Tips for cleaning your optics lenses

What’s the correct procedure for cleaning the lenses on my optics? Chris Parkin replies…

Q: How should I clean the lenses on my optics. Are chemicals necessary?

CHRIS PARKIN replies: I spoke to Meopta about this and they recommended using nothing more than water and a good-quality microfibre cloth. They advised me to be cautious of optical cleaning solutions as lens coatings can be delicate and easily damaged with inappropriate chemicals. Your riflescope should be waterproof, so if heavily soiled a minimal quantity of clean water should be used to rinse, soften and wash away any heavy residue before a cloth is used from the centre outwards to clean the lens surface. Crazy as it sounds, I have immersed and rinsed off blood and particularly mud this way, as the prospect of wiping the surface of a lens with such an abrasive as a ‘lubricant’ sends chills down my spine.