http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/Cotton-wool-for-lens-cleaning-tp6175236p6179432.html
Long ago we taught using ether in the fashion described here. Ether is very flammable. It is also not good for you.
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> Hi Aleksandrs,
>
> I like to use the method where you clean the lenses without touching them.
> I learned this from Karl Aufderheide when he was showing this trick to my LM
> course students.
>
> 1. Don't touch anything (even lens paper) to a lens surface except as a last
> resort. Avoid especially commercial facial or bathroom tissue because it could
> contain diatom frustules (glass!) as a filler. One pass of a kleenex over a lens
> could possibly ruin it!
> 2. Hold a piece of lens paper or other tissue over a lens. Place a few drops of
> ethyl ether on the paper and draw the paper across the lens surface so that
> the ether flows rapidly in a circular pattern over the recessed lens surface. In
> this way, the ether contacts the lens but the paper does not, because the
> lens is recessed.
> 3. Inspect the lens using an inverted ocular as a magnifier. Repeat the ether
> wash if necessary.
> 4. If ether does not remove the dirt, try first distilled water, then chloroform,
> then xylene or benzene, in that order. If all else fails, try a 1:1:1 mixture of
> water, alcohol and chloroform shaken just before use. Follow with an ether
> wash.
> 5. For stubborn dirt (e.g., on old student microscopes) use the above solvents
> on a clean Q-tip.
>
>
> Because of safety concerns with ether (formation of explosive peroxides), I
> just get a fresh bottle every 6 months, and dispose of the old one through our
> Hazardous Waste program.
>
> Stan Vitha
> Microscopy and Imaging Center
> Texas A&M University
>
> On Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:03:31 -0400, Aleksandrs Spurmanis, Mr.
> <
[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> Dear list,
>>
>> The current practice at our facility is to inspect and clean the objectives of
> our scopes periodically (approx. once every 2-3 months for each scope) using
> lens paper wrapped around small clean-room swabs. I had noticed, however,
> that the field service technicians who run the PMs on our instruments tend to
> use 100% cotton wool (which I understand to be essentially the same material
> as your basic 100% cotton ball in the pharmacy) and are able to service our
> lenses in a much more efficient manner (read: waayyy quicker) than myself
> using my current methods. In the interests of improving my maintenance
> efficiency, I've been considering trying this out myself but wanted to check in
> with the list to see if anyone can share their experiences, insights or advice
> before proceeding. My main concern is that the cotton might contribute to
> premature wear on the lens coating. As cleaning solvents, I use either Glass
> Plus, anhydrous ethanol and/or water.
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Aleksandrs J. Spurmanis
>> Microscopy Specialist
>> Imaging Facility
>> McGill University Life Sciences Complex
>> Francesco Bellini Building
>> 3649 Sir William Osler
>> Suite 137
>> Montreal, QC
>> H3G 0B1
>> tel.: (514)-398-5248
>> fax: (514)-398-7452
>>
[hidden email]
>>
http://www.mcgill.ca/lifesciencescomplex/core/imaging/