How to clean a silicone glasses case, and the lenses inside

A case spends its life in pockets and bags, so it collects what they hold: sand, lint, sunscreen, the dust of a car's door pocket. The good news about silicone is that it washes. The lenses inside need a little more care, because most scratches happen while cleaning, not while wearing.

Washing a silicone case, step by step

1. Take the glasses out and rinse the case under lukewarm water.
2. Wash it with a drop of mild soap, using your fingers. Work into the opening at the back, where sand likes to settle.
3. Rinse until the water runs clear.
4. Shake off the water and let it air-dry completely before your glasses go back in.

That is all. Once a week is plenty for a case that goes to the beach; once a month for one that lives on a desk.

Sand, sunscreen and lint

• Sand. Rinse before you wipe. Rubbing a sandy case, or a sandy lens, is how scratches start.
• Sunscreen. Wash it off soon, with soap rather than water alone, especially on lighter colours like Cream. Left for days, oily marks are harder to lift.
• Lint and dust. Silicone attracts a little of both. A rinse and air-dry removes it; a fluffy towel puts it back.

What not to use on silicone

• Solvents, alcohol and household cleaners. Water and mild soap are all it needs.
• Abrasive sponges and scouring pads. They dull the matte finish.
• The dishwasher and very hot water. Wash it by hand.
• Putting glasses into a damp case. Water left inside dries into marks on the lenses.

Cleaning the lenses without scratching them

Grit on a lens is like sandpaper. Wipe it dry and you drag the grit across the surface. So the order matters: rinse first, then wash, then dry.

1. Rinse the lenses under lukewarm tap water to lift dust and sand.
2. Wash with a drop of mild washing-up liquid, rubbed in gently with your fingertips, front and back, and along the frame where it meets the lens.
3. Rinse again until no soap is left.
4. Dry with a clean, soft cloth made for lenses. Pat first, then wipe lightly.

If your lenses have special coatings, your optician's advice comes first.

What never to use on lenses

• Your shirt, tissues or paper towels. Their fibres are rougher than they feel and leave fine scratches over time.
• Window or glass cleaner. Ammonia and similar chemicals can damage lens coatings.
• Your breath alone. It fogs the lens but does not lift grit, so you end up wiping dirt around.
• Hot water. Very hot water can harm some coatings.

Looking after the cloth

A lens cloth collects dust and skin oil too, and a dirty cloth smears instead of cleaning. Rinse it in lukewarm water with a little mild soap now and then, rinse well, and let it air-dry. Skip fabric softener: it leaves a film that ends up on your lenses.

Every SØNNÆR case arrives with a suede-finish cleaning cloth, embossed with our mark, for exactly this.

Questions people ask

Can I put a silicone glasses case in the dishwasher?

We do not recommend it. Hand-washing with lukewarm water and mild soap is quicker, gentler on the finish, and all the case needs.

How often should I clean my glasses case?

When it looks or feels dusty, and always after the beach. For most people that is every few weeks.

How do I get sunscreen off a light-coloured case?

Wash it soon with a drop of mild soap and lukewarm water, using your fingers, then rinse and air-dry. Soap lifts the oil that water alone leaves behind.

Can I clean my glasses with a tissue?

In an emergency, on a lens you have rinsed first. As a habit, no: tissues and paper towels leave fine scratches over time. A soft lens cloth is better.

A clean case, a clear lens. That is all the care it asks for.

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