Last Updated on November 23, 2022 by amy
Your favorite eyeglasses or sunglasses now have a scratch. It isn’t very pleasant to look through scratches in your lenses. The internet is full of advice about getting rid of eyewear scratches. Some of this advice is helpful, and others will cause more significant damage.
Sadly, there’s no real way to remove scratches from your glasses. You might be able to diminish the appearance of a scratch, but you won’t be able to remove it. Why is this? A scratch is caused when material is removed from your glasses. There’s no way to replace it. Think of it this way – imagine you take a pair of scissors to your dining room table and scratch the surface. Now your table is missing part of the wood take makes up the surface. No amount of buffing is going to add material back to that space.
How do glasses or sunglasses get scratched?
Scratches on eyewear are much more noticeable than on other products. We have to look through them, and seeing an unsightly blemish in the middle of our vision is distracting.
A variety of ill-treatment causes scratches. Make sure to clean your eyeglasses with a soft microfiber towel. Cotton fabrics and paper towels (which are made of wood fiber) can cause scratches. Using harsh cleaners can also remove special anti-reflective coating or tint, and you might end up looking through patchy spots.
Be careful setting down your eyewear and never place them lens side down. Always put them inside a protective case before transporting them inside a bag.
Consider adding a scratch-resistant coating to your glasses. Your retailer may guarantee its scratch-resistant coating for up to a year. If your glasses become scratched, you can return them to the retailer and ask them to repair or replace them.
How to properly clean your eyewear to avoid scratches?
Before trying any remedy, use a clean microfiber towel to clean them. You can purchase a special cleaner for eyeglasses, but your best bet is to use dish soap. Soap will gently remove oils and build-up from your glasses. Dry them with a clean microfiber towel.
When you wash your microfiber towel, never use fabric softener. One of the ingredients in fabric softener is oil, which will end up smudging your eyeglasses. You can hand washer microfiber towels with dish soap, rinse thoroughly, and let dry naturally. Consider washing your favorite microfiber towel several times per month with heavy use.
Does toothpaste work to buff out scratches on eyeglasses?
Independent testing shows the toothpaste does not help to fill in or buff out scratches on eyeglasses or sunglasses. Depending on the toothpaste, we do not recommend even attempting this strategy as some toothpaste has grit and can cause further damage.
Does baking powder or baking soda remove scratches on eyeglasses?
The theory behind using baking powder or baking soda to remove scratches is that fine texture can buff out scratches. This is false. If you’re not careful, you can cause further damage to your glasses and create spots in the coating.
Will car wax or furniture polish remove scratches on eyewear?
Today, most eyewear is made of plastic. Lenses made of glass are becoming increasingly rare as plastic is much lighter and does not pose as much of a hazard if they break.
If your eyewear is made of glass, not plastic, you can use furniture polish or car wax to help fill in scratches, making these scratches less noticeable. But every time you clean your glasses, you must reapply your product.
To try this method, thoroughly clean your eyewear and spray on the furniture polish or car wax. Gently rub the product into the lens. Let the product rest on the lens for a few minutes, and then buff it out with a clean microfiber towel. This should push the product into the scratch making it less noticeable, but it may cause blurriness in your vision. If so, use warm soapy water to clean your glasses again.
Can a specialty product, like a plastic lens scratch remover, work to remove scratches on eyeglasses?
Perhaps. There are products out there that claim to be able to remove or diminish scratches in plastic or glass. Before purchasing such a product, read all the reviews and product information. If you purchase such a product, try testing it on an old pair of glasses first.
The best solution for your glasses is to take care of them and avoid scratches by protecting your lenses.
