A customer pointed out my lens cleaning method was leaving streaks

I had a client bring back a vintage Nikon lens I serviced last week, saying the front element looked hazy in sunlight. I always used a microfiber cloth with a bit of lens cleaner, but he showed me how the light caught tiny circular marks. I switched to using a fresh blower brush first, then a single wipe with a brand new Pec-Pad in a straight line, not circles. The difference on the next job was night and day. Anyone else have a better method for cleaning older coated glass without leaving any trace?

3 comments

3 Comments

emeryo589d agoTop Commenter

Used to think a microfiber cloth was fine for everything. Seeing those swirl marks under light totally changed my mind. Your straight wipe method with a fresh pad is the way to go.

wood.jana9d ago

Yeah, and it's wild how much grit gets trapped in those old cloths.

kevinw949d ago

So what do you do with your old cloths once you swap them out? I tried washing mine but they never feel the same, like they lose all the softness and just push grit around. Feels wasteful to just toss them though.