Anti-Fog Spray for Ground Glass, Lenses and Eyeglasses

BrianShaw said:

BTW… not intending to put you on-the-spot with a trick question but you seem more chemistry-oriented than me… what is the purpose of a laxative in an anti-fog formula???

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'beats the sh*t out of me'!

Alan Edward Klein said:

OK I made a decision. I'll just stay home when it's cold and drink hot chocolates.

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Or use most any antifog solution NOT MADE by Zeiss

BrianShaw said:

If that’s the same as they use to saturate the lens wipes… mostly water and some alcohol and a bit of detergent. Good stuff; much better than non-name brand lens wipes.

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Were you aware that a Zeiss division offered a lens cleaner in 2009 that was NOT approved by the Zeiss lens division, years ago?!
Read this old post of mine, on that exact topic, based initially upon research I had done in 2009...

And I am not aware that the lens division ever found a Zeiss lens cleaner that met their requirements! I inquired to Zeiss photographic early in 2022 and got a reply from that division...

I think the reality is that their (photographic division) different requirements quietly vanished into the corporate need to sell lens cleaners suited to eyeglasses more than they needed it for microscopes and binoculars and photographic optics.

This is the list of ingredients on the Zeiss website for its current lens cleaning solution MSDS, and Lens Cleaning Spray MSDS

• AQUA
• BUTOXYDIGLYCOL
• DIMETHYLOL GLYCOL
• GLUTARAL
• METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE
• METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE

That looks nothing like the other Zeiss lens cleaning product reported in this thread in post 21 (the lens cleaning solution with fluorine-based chemicals)
...Which one is anyone buying?!

Here is what the Ziess microscope division currently says
https://www.zeiss.com/microscopy/en/c/edr/20/how-to-keep-your-microscope-clean.html
Does anyone see mention of any other chemical apart from plain ethyl alcohol and water?!

Then there is 'Zeiss lens cleaner'

Again, how does anyone know WHICH ONE (of the 3 mentioned Zeiss lens cleaners in this thread) that they are actually buying?!
The pure one, the one with multiple chemicals (that might streak) or the hazardous one with fluorine in it?

My favorite all time cleaner is breathing on the eyeglasses or lenses and wiping off with my cotton handkerchief (clean) or a T shirt, although I don;t wear them anymore.

Alan Edward Klein said:

My favorite all time cleaner is breathing on the eyeglasses or lenses and wiping off with my cotton handkerchief (clean) or a T shirt, although I don;t wear them anymore.

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I just did that (eye glasses)… twice… on my T-shirt. I feel naked without one. When the glasses are really grimy: hot sink water a Dawn detergent. Or… Zeiss lens wipes.

For the rare occasions that I need to clean a camera lens or filter I use alcohol and q-tips or cotton balls. Or… Zeiss lens wipes.

I almost never ever need anti-fog.

Alan Edward Klein said:

Something that might be happening in your car. Many people leave their system to recirculate the air to heat faster. That causes fogging because you're recirculating the water vapor in the occupant's breaths. Then they start trying to wipe off the fog and never can keep up. It;s dangerous.

Either switch to fresh air by shutting off recirculation. Or turn on the AC at the same time you're heating. You can keep the setpoint high. Just let the AC run at the same time. That will raise the dew point and also help from fogging.

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Different cars must use different air conditioning systems. As far back as my 1983 MB 300D we were warned NOT to recirculate air in car, which required pushing a separate button, because car is air tight and could cause driver to pass out. The air system for MB always circulates outside air. Same applies to my MM ML. Cutting of outside air was intended for when driving through dusty road construction, etc., but for only a moment are two. Are other cars different?

guangong said:

Different cars must use different air conditioning systems. As far back as my 1983 MB 300D we were warned NOT to recirculate air in car, which required pushing a separate button, because car is air tight and could cause driver to pass out. The air system for MB always circulates outside air. Same applies to my MM ML. Cutting of outside air was intended for when driving through dusty road construction, etc., but for only a moment are two. Are other cars different?

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A car will cool down or heat up quicker with recirculated air because it's more tempered than outside air. Every car I've seen has a recirculation mode button to force the system to recirculate. But as you say, it can be dangerous if left on too long. Besides fogging up the windows, recirculated air has more carbon dioxide which can make you sleepy. That's also why fresh outside air is better.

What I do is initially is to recirculate for a few minutes to heat up or cool down quicker. Then I shut it off and use fresh outside air. If I left it on too long so the windows fogged, I shut it off immediately and switch on the AC even with the heat up. That lowers the dewpoint and evaporates the fog on the window. Also, I open the window a little until fogging disappears also helps.

BrianShaw said:

I just did that (eye glasses)… twice… on my T-shirt. I feel naked without one. When the glasses are really grimy: hot sink water a Dawn detergent. Or… Zeiss lens wipes.

For the rare occasions that I need to clean a camera lens or filter I use alcohol and q-tips or cotton balls. Or… Zeiss lens wipes.

I almost never ever need anti-fog.

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I only use lens cleaner and a lens cloth myself for the cameras. Soap and water for glasses and sunglasses.

guangong said:

Different cars must use different air conditioning systems. As far back as my 1983 MB 300D we were warned NOT to recirculate air in car, which required pushing a separate button, because car is air tight and could cause driver to pass out. The air system for MB always circulates outside air. Same applies to my MM ML. Cutting of outside air was intended for when driving through dusty road construction, etc., but for only a moment are two. Are other cars different?

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For decades, by law in the US all cars must bring in some fresh air in when using the recirculation mode. Your 1983 car predated that, but later cars could not be imported unless they complied.