps or natural UV light), but if you should do that with the objectives, should you also do that with EPs?

[kirkster501]

I haven't as yet (12 years after acquiring them).

[Kon]

Very useful comments from everybody, that' why I love this forum. I do not wear glasses and most of my EPs have been upgraded to ES 82 degrees which have a sorter eye relief and I found that they do get dirty more often than my previous BSTs. Good to hear from @Don Pensack and @johninderbythat you clean your EPs regularly (as they need) without any issues. I did not want to sound that I am paranoid with cleaning, but I was worried that the oily particles might cause more harm if they were left there, thus why I would like to clean them more often as they need.

[Space Hopper]

Just had a look at a couple of mine, and the answer to your question is not often enough.

Not something i worry too much about in all honesty unless there's something obviously amiss.

I always use a rocket blower bulb first and if theres need the trusty Baader optical wonder fluid is there in reserve.

The BOW fluid is the stuff to use. Highly recommended.

I remember at a society public viewing event a  good few years ago i had a queue of people waiting to look at Lunar.

I had the binoviewer set up (not the best of ideas) but everything seemed well with lots of oohs and arrs. 

One lady though had a ton of make up on and after she's gone i found both my trusty 24 Panoptics nicely

covered in mascara. No problem for the wonder fluid though ; once home they had a good clean and both came up perfect. Its good stuff.

 

And this : The micro fibre cloth that comes with it is big. I tend to use an 'unused bit' each time.

And once its pretty much all used up i ditch the cloth. I don't wash it.

A replacement from Baader (either a cloth or a whole new wonder fluid set) isn't too expensive and a lot cheaper than having to 

replace a scratched eyepiece etc

 

[johninderby]

Baader says the cloths are machine washable and I’ve found they are just like new after washing.

[John]

15 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Baader says the cloths are machine washable and I’ve found they are just like new after washing.

Me too

[Chris]

I find it's very much dependant on eye relief! For example - I remember needing to clean my ES82's after every use, as my eyelashes would 'bat' the eye lens repeatedly, but I rarely need to clean eyepieces with longer eye relief such as BST's, StellaLyra LER's and Vixen SLV's etc. 

[Stardaze]

I’m not keen on the baader cloth that comes with the kit, bit too heavy in material, tend to use a very light cloth. But the fluid is definitely recommended. 
I give mine a blow at the end of each session and clean when needed. No glasses here, so not very often at all. 

[Louis D]

About once a decade.  I always wear eyeglasses with long eye relief eyepieces, so I'm mostly just cleaning off accumulated tree sap that drifted onto the eye lens.

[Stardaze]

A point I have mused over regarding glasses wearers is that without using the eye relief, or little of it, surely on occasion both glass do touch? I suspect that the glass and coating is good enough to take a fair bit of cleaning and similar use. Have been cleaning camera lenses for years without any issues.

[Stardaze]

12 hours ago, Louis D said:

About once a decade.  I always wear eyeglasses with long eye relief eyepieces, so I'm mostly just cleaning off accumulated tree sap that drifted onto the eye lens.

I was always under the assumption Louis that most wearers don’t use the eye relief with glasses? 

[Stu]

32 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

I was always under the assumption Louis that most wearers don’t use the eye relief with glasses? 

Not sure what you mean by ‘not using eye relief’? Eye relief is eye relief, it’s where you place your eye to view the full field of view. Glasses wearers need more, often 15mm to 20mm because the glasses stand off you face a little.

[RT65CB-SWL]

I give my e/p's a light-wipe clean and at the end of every session. After a night session if they are dewed up, I leave then on the kitchen worktop, re-attach 'scope to mount, all caps off, go to bed and leave to 'dry' and clean them when I am awake and alert. They get a clean maybe once or twice a year.

[Mr Spock]

I wouldn’t touch mine unless absolutely necessary and required. There’s always the danger of over cleaning causing damage to coatings. 

[Stardaze]

3 hours ago, Stu said:

Not sure what you mean by ‘not using eye relief’? Eye relief is eye relief, it’s where you place your eye to view the full field of view. Glasses wearers need more, often 15mm to 20mm because the glasses stand off you face a little.

I could have sworn I've seen some suggest the opposite, thanks Stu, makes sense to me and fortunate I currently don't wear them. I do tend to use a lot though, so have the XW's wound to the top, for example. 

Edited September 17, 2021 by Stardaze

[Sunshine]

Once a year, sometimes more as my eyelashes are rather long so my eyepieces get mucked up easily.

[Louis D]

2 hours ago, Stardaze said:

I do tend to use a lot though, so have the XW's wound to the top, for example.

Quite the opposite.  You tend to use very little of the available eye relief; so as a result, you wind the eye cup to the top to eliminate the unneeded, excess eye relief.