Reading glasses tend to live busy lives.
They move from your desk to your handbag, from the kitchen bench to the bedside table, and sometimes disappear into places you were certain you'd remember.
A few simple habits can help protect your lenses, frames and coatings from everyday scratches, heat and accidental damage.
Here's how to clean, store and care for your reading glasses properly - without turning it into a complicated maintenance routine.
1. Clean Your Reading Glasses Properly
Fingerprints, makeup, dust and everyday smudges are inevitable.
For everyday cleaning, use a clean microfibre cloth designed for eyewear.
If your glasses need a more thorough clean:
- Rinse them under lukewarm water to remove loose dust and particles.
- Use a small amount of mild, lotion-free dishwashing liquid if needed.
- Gently clean the lenses and frame with your fingertips.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Dry with a clean, soft microfibre cloth.
Avoid very hot water, particularly with coated lenses.
2. Don't Clean Your Lenses With Your Shirt
It's convenient. It's also not the best way to look after your glasses.
Clothing, tissues and paper towels aren't designed for cleaning lenses and may carry tiny particles that can mark the surface.
Try to avoid cleaning your readers with:
- Your shirt or jumper
- Paper towel
- Tissues
- Towels
- Dirty cleaning cloths
Keep a clean microfibre cloth somewhere convenient instead.
At Ministry of Sight, our reading glasses include a microfibre cleaning cloth, so you've got the right thing on hand from the start.
3. Avoid Household Cleaning Products
Window cleaner might make sense for windows. That doesn't make it suitable for your glasses.
Avoid using harsh household cleaners, bleach, ammonia-based products or other chemicals not designed for eyewear.
These can be unsuitable for lens coatings and frame materials.
A product specifically designed for cleaning glasses — or lukewarm water with a small amount of mild, lotion-free dishwashing liquid — is a simpler option.
4. Use a Protective Case
When your glasses aren't on your face, a protective case is one of the easiest ways to look after them.
It's particularly important when they're travelling around in a:
- Handbag
- Work bag
- Backpack
- Suitcase
- Carry-on bag
Keys, chargers, cosmetics and everything else floating around in a bag don't make particularly good companions for unprotected lenses.
A case also helps protect your frames from being bent or crushed.
Ministry of Sight readers include a protective case for exactly this reason.
Protect your readers
Keep your glasses protected — and easy to find. Explore our glasses chains, cases and everyday accessories designed to go wherever your readers do.
SHOP GLASSES CHAINS & ACCESSORIES →
5. Never Leave Your Glasses Lens-Down
It's one of the easiest habits to change.
If you take your glasses off and aren't putting them straight into their case, don't place them with the lenses against the table or bench.
Even a surface that looks perfectly clean may have dust or grit on it.
Place your glasses with the lenses facing upwards.
Better still, put them back in their case.
6. Be Careful Where You Leave Them
Reading glasses have an impressive ability to end up exactly where they're most likely to get damaged.
Try not to leave them:
- On a chair or sofa
- Under books or paperwork
- On the edge of a table
- Loose in the bottom of a bag
- Somewhere they could easily be knocked onto the floor
- Within easy reach of pets or small children
You don't need an elaborate storage system. Having one consistent place for your readers can prevent plenty of accidental damage.
7. Don't Leave Your Reading Glasses in a Hot Car
This one is particularly relevant in Australia.
Cars can become extremely hot, particularly during an Australian summer.
Prolonged exposure to excessive heat isn't ideal for frames or lens coatings, so your dashboard or centre console shouldn't become the permanent home of your favourite readers.
Take them with you when you leave the car.
8. Look After Your Acetate Frames
Ministry of Sight readers are made with acetate frames.
They're designed to be worn and enjoyed, but sensible everyday care can help keep them looking their best.
Avoid prolonged exposure to excessive heat, don't crush them underneath other belongings and store them in their case when you're not wearing them.
When cleaning your glasses, don't forget the frames.
Skin oils, makeup and everyday grime can collect around the bridge and temples, so gently cleaning these areas occasionally helps keep the entire pair looking fresh.
9. Remember That Scratch-Resistant Doesn't Mean Scratch-Proof
Ministry of Sight clear readers include a scratch-resistant lens coating.
That adds useful protection for everyday wear, but no lens should be treated as completely scratch-proof.
Good habits still matter.
Using a case, avoiding abrasive cleaning materials and not placing your lenses against hard surfaces are simple ways to reduce unnecessary wear.
And if you notice a mark on your lenses, avoid DIY scratch-removal tricks that involve polishing or abrasive substances. You risk doing more damage to the lens or its coatings.
10. Keep Your Microfibre Cloth Clean
A dirty cleaning cloth isn't particularly helpful.
Dust, oils and debris accumulate on microfibre cloths over time, so wash yours periodically according to its care instructions and let it dry completely before using it again.
Store it somewhere clean rather than loose in the bottom of your handbag.
And check the inside of your glasses case occasionally too. There's little point carefully cleaning your lenses and then putting them into a case full of dust and grit.
11. Keep Readers Where You Actually Use Them
Good glasses care also means knowing where your glasses are.
If you regularly use readers in several places, consider keeping a pair:
- At your desk
- Beside your bed
- In your handbag
- Near your favourite reading chair
- In the kitchen for recipes and labels
It can be much easier than carrying the same pair from room to room all day.
This is one reason we're firm believers in the reader rotation: different pairs in the places you actually need them.
12. Consider a Glasses Chain
If you're constantly putting your readers on and taking them off, a glasses chain can be surprisingly practical.
Instead of leaving your glasses on the nearest surface — or pushing them onto the top of your head — they stay within reach.
And there's no reason for a chain to be purely functional.
Choose one that works with your frames and it becomes part of the look.
Explore Glasses Chains & Accessories →
13. Take Extra Care When Travelling
Reading glasses get a tougher workout when you're travelling.
They're pulled in and out of bags, used for menus, maps, phones and screens, and packed alongside everything else you own.
Always use a protective case rather than throwing your readers loose into your luggage.
And if you rely on readers throughout the day, pack a second pair.
Losing or damaging your only readers halfway through a holiday is an excellent argument for owning more than one.
When Should You Replace Your Reading Glasses?
Good care can help your glasses stay looking their best, but readers don't last forever.
Consider replacing a pair if:
- The lenses are badly scratched or damaged
- The frame is cracked or significantly distorted
- The hinges no longer work properly
- They no longer fit securely
- Your usual reading strength no longer gives you comfortable clarity
If you've noticed a significant or sudden change in your vision rather than simply wear and tear to your glasses, speak to an optometrist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to clean reading glasses?
For everyday smudges, use a clean microfibre eyewear cloth. For a more thorough clean, rinse away loose particles with lukewarm water, use a small amount of mild lotion-free dishwashing liquid if necessary, rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean microfibre cloth.
Can I clean my glasses with my shirt?
It's better not to. Clothing may contain dust or particles that can mark the lenses. A clean microfibre eyewear cloth is a better choice.
Can I use window cleaner on reading glasses?
Avoid household glass cleaners and other harsh cleaning products unless they're specifically designed for eyewear. They may be unsuitable for lens coatings or frames.
What is the best way to store reading glasses?
Keep them in a protective case when you're not wearing them, particularly when carrying them in a handbag, backpack or luggage.
Should glasses be stored lens-up or lens-down?
If they're not inside their case, place them with the lenses facing upwards rather than directly against a surface.
Can I leave reading glasses in the car?
It's best to avoid leaving them in a hot car for extended periods. Excessive heat isn't ideal for frames or lens coatings.
How do I prevent scratches on my reading glasses?
Use a protective case, clean lenses with appropriate materials, avoid placing them lens-down and don't carry them loose alongside keys or other hard objects.
Do scratch-resistant lenses still need careful handling?
Yes. Scratch-resistant coatings provide additional protection, but they don't make lenses completely scratch-proof.
Do Ministry of Sight reading glasses come with a case?
Yes. Ministry of Sight reading glasses include a protective case and microfibre cleaning cloth.
Look After the Readers You Love
Reading glasses are made to be worn.
You don't need complicated cleaning routines or elaborate storage systems to keep them looking good.
Clean them gently. Use the case. Keep them away from excessive heat. Don't put them lens-down. And give them somewhere sensible to live when they're not on your face.
At Ministry of Sight, our readers combine premium acetate frames with clear lenses featuring blue-light filtering, anti-glare and scratch-resistant coatings — and each pair includes a protective case and microfibre cleaning cloth.
Because good reading glasses deserve to be looked after.
