best way to clean lenses

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Anyone know of something better than soap and water to clean smoke and crap off of plastic helmet lenses? Thanks
Reply:Windex and HOT water on the filter..Both sides..Wipe clean with toilet paper..Paper towels..Paper hand towels will scratch the surface..Replace clear plastic front as needed.....zap!Last edited by zapster; 04-04-2011 at 09:12 PM.I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I'm a big fan of very hot water (as hot as your hands can stand it is ok, as hot as your hands can stand it while wearing rubber gloves is even better), all sudsy with Dawn.  Lots of bubbles, and don't wipe anything dry.You can use a sponge UNDER the soapy water if you must, or just your fingertips to rub off crud.Most windex blends contain ammonia.  That's known to craze (cause lots of tiny surface cracks) to acrylic and polycarbonate.  Not a good choice.  Vinegar based windex may be ok (vinegar is ok, but unless the alcohol component is methyl alcohol it's still NG).  I've got NO idea why Windex's own website says that it is ok on Lucite.  Actually, many solvents are known to do this to acrylic and other clear plastics as well (gasoline, ethyl & isopropyl alcohol, etc.).  Kerosene is actually ok, but not a good solvent for the brown film deposited from welding.Rinse in even hotter water, and shake off.  Pat with a cotton towel if you have to (to prevent water spots), but if the water is hot enough and the surface clean enough, you may not even have enough water left to matter, except maybe some blobs on the corners.  Oh, and if you use fabric softener when washing your towels: don't; that's why they don't pick up every last drop of water.  If it were a critical optical system, I'd say to use a microfiber towel, because that doesn't leave lint behind.I've used clear-coat polish on cover lenses (or toothpaste and a drop of water rubbed with your fingers) to clear hazing, but don't try to polish a filter lens, and don't expect miracles with deeper scratches.I bought a SpeedGlas helmet on craigslist for real cheap because it looked like it had been to war and back (totally browned; the silver parts looked like mud).  After disassembly and doing nothing more than I said above to the entire headgear, it looked brand new, and I re-sold it for four times what I paid.
Reply:I would just replace the lenses.AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:Originally Posted by Donald BranscomI would just replace the lenses.
Reply:i use a product from Aig Gas/Radnor. they are individually wrapped moist towlets kinda like the KFC chicken joint used to give with their meals to wipe your hands off. they work really good and have an anti fog agent in them that helps. i use them on my hoods, goggles, safety glasses, shields and even my glasses.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:You won't believe it!Been cleaning my eyeglasses like this for years now.  After a water flood to remove the abrasives I apply a little Pledge furniture polish and work it in with my finger.  It separates into something like water and something like wax and then buff with a soft cloth, kleenex, toilet paper or whatever.  Even minor scratching seem to disappear.I don't do the clear lenses but my cheaters get Pledge.Has the added bonus of not attracting dust as bad so lenses seem to require cleaning less often under normal conditions.Read this thread last night, took my Miller Elite and did the inner lens and the cheater with Pledge.  Welded all day and into the evening.  Read this thread again tonight, got up and went to check my helmet.  Smoke on the inner lens and the cheater but not much dust.Gordie -- "I believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Reply:Something about smelling Lemon Pledge while welding...... dunno.I use diluted Simple Green and dampened paper towel.Miller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig  Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma
Reply:I used Windex wipes for electronics.
Reply:Get a CR-39 cover plate. (Note it's not a safety plate - CR39 doesn't have the impact protection polycarbonate does)The abuse CR39 can take is ridiculous. You can stick weld overhead all day, and it it just wipes clean. Doesn't get scratched as bad as a poly cover does either.http://www.airgas.com/browse/product...ct=RAD64005036
Reply:Get a cosmetics brush to remove anything granular before wiping to keep the scratches off.  You can keep a couple lenses and soak the dirty ones in warm water with dawn dish soap which will cut through most anything and adding simple green to this will help a great deal.
Reply:After the water and rinse, (and maybe some air hose drying) another scratch filling wax comes from using Armor-all towels in the plastic can.That wax, like Pledge, seems to fill the smaller scratches and give pretty clear view, prolongs the replacement of the Optrel hood's curved outer (impact) plate for me, and seems to prolong cheaters' surfaces too?cheers,Kevin Morin
Reply:I wonder if the car wax helps reduce sparks from sticking/marking the plastic
Reply:Hey mudcat,I use a superb product found an any autoparts store.... Eagle brand "Wipe 'N Shine". I've used it for years & it is excellent cleaning any residue on the lense, does not scratch, & is inexpensive.DennyComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:I was going to suggest a spray detailer like wipe and shine. They are safe for lexan which means it's safe for most anything. I use "harley gloss" on my bikes and it works great. Truthfully I haven't thought about using it on my welding lid til I read this post.