Cleaning RMR Glass

[Pt1780]

I spent Saturday training in the rain and mud. Throughout the day i noticed that while in my holster, my G19 mounted RMR would pool water and grit on the glass. This continued throughout the day. The water would pool, then dry, then pool, etc.

I got home. blew out all of the large debris with an air can and lightly wiped away any grit with a bunch of q-tips and water. I've got it about 95% perfect but what's left behind are hard water stains that really blow out my dot when i look through the rmr now. the laser catches on the stains and just spiderwebs the dot. not sure if i should move to any cleaning agents or not but don't want to mess up any of the coatings on the glass.

Anyone have any experience cleaning these water stains off of an rmr?

Thanks

 

[ReganR6]

I use those Q-tips that come to a point for those really hard to catch areas

 

[BLIP]

70% isopropyl alcohol and that pointy Q-tip. put a drop of olive oil in a tablespoon of water and wipe it out with that first but very gently

 

[cmshoot]

Cleaning optics

Supplies:

1) Camel's hair brush with blower bulb. You can get these at any camera store. Some folks like to use canned air, but this can get you in trouble. If you get the can a little bit too close to upside down, the liquid air will come out, and this stuff usually leaves a stain on your lenses when it dries that you will then have to clean off. Keep the brush in a ziplock, and periodically wash it with Ivory soap, allow to air dry, then rinse out with your lens cleaning alcohol and allow to air dry.

2) Good lens tissue. I don't like the Kodak lens tissue, it's too rough for my liking. The best ones are the Pec-Pads from Photographic Solutions. The 4x4 inch size works great for tactical optics. In a pinch, plain white (no printed designs and not special in any other way) Bounty® brand paper towels will work fine. These have been tested by the Steward Observatory mirror lab and were found to have very, very little grit (which will scratch your optics). No matter what you use, keep it sealed in a ziplock and only open the ziplock long enough to take out one sheet of tissue at a time. Also, don't take a sheet out, lay it down on something, then pick it up again and use it to clean your optics. The tissue will pick up dust and you will scratch your lenses. This seems obvious, but it's the easiest thing to forget, and we all have done or will do it at some point.

3) 100% isopropyl alcohol. I like Eclipse, also from Photographic Solutions. Any other 100% Isopropyl will work fine, though. In a pinch, you can use 90%. Don't use the 70% commonly found in drugstores, as it will leave water spots. Alcohol absorbs water from the atmosphere very well, so keep your alcohol for lens cleaning in small, tightly sealed containers to minimize this. It's not a danger, but if the alcohol absorbs enough water, you might start to see water spots on your optics after cleaning them, once the alcohol has evaporated away.

4) Camel's hair artist's brush. A chisel tip one about 1/4 -> 1/2 inch wide will work well for cleaning off dried mud spots. Keep sealed in a ziplock also, and clean like you would the blower/brush above.

How Often to Clean:

In cleaning, more is decidedly NOT better. I recommend that unless you have finger prints, big water spots, or dried mud splatters on the scope that you just blow/brush off the dust and leave your optics otherwise alone. The coatings on your lenses are the most fragile thing in the whole works. Military-grade coatings have to pass a "cheesecloth" test where the coating is rubbed with, you guessed it, a cheesecloth until the coating is damaged. The important point here is that coating damage from rubbing is cumlative. I have seen many pairs of binos, a few rifle scopes, and lots of telescopes where the user, in their zeal to keep their optics clean, had literally rubbed the coatings off.

Cleaning Procedures:

NEVER attempt to disassemble your optics to clean the insides. If your optics need internal cleaning, you need to send them back to the manufacturer to be cleaned.[/B]

1) Dust Removal:

If you need to clean your optics, first use the brush to get all the dust off the lens. Gently brush from one side of the lens to another until you can see no more dust on the lens. Most of the time, this will be good enough, and you can stop right here.

2) Fingerprint & Water Spot (and the like) Removal:[/B]

If you have fingerprints or water spots on your lens, you will have to go further. If you have dried mud splatters, do Step 3) below first.

Take a piece of lens paper and dampen (do not soak) it with alcohol. Never directly spray or pour alcohol or any other liquid onto a lens, as this can lead to the solvent wicking around the edges of your lens mounts and to the inside of your optic. Tactical optics should be sealed, but why take the chance?

Now, gently brush the alcohol onto the lens by pulling the lens paper from one side of the lens to another, using ONLY the weight of the lens paper itself to press the paper against the glass. The idea here is that the solvent (alcohol) is supposed to do the work of removing the stain. The paper is only a vehicle for safely applying the solvent.

After one pass, discard this piece of lens paper and repeat with a new one. This will prevent any dust you missed with the brush that was picked up by the first piece of lens paper from being drug back across the lens, possibly scratching it. If you have a stubborn fingerprint, it is ok to use slightly more pressure than the weight of the paper to try to remove it, but in no case should you grab the scope, stick your thumb on a piece of lens paper, and commence to scrubbing the lens. I guarantee such a procedure will scratch your lens.

Once you have gotten the lens as clean as you want it, allow the alcohol to evaporate. Don't wipe the dry lens, even if the alcohol leaves behind a couple of water spots. They will not hurt anything.

3) Mud/Stubborn Stain Removal:

At this point you really should be done, unless you have dried mud splatters on your scope. If you do, dampen your camel's hair artist's brush with alcohol and gently work on the splatters until you have dissolved them and carried all the grit off the lens. Once you have done this, do Step 2) above, but only after you are certain that you have gotten all the grit off your lens. If you need to, wash out the camel's hair brush periodically to remove the grit from it, too. Once you are done, either wash the camel's hair brush out, or discard it.

That about covers it. To recap, the cardinal rules are:

1) Less is more in lens cleaning. Only do what you have to.

2) Keep your alcohol dry and your lens paper sealed away from dust.

3) Only use each piece of lens paper for one pass across your lenses.

4) Never, ever pour or spray a liquid onto your lenses.

By following these procedures, you should be able to safely clean your optics without damaging them.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask!

 

[Pt1780]

Cleaning optics

Supplies:

1) Camel's hair brush with blower bulb. You can get these at any camera store. Some folks like to use canned air, but this can get you in trouble. If you get the can a little bit too close to upside down, the liquid air will come out, and this stuff usually leaves a stain on your lenses when it dries that you will then have to clean off. Keep the brush in a ziplock, and periodically wash it with Ivory soap, allow to air dry, then rinse out with your lens cleaning alcohol and allow to air dry.

2) Good lens tissue. I don't like the Kodak lens tissue, it's too rough for my liking. The best ones are the Pec-Pads from Photographic Solutions. The 4x4 inch size works great for tactical optics. In a pinch, plain white (no printed designs and not special in any other way) Bounty® brand paper towels will work fine. These have been tested by the Steward Observatory mirror lab and were found to have very, very little grit (which will scratch your optics). No matter what you use, keep it sealed in a ziplock and only open the ziplock long enough to take out one sheet of tissue at a time. Also, don't take a sheet out, lay it down on something, then pick it up again and use it to clean your optics. The tissue will pick up dust and you will scratch your lenses. This seems obvious, but it's the easiest thing to forget, and we all have done or will do it at some point.

3) 100% isopropyl alcohol. I like Eclipse, also from Photographic Solutions. Any other 100% Isopropyl will work fine, though. In a pinch, you can use 90%. Don't use the 70% commonly found in drugstores, as it will leave water spots. Alcohol absorbs water from the atmosphere very well, so keep your alcohol for lens cleaning in small, tightly sealed containers to minimize this. It's not a danger, but if the alcohol absorbs enough water, you might start to see water spots on your optics after cleaning them, once the alcohol has evaporated away.

4) Camel's hair artist's brush. A chisel tip one about 1/4 -> 1/2 inch wide will work well for cleaning off dried mud spots. Keep sealed in a ziplock also, and clean like you would the blower/brush above.

How Often to Clean:

In cleaning, more is decidedly NOT better. I recommend that unless you have finger prints, big water spots, or dried mud splatters on the scope that you just blow/brush off the dust and leave your optics otherwise alone. The coatings on your lenses are the most fragile thing in the whole works. Military-grade coatings have to pass a "cheesecloth" test where the coating is rubbed with, you guessed it, a cheesecloth until the coating is damaged. The important point here is that coating damage from rubbing is cumlative. I have seen many pairs of binos, a few rifle scopes, and lots of telescopes where the user, in their zeal to keep their optics clean, had literally rubbed the coatings off.

Cleaning Procedures:

NEVER attempt to disassemble your optics to clean the insides. If your optics need internal cleaning, you need to send them back to the manufacturer to be cleaned.[/B]

Thanks for the ideas y'all. @cmshoot thanks for the detailed write up. I'll def give it a shot.
One question: Step 3 - While i'm "gently working on the splatters" should i be moving in a circular or back/forth motion? Is the idea that I'm lightly "scrubbing" the stains? Thanks again for the in depth write up.
1) Dust Removal:

If you need to clean your optics, first use the brush to get all the dust off the lens. Gently brush from one side of the lens to another until you can see no more dust on the lens. Most of the time, this will be good enough, and you can stop right here.

2) Fingerprint & Water Spot (and the like) Removal:[/B]

If you have fingerprints or water spots on your lens, you will have to go further. If you have dried mud splatters, do Step 3) below first.

Take a piece of lens paper and dampen (do not soak) it with alcohol. Never directly spray or pour alcohol or any other liquid onto a lens, as this can lead to the solvent wicking around the edges of your lens mounts and to the inside of your optic. Tactical optics should be sealed, but why take the chance?

Now, gently brush the alcohol onto the lens by pulling the lens paper from one side of the lens to another, using ONLY the weight of the lens paper itself to press the paper against the glass. The idea here is that the solvent (alcohol) is supposed to do the work of removing the stain. The paper is only a vehicle for safely applying the solvent.

After one pass, discard this piece of lens paper and repeat with a new one. This will prevent any dust you missed with the brush that was picked up by the first piece of lens paper from being drug back across the lens, possibly scratching it. If you have a stubborn fingerprint, it is ok to use slightly more pressure than the weight of the paper to try to remove it, but in no case should you grab the scope, stick your thumb on a piece of lens paper, and commence to scrubbing the lens. I guarantee such a procedure will scratch your lens.

Once you have gotten the lens as clean as you want it, allow the alcohol to evaporate. Don't wipe the dry lens, even if the alcohol leaves behind a couple of water spots. They will not hurt anything.

3) Mud/Stubborn Stain Removal:

At this point you really should be done, unless you have dried mud splatters on your scope. If you do, dampen your camel's hair artist's brush with alcohol and gently work on the splatters until you have dissolved them and carried all the grit off the lens. Once you have done this, do Step 2) above, but only after you are certain that you have gotten all the grit off your lens. If you need to, wash out the camel's hair brush periodically to remove the grit from it, too. Once you are done, either wash the camel's hair brush out, or discard it.

That about covers it. To recap, the cardinal rules are:

1) Less is more in lens cleaning. Only do what you have to.

2) Keep your alcohol dry and your lens paper sealed away from dust.

3) Only use each piece of lens paper for one pass across your lenses.

4) Never, ever pour or spray a liquid onto your lenses.

By following these procedures, you should be able to safely clean your optics without damaging them.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask!

 

[Pt1780]

Thanks for the ideas y'all. cmshoot thanks for the detailed write up. I'll def give it a shot.
One question: Step 3 - While i'm "gently working on the splatters" should i be moving in a circular or back/forth motion? Is the idea that I'm lightly "scrubbing" the stains? Thanks again for the in depth write up.

 

[cmshoot]

Thanks for the ideas y'all. cmshoot thanks for the detailed write up. I'll def give it a shot.
One question: Step 3 - While i'm "gently working on the splatters" should i be moving in a circular or back/forth motion? Is the idea that I'm lightly "scrubbing" the stains? Thanks again for the in depth write up.

I start at one edge and work towards the other, trying to lift and push the debris in one direction.

 

[sovietak474u]

Cleaning optics

Supplies:

1) Camel's hair brush with blower bulb. You can get these at any camera store. Some folks like to use canned air, but this can get you in trouble. If you get the can a little bit too close to upside down, the liquid air will come out, and this stuff usually leaves a stain on your lenses when it dries that you will then have to clean off. Keep the brush in a ziplock, and periodically wash it with Ivory soap, allow to air dry, then rinse out with your lens cleaning alcohol and allow to air dry.

2) Good lens tissue. I don't like the Kodak lens tissue, it's too rough for my liking. The best ones are the Pec-Pads from Photographic Solutions. The 4x4 inch size works great for tactical optics. In a pinch, plain white (no printed designs and not special in any other way) Bounty® brand paper towels will work fine. These have been tested by the Steward Observatory mirror lab and were found to have very, very little grit (which will scratch your optics). No matter what you use, keep it sealed in a ziplock and only open the ziplock long enough to take out one sheet of tissue at a time. Also, don't take a sheet out, lay it down on something, then pick it up again and use it to clean your optics. The tissue will pick up dust and you will scratch your lenses. This seems obvious, but it's the easiest thing to forget, and we all have done or will do it at some point.

3) 100% isopropyl alcohol. I like Eclipse, also from Photographic Solutions. Any other 100% Isopropyl will work fine, though. In a pinch, you can use 90%. Don't use the 70% commonly found in drugstores, as it will leave water spots. Alcohol absorbs water from the atmosphere very well, so keep your alcohol for lens cleaning in small, tightly sealed containers to minimize this. It's not a danger, but if the alcohol absorbs enough water, you might start to see water spots on your optics after cleaning them, once the alcohol has evaporated away.

4) Camel's hair artist's brush. A chisel tip one about 1/4 -> 1/2 inch wide will work well for cleaning off dried mud spots. Keep sealed in a ziplock also, and clean like you would the blower/brush above.

How Often to Clean:

In cleaning, more is decidedly NOT better. I recommend that unless you have finger prints, big water spots, or dried mud splatters on the scope that you just blow/brush off the dust and leave your optics otherwise alone. The coatings on your lenses are the most fragile thing in the whole works. Military-grade coatings have to pass a "cheesecloth" test where the coating is rubbed with, you guessed it, a cheesecloth until the coating is damaged. The important point here is that coating damage from rubbing is cumlative. I have seen many pairs of binos, a few rifle scopes, and lots of telescopes where the user, in their zeal to keep their optics clean, had literally rubbed the coatings off.

Cleaning Procedures:

NEVER attempt to disassemble your optics to clean the insides. If your optics need internal cleaning, you need to send them back to the manufacturer to be cleaned.[/B]

1) Dust Removal:

If you need to clean your optics, first use the brush to get all the dust off the lens. Gently brush from one side of the lens to another until you can see no more dust on the lens. Most of the time, this will be good enough, and you can stop right here.

2) Fingerprint & Water Spot (and the like) Removal:[/B]

If you have fingerprints or water spots on your lens, you will have to go further. If you have dried mud splatters, do Step 3) below first.

Take a piece of lens paper and dampen (do not soak) it with alcohol. Never directly spray or pour alcohol or any other liquid onto a lens, as this can lead to the solvent wicking around the edges of your lens mounts and to the inside of your optic. Tactical optics should be sealed, but why take the chance?

Now, gently brush the alcohol onto the lens by pulling the lens paper from one side of the lens to another, using ONLY the weight of the lens paper itself to press the paper against the glass. The idea here is that the solvent (alcohol) is supposed to do the work of removing the stain. The paper is only a vehicle for safely applying the solvent.

After one pass, discard this piece of lens paper and repeat with a new one. This will prevent any dust you missed with the brush that was picked up by the first piece of lens paper from being drug back across the lens, possibly scratching it. If you have a stubborn fingerprint, it is ok to use slightly more pressure than the weight of the paper to try to remove it, but in no case should you grab the scope, stick your thumb on a piece of lens paper, and commence to scrubbing the lens. I guarantee such a procedure will scratch your lens.

Once you have gotten the lens as clean as you want it, allow the alcohol to evaporate. Don't wipe the dry lens, even if the alcohol leaves behind a couple of water spots. They will not hurt anything.

3) Mud/Stubborn Stain Removal:

At this point you really should be done, unless you have dried mud splatters on your scope. If you do, dampen your camel's hair artist's brush with alcohol and gently work on the splatters until you have dissolved them and carried all the grit off the lens. Once you have done this, do Step 2) above, but only after you are certain that you have gotten all the grit off your lens. If you need to, wash out the camel's hair brush periodically to remove the grit from it, too. Once you are done, either wash the camel's hair brush out, or discard it.

That about covers it. To recap, the cardinal rules are:

1) Less is more in lens cleaning. Only do what you have to.

2) Keep your alcohol dry and your lens paper sealed away from dust.

3) Only use each piece of lens paper for one pass across your lenses.

4) Never, ever pour or spray a liquid onto your lenses.

By following these procedures, you should be able to safely clean your optics without damaging them.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask!

You can shut it down here . Here’s a fella who loves his optics .

The short version is buy this. Works well.

 

[Deleted member 79987]

Cleaning optics

Supplies:

1) Camel's hair brush with blower bulb. You can get these at any camera store. Some folks like to use canned air, but this can get you in trouble. If you get the can a little bit too close to upside down, the liquid air will come out, and this stuff usually leaves a stain on your lenses when it dries that you will then have to clean off. Keep the brush in a ziplock, and periodically wash it with Ivory soap, allow to air dry, then rinse out with your lens cleaning alcohol and allow to air dry.

2) Good lens tissue. I don't like the Kodak lens tissue, it's too rough for my liking. The best ones are the Pec-Pads from Photographic Solutions. The 4x4 inch size works great for tactical optics. In a pinch, plain white (no printed designs and not special in any other way) Bounty® brand paper towels will work fine. These have been tested by the Steward Observatory mirror lab and were found to have very, very little grit (which will scratch your optics). No matter what you use, keep it sealed in a ziplock and only open the ziplock long enough to take out one sheet of tissue at a time. Also, don't take a sheet out, lay it down on something, then pick it up again and use it to clean your optics. The tissue will pick up dust and you will scratch your lenses. This seems obvious, but it's the easiest thing to forget, and we all have done or will do it at some point.

3) 100% isopropyl alcohol. I like Eclipse, also from Photographic Solutions. Any other 100% Isopropyl will work fine, though. In a pinch, you can use 90%. Don't use the 70% commonly found in drugstores, as it will leave water spots. Alcohol absorbs water from the atmosphere very well, so keep your alcohol for lens cleaning in small, tightly sealed containers to minimize this. It's not a danger, but if the alcohol absorbs enough water, you might start to see water spots on your optics after cleaning them, once the alcohol has evaporated away.

4) Camel's hair artist's brush. A chisel tip one about 1/4 -> 1/2 inch wide will work well for cleaning off dried mud spots. Keep sealed in a ziplock also, and clean like you would the blower/brush above.

How Often to Clean:

In cleaning, more is decidedly NOT better. I recommend that unless you have finger prints, big water spots, or dried mud splatters on the scope that you just blow/brush off the dust and leave your optics otherwise alone. The coatings on your lenses are the most fragile thing in the whole works. Military-grade coatings have to pass a "cheesecloth" test where the coating is rubbed with, you guessed it, a cheesecloth until the coating is damaged. The important point here is that coating damage from rubbing is cumlative. I have seen many pairs of binos, a few rifle scopes, and lots of telescopes where the user, in their zeal to keep their optics clean, had literally rubbed the coatings off.

Cleaning Procedures:

NEVER attempt to disassemble your optics to clean the insides. If your optics need internal cleaning, you need to send them back to the manufacturer to be cleaned.[/B]

1) Dust Removal:

If you need to clean your optics, first use the brush to get all the dust off the lens. Gently brush from one side of the lens to another until you can see no more dust on the lens. Most of the time, this will be good enough, and you can stop right here.

2) Fingerprint & Water Spot (and the like) Removal:[/B]

If you have fingerprints or water spots on your lens, you will have to go further. If you have dried mud splatters, do Step 3) below first.

Take a piece of lens paper and dampen (do not soak) it with alcohol. Never directly spray or pour alcohol or any other liquid onto a lens, as this can lead to the solvent wicking around the edges of your lens mounts and to the inside of your optic. Tactical optics should be sealed, but why take the chance?

Now, gently brush the alcohol onto the lens by pulling the lens paper from one side of the lens to another, using ONLY the weight of the lens paper itself to press the paper against the glass. The idea here is that the solvent (alcohol) is supposed to do the work of removing the stain. The paper is only a vehicle for safely applying the solvent.

After one pass, discard this piece of lens paper and repeat with a new one. This will prevent any dust you missed with the brush that was picked up by the first piece of lens paper from being drug back across the lens, possibly scratching it. If you have a stubborn fingerprint, it is ok to use slightly more pressure than the weight of the paper to try to remove it, but in no case should you grab the scope, stick your thumb on a piece of lens paper, and commence to scrubbing the lens. I guarantee such a procedure will scratch your lens.

Once you have gotten the lens as clean as you want it, allow the alcohol to evaporate. Don't wipe the dry lens, even if the alcohol leaves behind a couple of water spots. They will not hurt anything.

3) Mud/Stubborn Stain Removal:

At this point you really should be done, unless you have dried mud splatters on your scope. If you do, dampen your camel's hair artist's brush with alcohol and gently work on the splatters until you have dissolved them and carried all the grit off the lens. Once you have done this, do Step 2) above, but only after you are certain that you have gotten all the grit off your lens. If you need to, wash out the camel's hair brush periodically to remove the grit from it, too. Once you are done, either wash the camel's hair brush out, or discard it.

That about covers it. To recap, the cardinal rules are:

1) Less is more in lens cleaning. Only do what you have to.

2) Keep your alcohol dry and your lens paper sealed away from dust.

3) Only use each piece of lens paper for one pass across your lenses.

4) Never, ever pour or spray a liquid onto your lenses.

By following these procedures, you should be able to safely clean your optics without damaging them.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask!

I'm bookmarking this one! Thanks cmshoot

 

[3clicks_Off]

Dishwasher works wonders