How to Clean Digital Lenses

I would like to give you a simple, yet professional, from all points of view, guide for cleaning your camera lenses. Contrary to the common belief, it is not complex, neither difficult, but if you don't have some pointers, you may wreak some havoc, if you are not used to it.

First of all you must restrain yourself from rubbing any kind of glass surface while there is some grit on it, even if it's not visible at first look. The tools you must use have to be as soft as possible. It also has to be clean and deep, so that any dust particles may be easily removed from it. Even more – any glass, lens or mirror surface, that you are going to clean, must be first blown with compressed air to remove any grit from it.

London cleaners use microfibre cloths. They are probably the softest kind and are perfect for the job. They also come in a wide variety, so you may pick yourself a couple, which will serve your needs. The plush microfibre cloths are the best. You may find thin ones, very expensive at the camera stores, but they are not the best fit. You need the ones that look and feel plush. You may also use a soft brush to swipe the lenses. Try to find the softest brush.

The air, the brush and the cloth will be your main cleaning items. In order to prevent them from any stains, you should keep them separately, within a plastic bag.

There are a few rules that you should follow when cleaning the digital lenses. First of all, never use cotton cloths to do this job. They are far too abrasive for such delicate equipment. Lens tissues may cause a sandpaper effect. So avoid them as well. They usually rely on a very thick lens covering, a risk that is simply not necessary. Also avoid simple household tissues, like shirts and rags.

The most common mistake that you may do is to breathe onto the lenses. London cleaners prohibit this. There are far better lubricants to do this job. Besides your breath almost always contain acids and bacteria. The cloths that you use must be washed often, to remove any dust and grime from them. This way you'll make sure, that they are fit for use.