“Scratches on glasses? Apply a little and they’ll disappear instantly.” — Is it true?
Unfortunately, there’s no safe household substance that can make genuine scratches on eyeglass lenses disappear instantly.
Viral hacks often recommend toothpaste, baking soda, car polish, or similar abrasives. These may make a lens look temporarily different by altering its surface, but they can also create more microscopic scratches or damage anti-reflective, UV, or other lens coatings.
What you should do instead
- For light smudges: Use a microfiber lens cloth and a lens cleaner intended for eyeglasses.
- For actual scratches: Don’t try to polish them out. An optician can determine whether the lenses can be replaced.
- For deep scratches or damaged coatings: Replacement is generally the appropriate solution.
- Avoid household glass cleaners and abrasive cleaners, which aren’t necessarily suitable for ophthalmic lenses.
🚫 A particularly bad idea
Don’t use toothpaste or baking soda as a DIY scratch remover. Their abrasiveness can damage lens surfaces rather than restoring them.
