Your prescription glasses may look as beautiful as the day you received them, but if your nose pads have started to turn yellow—or better yet, green gunk accumulates underneath—they become unsightly when people get close to you. What can you do with this problem? Is there anything I can do to clean the yellowed nose pads from your glasses?
Why do nose pads turn yellow?
The nose pads are made of clear plastic. They are in constant contact with your skin, and under the plastic the skin often sweats. Sweat, over time, causes the nose pads to turn yellow. On average, it takes about a year for the nose pads on your glasses to turn yellow, and you probably want your glasses to last longer than a year, especially if you’re paying big for designer eyeglass frames.
Also, the reaction between the acidity of sweat and the metal of the frames can cause a greenish buildup on the nose pads. This buildup also contains dirt and grime from the skin. It’s unsightly, and also quite unsanitary if you stop to think about it.
Can it be cleaned?
The answer to whether or not nasal pillows can be cleaned is yes and no. Not much can be done about yellowed nose pads. Unfortunately, once your nose pad turns yellow, it’s permanent. However, green dirt and grime under the nose pad can be cleaned.
One way to do this is to use an alcohol wipe. Push the alcohol pad between the nose pad and the frame, and let some alcohol seep into the nose pads. Then rinse it with water.
If this doesn’t work, use a soft-bristled toothbrush, preferably one for children, and scrub the nose pads. You can even remove them if you want to get them really clean, but be sure to keep a careful eye on the screws if you do, because they’re small.
Some people who wear glasses claim that soaking them for an hour in soapy water and then rinsing them will remove dirt that accumulates under the nose pads. Again, this won’t help with the yellowed plastic, but if you have buildup, it’s worth a try.
consider the alternative
If you have yellowish platelets, you have another alternative. Replacing the nose pads is quite affordable. You can pick up a nose pad repair kit at a drugstore or your local optometrist, but make sure you have your glasses with you as there are different types available and you’ll need the right ones.
To make the replacement, start by placing your supplies on a light-colored towel. This will prevent small pieces from slipping off the table. Then use a jeweler’s screwdriver to remove the old pads. Once removed, use alcohol-soaked pads to clean the frames near where they connect to the nose pads. You want all debris to be removed before you attach the new pads.
Once the glasses are clean, install the new pads with the jeweler’s screwdriver. Do this carefully, as it is very easy to damage these delicate pieces. If you feel resistance when you try to drive in the new screw, back it out and start over.
When you’re done, put some clear nail polish or white glue on the screw heads. This way they won’t slide off eventually, but you can remove them with your screwdriver if you need to later. Do not use strong glues as this will make it difficult to remove the nose pads when they also turn yellow. When you’re done, you’ll have glasses that look as good as the day you bought them, and you’ll pay very little for the refreshed look.
