Cleaning eyepieces?

[gls]

Sorry if this is a stupid question but has anyone got any advice on how to clean my eyepieces? Is there anything special I should be using?

Obviously I don't want to damage them so I thought I'd ask here before I got the brillo pads out.

[argonaut]

I clean mine with a drop of Fairy liquid in about half a pint of water with a cotton bud (very gentle),don't get any water between the glass and the metal. I then clean again with distilled water,allow to dry and then just breath on it to remove any streaks left with a microfibre cloth. Usually though distilled water does not leave streaks.

Works for me.

Glen.

[Ben Ritchie]

I use Baader optical wonder, works very well.

[red dwalf]

I found a camera lense cleaner reduced at ASDA for 49 pence and bought some cotton wool buds with a little of the fluid on and rub round gently and dry off with a god quality micro fibre cleaning cloth, i found if you use an ordinary duster the fibers come off and get all over the eyepiece. big problem is getting the kids to hold them right so you don`t have to clean them every time they use them.( grubby monsters )

[gls]

Thanks for the replies everyone, much appreciated.

[Astronut]

Baader Optical Wonder Fluid (sparingly) for those stubborn greasy blobs but for general cleaning I use a Lenspen. If you buy a Lenspens make sure it's a genuine one manufactured by Park Optical in Vancouver.

[adamsp123]

There is a thread about using Naptha for cleaning on CN forum, might try it out myself one day.

Pizzza

[Merlin66]

" I love the smell of Naptha in the morning!"

[Astro_Baby]

I use either a very mild isoprop alcohol / water solution ( 1 part isoprop to 9 parts water ) and apply it VERY gently with a cotton bud OR a lenspen which everyone said was good and having tried I'd have to agree.

I also have a giant 'puffer' - Jessops do a good one called a Rocket for about £7 which is good for blasting a jet of air on things to clean any fluff and odd drek off of lenses.

[gls]

There is a thread about using Naptha for cleaning on CN forum, might try it out myself one day.

Pizzza

What is the CN forum?

[jgs001]

I use a rocket blower followed by Baader optical wonder fluid if needed

[Merlin66]

CN is the "Cloudy Nights" forum in the US.

[Vega]

I find a welding torch put on to max gets rid of all the stubborn muck a treat :-P lol. Ok on a more serious note, I always see what the air puffer and/or gentle go at the lens cleaning brush can do first before going for a clean (best to get rid of any loose dust before using any liquid). After that, if required I use the lens cleaning liquid I got with my scope cleaning kit.

Matt

[Bigwings]

The odd bit of dust leaves home from inside my Barrlow with a short blast from my airgun on the compressor LOL......... OK adjust the pressure so as not to get the optical police involved.

[PhillyDee]

Heh.

I use a Celestron Lenspen. Works well!

Misc’ - Celestron Lens Pen

[samtheeagle]

I just got one of those lens pens from Jessops... Seems to do a good job, though I'm still a little nervous about using it... First I use an air blower, then the fine brush on the end of the lens pen, and then the cleaner end of the pen.

I go as gently as I can, I've read so many things about damaging the delicate coatings I'm all paranoid. Then again, I've also read lots about cleaning them being fine

[acey]

Only clean optics if they really need it (i.e. you can actually see a difference when using the telescope).

If you're cleaning eyepieces for the first time, start with your cheapest. Make mistakes on a Plossl, not a Nagler.

Never apply fluid directly to a lens (it may work its way round the edge and inside) - use a moistened cotton-bud.

Start at the centre and work outwards with small circular movements, changing bud frequently so you don't drag dirt and scratch the lens.

Any kind of alcohol cleans lenses, and modern coatings seem to be able to cope with most. Baader Wonder and most other commercial fluids are mixtures of various alcohols. Some people have even used lighter fuel.

Downside with alcohols is that apart from the one we drink (in dilute form), most are toxic, carcinogenic etc, so have to be used with sensible precautions. A gentler alternative is ROR (residual oil remover) which is soap with a bit of ammonia - still smelly, but not so toxic, and less aggressive chemically. I've had good results with it.

Andrew

[gary1968]

In my 3 or 4 years I have only just cleaned my EP's for the 1st time. I thought they could do with a spruce up so bought the Celestron Lens Pen, linked to above, works a treat.

Gary

[gls]

I go as gently as I can, I've read so many things about damaging the delicate coatings I'm all paranoid.

This is what worried me the most, damaging the coatings.

Once again thank you all for the replies, very much appreciated.