Personal Care & Accessories

How to Clean Warby Parker Glasses

Warby Parker's official glasses-cleaning sequence begins before the lenses are touched: wash and dry your hands, rinse the entire frame and lenses with lukewarm water, place a drop of lotion-free dishwashing liquid on each lens, rub the soap over both lens surfaces and the frame, rinse again, and dry with clean microfiber or another lint-free towel. The initial rinse is important because wiping dry grit can create fine scratches even on scratch-resistant coatings. Lukewarm is equally important; hot water can affect specialized lens coatings and frame materials. This guide expands that sequence to nose pads, temples, hinges and clear-frame edges while preserving the boundary between safe surface cleaning and adjustments or coating damage. It also addresses sunscreen and hair-product film at frame edges, which should be softened during washing instead of scraped from the finish. It applies to ordinary Warby Parker eyeglasses and sunglasses, but specialty lens treatments and electronic frames require their own instructions. Scratches, crazed coatings and a loose hinge are not dirt and should not be polished away.

Primary reference: Warby Parker official glasses-cleaning guide. Always check the manual for your exact model.

Quick reference

First
Wash hands and rinse the full frame with lukewarm water.
Soap
One small drop of lotion-free dishwashing liquid per lens.
Dry
Use freshly clean optical microfiber or another lint-free towel.
Avoid
Hot water, household glass cleaner, paper products and dry grit rubbing.
Not cleaning
Scratches, coating crazing, loose hinges and bent frames.

What you will need

  • Warby Parker's official glasses-cleaning guidance
  • Clean lukewarm running water
  • Lotion-free mild dishwashing liquid
  • A clean optical-grade microfiber cloth
  • A second lint-free towel for the frame
  • A manual air blower for loose dust if desired
  • A clean protective glasses case

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Wash and dry your hands

Remove lotion, cooking oil and dirt from your hands with plain soap, rinse and dry on a lint-free towel. Handling clean lenses with oily fingers creates new smears before the process begins. Hold the glasses by the bridge and temples rather than pressing on a lens.

Step 2: Inspect for damage and loose grit

Look for sand, a cracked lens, peeling coating, loose screw, bent temple or failing nose pad. Blow loose dust away with a manual blower if available. Do not rub visible grit with a shirt, tissue or dry paper product.

Step 3: Rinse with lukewarm water

Warby Parker says to rinse the frames and lenses under the tap. Use a gentle lukewarm stream across both lens faces, the bridge, nose pads and temples. Avoid hot water, which can affect specialized coatings, and high pressure that can stress a loose lens or hinge.

Step 4: Apply lotion-free dish soap

Place one small drop of lotion-free dishwashing liquid on each lens. Rub it gently with clean fingertips over both sides of the lenses, then across the frame, bridge, nose-contact points and temples. Avoid moisturizing soap, citrus solvent, abrasive cleanser and household glass spray.

Step 5: Clean edges without forcing hinges

Use fingertip pads around lens rims and nose pads while supporting the frame. Open and close each temple only through its normal range; do not work soap into a stiff hinge or try to correct alignment during washing. A repair need should stay separate from cleaning.

Step 6: Rinse all soap away

Pass lukewarm water over every surface until no foam or slippery film remains. Rotate the glasses so water leaves the frame channels and nose-pad hardware. Soap residue often appears as a streak after drying, so inspect under light before moving on.

Step 7: Dry with clean microfiber

Blot droplets from the frame with a clean lint-free towel and dry each lens with a freshly washed optical microfiber cloth using light strokes. Do not use paper towels, tissues, clothing or a dirty reusable cloth that may hold grit and oil.

Step 8: Inspect and store correctly

Hold the glasses against a bright background. A surface smear should move with a clean cloth; a fixed rainbow patch, crack or fine web of lines can indicate coating damage. Let hinges and nose-pad joints finish drying, then place the glasses in a clean protective case instead of face-down on a surface.

Specific cleaning questions

Open a question for a concise answer about stains, odors, safety, frequency, and troubleshooting.

What soap does Warby Parker recommend for glasses?
Warby Parker recommends a small amount of lotion-free dishwashing liquid, followed by a thorough lukewarm-water rinse.
Should I rinse glasses before wiping them?
Yes. The official sequence rinses first so dust and grit are removed before a cloth moves across the lens coatings.
Can I use hot water on Warby Parker glasses?
No. Use lukewarm water. Hot water can affect specialized lens coatings and can stress some frame materials.
Can I use Windex on Warby Parker lenses?
Avoid household glass cleaner, ammonia and harsh chemicals. Use lotion-free dish soap and lukewarm water or a product specifically approved for the exact lenses.
Can I dry glasses with a paper towel?
Use clean microfiber or another lint-free towel. Paper products and clothing can carry rough fibers or trapped grit that mark lens coatings.
Why are my lenses streaky after washing?
Soap may remain at the lens edges or the drying cloth may contain oil. Rinse again, wash the microfiber separately and dry with a clean section.
Can cleaning remove scratches from eyeglasses?
No. Scratches and coating damage are physical changes. Polishing compounds can remove more coating and distort optical surfaces.
How often should I clean Warby Parker glasses?
Clean when fingerprints, skin oil or environmental residue affects vision, and rinse promptly after dust, salt spray or sunscreen exposure so buildup is not rubbed dry.