Smith Wants to Clean Your Sunglasses
Smith Optics’ best and brightest packed their bags and hit the road to see our friends at Steamboat Gravel (SBT) and Rebecca’s Private Idaho (RPI). SBT and RPI are beloved gravel events, magnets for top-tier talent and enthusiasts alike, and we thought they would be the perfect places to debut our game-changing Eyewear Wash Station.
At SBT the Smith crew positioned the station strategically on the course, in a spot by the aid stations where as they were refueling with water and snacks, racers would stop by and we would ensure their eyewear (no matter the brand) received a meticulous cleaning. Since the Eyewear Wash Station functioned with the speed and efficiency of a racecar pit crew, we also dressed the part in all-white jumpsuits with the Smith logo on the back.
Our Eyewear Wash Station saw countless riders throughout the day at SBT and we were stoked to put a smile on people’s faces as we took their sweaty, dusty, sunscreen-smudged lenses and handed them back sparkling and clean.
After SBT we headed to Idaho for Rebecca’s Private Idaho (RPI), an event in its 11th year founded and run by Smith athlete Rebecca Rusch. With three levels of races (Tater Tot, French Fry, and Baked Potato) we had plenty of opportunities to connect with riders, clean their glasses, and send them on their way. After a brief rain shower, we even had more than one repeat customer.
How To Clean Your Smith Sunglasses at Home
We wish we could follow you all around with your own personal Eyewear Wash Station, but since that isn’t in the cards, here’s how you can get your sunglasses sparklingly clean after a dusty ride (white jumpsuits optional).
For day-to-day smudges, we recommend gently wiping your lenses with a microfiber lens cloth in a circular motion, but for big days out on dusty or muddy trails you might want to take another tactic.
One of the most common ways lenses get scratched is when someone attempts to rub them clean when they have dirt, dust, or sand on the lens, which can rub the abrasive material across the lens. Prevent this by blowing any dust off of your lens before cleaning or by giving your lenses a rinse in room temp water, and if needed, using a little bit of mild soap (choose a very gentle cleanser with no lotion or harsh additives) on your finger to gently clean any stubborn sunscreen spots or fingerprint smudges. Once your lenses are dirt-free and you’ve rinsed off any soap then you can let them air dry or dry them gently with soft cotton or optical cleaning cloth.
You can also take precautions to avoid lens damage like making sure your sunglasses are off your face and out of the range of spray when you’re applying aerosol sunscreen which can damage your lenses.
We want you to spend more time doing what you love, and less time thinking about cleaning your sunglasses, so leave the how-to’s to us. If you have any additional sunglasses care questions feel free to shoot our team a message and our experts can help you keep your gear in top condition.
