Cleaning Binoculars

[lamar_hunter]

I was wondering if any of you guys had a good way of cleaning your binoculars.  I've tryed a couple different times clean it. I have Alpen 10x42s. is there any place u can send them to have a professional cleaning or anything?

[ICEMAN]

I have mostly used a cool damp soft rag.   Are you having an issue with the lenses remaining hazed or blurry?

[huntnphool]

If you cant clean them with lens cleaner and tissue its time for a new set of nitrogen filled binos

[fishermanjoe]

the best thing i have ever used is scope dope from sportsmans. I had some sent killer spray leak in my pack and all over the lenses of my binos. the spray took off some of the lens film and the scope dope fixed it like new, i recommend it to anybody that wants to take care of their optics.

[ZRS-8x42]

I use either lens cloth or lenspen.  When using lenspen, brush off the dusts and loose particles on the surface first. When use the cloth or pad side of the lenspen to gently rub on the lens in circular motion. If there are still haze or smudge on the surface, try to breathe onto the lens and rub with pad or lens cloth again. I use this method to clean my binoculars, camera lenses.

[Steve C]

I pretty much do what Charles suggests, but as a more or less "preventative maintenance" sort of thing.  I always have a lens pen and a clean suitable soft microfiber cloth with me, or at least in the pickup.  Whenever you are done brush off that uses accumulation, and keep the lens caps on when not in use.  I've seen a bunch of screwed up beyond repair binoculars that would have been saved by this. 

If they are really dirty, clean the exterior with a soft damp rag soaked in warm soapy water.  Unless. its really caked on that will usually do the trick.  Just be sure to take care not to rub sand and debris, or the mud it can become, around the surface of the lenses.  You can ruin the lens coatings.  There are various types of cleaning solutions you can use.  I have a bottle of Zeiss lens cleaning solution that works pretty well.  But the things to contact the lenses should not be you shirt tail or your wife's dishrag.  Just be careful and you'll be OK. Clean, soft microfiber cloth is best.

I assume you are talking about the exterior of the binocular.  If the junk is on the inside, then hope your Alpen warranty is in effect, because it takes a good technician to take a binocular apart .

[lamar_hunter]

I have mostly used a cool damp soft rag.   Are you having an issue with the lenses remaining hazed or blurry?

one side of them is blurry. and i will try some of the thing u guys have mentioned thanks alot

[dbllunger]

If you can't see it from the outside it's not there.  So if it is blurry when looking through them then you have bigger issues.  If is is the outside just use normal window cleaner, soft cloth, then lens paper.  It's just glass with coatings on it.  As long as you don't us anything rough or abrassive they will be fine.  Some guys clean every 10 seconds, but very seldom is that much cleaning or touching up needed.

[Ingwe]

I don't like lenspens. The pad will eventually pick up some dirt that the brush does not get rid of. I bought Swarovski 10x42 EL a few years ago and they said never use a lenspen. Use camera lens cleaning tissue.

[lamar_hunter]

well i think im gunna buy a new set of the zen ray reburbished binos. mine have been around alot of dirt and i have never used covers. they have been pretty abused.

[robodad]

In the eyeglass department at walmart they have boxes of lens cleaning cloths in individual packages for about $3 and there must be 50 of them in there, made by Zeiss so they shouldn't be a problem. Also they have in the sporting goods section a microfiber lens cleaning cloth that stuffs into its own little pouch and has a clip on there, I have one hooked right to my bino harness and it works great !!!

[bow4elk]

I use a can of compressed air for cleaning computer keyboard, etc.  This blows out all the dust and needles from the eye cups and objectives.  Then I use a camera lens cleaning solution and part of an old cotton T-shirt.  It's important to get rid of the all the dust and grit BEFORE you start doing little circles all over your lens with a rag.

[scudmaster]

For my annual big cleaning I use a gallon of distilled water  to rinse the whole body off and compressed air to get into the nooks.  For the lenses I use a small amount of cleaning fluid and then I use a cloth held over the felt end of the lens pen. Keeps them spotless.

[columbiaman]

well i think im gunna buy a new set of the zen ray reburbished binos. mine have been around alot of dirt and i have never used covers. they have been pretty abused.

you gonna love the zenrays. They are just pure fun to use with.

[lamar_hunter]

ya i will try cleaning on my alpens some more but the zen rays seems like a really good deal so i am gunna go ahead any buy those anyway.  105 bucks for a refurbished set of 10x42s is awesome. plus all i hear is great things about them.