<p>Using digital cameras means good housekeeping will be necessary, unless you plan on buying new lenses every month.</p>
<p>Due to sensitive materials within your lens, properly cleaning them means you’ll need specific materials, methods and patience – along with proper storage afterwards.</p>
<p>Cleaning doesn’t take nuclear physics classes or paratrooper equipment,</p>
<p>yet using the wrong supplies may immediately tarnish lens longevity forever since electronics actually exist inside your lens which are easily damaged with imprudent chemicals.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2887/8758948014_c74e5e6fff.jpg" width="530" height="337" /></p>
<h2><strong>Blower Brushing</strong></h2>
<p>Pros will always have UV filters, preferably Hoya, to protect dust or other airborne threats from ruining internal elements.</p>
<p>Should you forget this intricacy, fear not: blower brushes are relatively affordable, easy to use and knock about 99.9% of your dust problems away in seconds.</p>
<p>Both front and rear elements are susceptible to dust bunnies, and should be blasted with this air brush tool.</p>
<p>Fully extending your zoom lens will allow for careful particle removal with your wonder tool.</p>
<h2><strong>Microfiber Cloth Wipes</strong></h2>
<p>For tougher jobs, breaking out your fiber cloths would allow camera owners to clean their lenses without excessive smudging.</p>
<p>Aside from removing whatever remaining dust particles the blower brush didn’t get, moisture can be removed easily with these cloths.</p>
<p>It’s suggested that no chemicals are applied to the cloths, or lenses, before wiping as the texture of microfiber will provide enough fingerprint removal without chemical aids.</p>
<p>Wiping in circular motions instead of aimlessly around your lens will assure long-term beautification of your lenses.</p>
<h2><strong>Use Special Fluids </strong></h2>
<p>For rough jobs, special lens cleaners are available for light use.</p>
<p>Instead of directly applying these fluids to your expensive lens, you’ll apply several drops onto your microfiber cleaning cloth and wipe circularly.</p>
<p>Though fluids are always used to ‘shine’ lenses and lens filters, approved cleaning agents can make your camera lens immediately free of dust particles or gritty substances one cannot identify.</p>
<p>Many fluids, along with aforementioned items, are available in kits which can be stowed away safely in camera bags.</p>
<p>Priced affordably, packing these kits for long stints of field photography assignments would prove beneficial.</p>
<h2><strong>A Lifehacker’s Cleaning Method</strong></h2>
<p>Frugal spenders – you know, the ones that dropped $6k on a new camera yet refuse to upgrade their washing machines – have developed the “Poor Man’s Guide to Cleaning A Camera Lens”</p>
<p>which I will briefly run through in case money is tight. Note that this won’t work 100% of the time:<br />
<strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Grab your house vacuum cleaner, and remove any attachments from the hose end.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Wrap hose end with cellophane wrap, preferably Saran Wrap. Make sure it’s wrapped tight, and tucked about 2 inches inside.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Hold your expensive camera in one hand.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Turn on your Dyson and suck the dirt, dust and grime away.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Repeat until your camera is either clean, or rendered useless.</li>
</ul>
<p></strong><br />
Please note that, under normal circumstances, individuals aren’t willing to risk damaging their camera just to save $20 bucks.</p>
<p>For those living off instant noodles shortly after financing your camera purchase, the life hacking method may prove useful.</p>
<p>Just don’t take it too far and attempt to eliminate dust by spraying Windex directly on your lens. That’s <em>a huge</em> no-no.</p>
<h5>Featured images:</h5>
<p><span class="license">License: Creative Commons</span></p>
<p><span class="source">image source</span></p>
<p>Roger Klawinski is a freelance writer and gadget guru from Indiana who keeps up-to-date on new camera equipment at Photo.net/reviews/.</p>

Properly Cleaning Your Camera Lens
