Cleaning Your Microscope

Customer often ask what they can do to keep theirhave to use the lens cleaner to remove this coating. 
microscopes clean and in good working condition. Just hold the can still and spray.  Remember that a
Listed below are some questions raised along withlot of the particles you see on the eyepieces are
our suggestions:from your eyes.  They are flakes of dead skin that
Question: What can I use to clean the lens on mydrop off your eyelids every time you blink.
microscope?Question: It is hard to see through the 40X or the
Answer: Lens cleaning fluids are the best. Use lens100X objectives. What could be the problem?
paper if available - the type for reading glassesAnswer: On most microscopes the 40X and 100X
works well.  We suggest not using kleenex-typeobjective's front lens is slightly concave in design. 
tissue as it is very "dusty" and will leave a lot of lintThis causes problems when users go to clean the
on the lens.  Make sure the first tissue is wet withobjective.  If you only use lens paper and cleaner
lens cleaner in case there are bits of glass from theyou will not get to the contamination that has built up
slides on the lens that scratch it.in the concave portion of the objective.  Our
Question: What do I use to clean the body of therecommendation is to use a soft cotton swab (Q-tip)
microscope?to clean the objective.  First, wet it with lens cleaner
Answer: We have tried many products over theand make a soft drilling motion into the concave
years but have found that 409 cleaner seems to doportion of the front lens.  Next, use a dry swab and
the best job and does not damage the finish. Try notmake the same motion to dry the lens.  You may
to get it into the bearings on the stage or focushave to perform several repetitions of this procedure
assembly as it will dilute the lubrication.to truly clean the lens.  If this does not help then
Question: Lint seems to be a real problem on theyou may have oil inside of the objective itself, and it
eyepieces. How do I remove it without alwayswill either need to be sent to the manufacture for
having to use lens cleaner and papers?repair or you might have to replace the objective
Answer: Get some canned air from a computer orwith a new one.  The reason the oil penetrates the
office supply store.  Spray the compressed air atobjective is due to either not cleaning off the oil
the eyepieces and that should remove most of theafter usage or leaving the objective in oil on the slide
dust.  Do not shake the can as you spray becauseafter reading it.  Always clean the oil off the
you will cause the propellant in the can to come outobjective after each use.
of the nozzle and coat the lens.  If you do, you will