How to clean bug guts off a polarizer

[tom beard]

In the South, they have Love Bug problems and people spray the front of their cars with Pam. If you do the same with your polarizer, you might get some interesting effects. Tom Beard

 

[Plato]

On a bike, bug guts in your teeth is a badge of honor....on your glasses, not so cool. All kidding aside, I wear some expensive Prescription Oakley's when riding. Bug guts get on them and turn hard as cement.

Here's how I get them off, when I really run into a swarm, but don't want to scratch the lenses.

Fill a bowl with Dawn, or another gentle 'grease' removing liquid dish washing liquid, two or three teaspoons full, and water that's just about as hot as your hands can stand. Let the lens cover soak for two or three hours. Turns the bug guts soft, and then you should be able to clean them as you usually do, be it a cloth, lens pen, whatever..

Works for me, anyway, no scratches so far..

J.:mrgreen:

That would probably work with all filters except polarizers. Modern (circular) polarizers have two pieces of glass bonded together. Liquid may well seep in between the pieces.

You can get prescription Oakleys? Neato! I've got to remember that the next time I get an eye exam.

 

[Plato]

In the South, they have Love Bug problems and people spray the front of their cars with Pam. If you do the same with your polarizer, you might get some interesting effects. Tom Beard

You're not going to tell me that Pam makes them slide off?

 

[manaheim]

Ok, 1. That's funny...

And 2. Nice car! I have that exact one. 2004 R32 in Blue. (well, assuming it's not a fake)

 

[jbylake]

On a bike, bug guts in your teeth is a badge of honor....on your glasses, not so cool. All kidding aside, I wear some expensive Prescription Oakley's when riding. Bug guts get on them and turn hard as cement.

Here's how I get them off, when I really run into a swarm, but don't want to scratch the lenses.

Fill a bowl with Dawn, or another gentle 'grease' removing liquid dish washing liquid, two or three teaspoons full, and water that's just about as hot as your hands can stand. Let the lens cover soak for two or three hours. Turns the bug guts soft, and then you should be able to clean them as you usually do, be it a cloth, lens pen, whatever..

Works for me, anyway, no scratches so far..

J.:mrgreen:

That would probably work with all filters except polarizers. Modern (circular) polarizers have two pieces of glass bonded together. Liquid may well seep in between the pieces.

You can get prescription Oakleys? Neato! I've got to remember that the next time I get an eye exam.

Yes, that might be possible. Soap is basically a surfacant. Basically lessens water surface tension, so that the cleaner, usally water can get into the pores, of your skin, or whatever, where the real cleaning starts.
Since it is a surfacant, it might reduce the surface tension of the water enough to get inbetween the layers of glass.
Proably a bad idea with laminated or layered glass.

J.:mrgreen:

 

[kundalini]

Probably should soak it without immersion.

I've run my CPL under the tap to clean the gunk off. It doesn't appear I caused too much damage.......... yet.

 

[Plato]

Probably should soak it without immersion.

I've run my CPL under the tap to clean the gunk off. It doesn't appear I caused too much damage.......... yet.

I don't know how much of a risk there is but it just doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

 

[Garbz]

Use Alcohol, read below.

i have a rig, and you can get the shot, though it requires a longer shutter so its harder to do during the day without pretty dark ND filters.

you push the car with the rig with the engine off to reduce vibrations but its difficult to do on a public road because you run the risk of other cars. I have done it though a few times.

I figured lens cleaning solution, i just didn't want to make matters worse than they already were, and didn't want to immerse it due to the two rotating pieces. Thanks for the advice guys.

Will simple eye glass cleaner work, or do i need to make a special trip out for photo lens cleaner?

I wouldn't trust eyeglass cleaner. Eyeglasses are not multicoated and there's no risk of rubbing off the non-existent coatings.

Plato, get some decent glasses . All ours are multicoated along with most semi decent sunglasses.
Any and every glass cleaner should work. I would suggest water, then try window cleaner, or even better use isopropyl alcohol. The latter is used a lot in optics research to clean lenses.

Don't use paint thinner, benzine, or any other form of aromatic liquid hydrocarbon like mineral turpentine, not the least because one of those would give you cancer. By the way these are about the only type of cleaner which will dissolve these coatings.

I don't know how much of a risk there is but it just doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

I don't see much of a risk, but given Derrel mentioned that cheap polarisers could be made with 2 pieces of glass there is potential to get some in there, but I highly doubt it. A decent cleaner though should definitely be the first option.

 

[Plato]

Plato, get some decent glasses . All ours are multicoated along with most semi decent sunglasses.

My information is admittedly old but there was a time when eyeglass tissues would remove coatings from lenses. It wasn't a maatter of dissolving the coating but it would rub off.

I didn't know that all eyeglasses are multicoated now.

 

[RONDAL]

i got it all cleaned with lens solution. boom

 

[Mtalicarox]

I know a camera lens is different... however ride a motorcycle to work everyday - get hit with a fair amount of bug guts get on the visor every day- take a piece of cotton (i use an old tshirt) soak it in warm water, leave it on top of the lens (visor for me) for about 3 minutes, wipe away, then dry it off using another cloth

 

[bhop]

I don't baby my gear, so I would probably just spray some glass cleaner on it and wipe it off once it soaks in. I've actually done it many times with no ill effects.

 

[Sinister_kid]

Glass cleaner? The kind from costco with no ammonia in it?

 

[Garbz]

Oooh yeah Ammonia. Add that to the banned list right next to benzine. Actually come to think about it I haven't seen an ammonia based window cleaner for a while.

Tell you what else works really well while I'm thinking, White Vinegar. You probably have some in the kitchen right now. If not you should. It's an excellent glass cleaner and doesn't strip coatings.