What Removes Scratches on Eyeglasses?

Eyeglasses cost a lot of money, especially if you have eye problems requiring special lenses or have to wear a stronger prescription. Because you have to pay for a pair of glasses almost every year, you are cautious about getting scratches on them. Eyeglasses get scratched from dropping them on the ground, being placed face down and accidentally falling asleep in them. Instead of paying a lot of money to remove scratches, you can fix them at home.

Toothpaste and Baking Soda

• Plain, white toothpaste removes scratches from both glass and plastic lenses. All you have to do is squeeze a dab of toothpaste on a cotton ball or a cotton cloth. Gently rub the toothpaste in a circular motion over the scratched lens for 10 seconds. You then rinse the glasses under water and dry with a soft cloth. Toothpastes containing peroxide and tooth-whiting ingredients are too abrasive for lenses. Baking soda also removes scratches from glasses. GlassesCrafter.com says to make a thick paste of baking soda and water, and use a cotton or wool cloth to rub mixture on lenses. Rinse lenses and dry with soft, cotton cloth.

Armor Etch

• Armor Etch temporarily fills in scratches and leaves a shiny coating on eyeglass lenses. It removes scratches and the outer covering from plastic lenses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Armor Etch's active ingredient, hydrofluoric acid, is a chemical compound used for etching glass and metal. You have to spray a thick coating of Armor Etch on each side of the glasses and let it sit for about five minutes. Rinse off the product and dry with a cloth. This product does not work on glass lenses; it damages them even more.

Car Products

• Commercial car products remove scratches from eyeglasses. According to GlassesCrafter.com, commercial car wax used to polish cars can be applied to lenses with a soft cloth and buffed until you remove scratches. You may have to do it multiple times for deep-set scratches. Rain and fog repellents used on windshields also get rid of eyeglass scratches. Windshield fluid offers the added benefit of cleaning stubborn dirt and debris off glasses and works as an antifogger when temperatures change. Windshield fluid only works for minor scratches, not for severe lens scratches.

Brass and Silver Polish

• Brass and silver polish works on plastic eyeglass lenses but will not remove scratches from glass lenses. Pour polish on a cotton cloth and buff until scratches no longer are visible. You don't need to rinse excess polish; just take an additional cloth and remove remaining products. No matter what method you use to remove scratches, including brass and silver polish, you need to read manufacturers instructions and wear glove to protect hands.