Guns & Outdoors Forum

Found an old Nikon spotting scope. I didnt buy it becaust the eyepiece is full of debris.
That led to the next question. How best to clean something like this?
I wouldnt want to wipe it may low pressure compressed air?
Wouldnt use any solvents that might react with the lens coating

Anyone have experience cleaning up really dirty optics?

Yep, tons of experience with fine lenses of all types.

Compressed air to get the debris off the lens first because if you don't it might cause scratches when you use the wet solution. So blow off as much as you can, then my favorite cleaning solution is 91% rubbing alcohol (sold at most drugstores) and this is VERY important!!!!! NEVER use the 70% stuff. too much water and sometimes they add oils to it so if it's used as "rubbing alcohol" it won't dry out the human skin. SOOOOOOOO 91% alcohol is better and the ABSOLTE BEST is 99% Professional Strength Isopropyl alcohol which you can buy on Amazon since drug stores will not sell it.

-So blow away the debris first.
-Then saturate the lens with alcohol from a spray bottle so you wash away any particles left behind, do not rub the lens with any cloth yet.
-Shake off excess and make sure no solids are still on the lens, if any solids apparent flush again until there are none.
-LAST, spray alcohol one last time and dry off and polish with a microfiber cloth specifulaly made for cleaning lenses of TV screens.

You will be left with a perfectly clean lens. You can also use the alcohol to clean out the body of the scope but do not use the safe cloth for the body and the lens. It's a surefire way to get scratches on lenses.