If you wear eyeglasses and you have ever had to paint a ceiling, you have probably had to deal with removing paint speckles from your glasses.
Most people would probably say that you should not wear eyeglasses while painting, or you should wear protective goggles over the eyeglasses. Well, most people who wear glasses cannot work without eyeglasses and wearing goggles usually blurs your vision and makes it hard to work.
If you are using latex paint, removing the paint is fairly simple. Take frequent breaks and rinse the glasses under cold running water while gently rubbing the lenses with your fingers to remove latex paint that has not fully hardened.
If, however, the paint has dried completely and cannot be removed with water, then more serious actions are necessary. We have had good success removing both latex and oil-based paints using a label and gum removing solvent such as the product known as Goo Gone. You can find Goo Gone in almost any grocery or hardware store. Just place a drop or two on the lenses and rub the paint spots gently with your finger tips. Be careful not to scratch the lenses. Goo Gone is a petroleum-based product, so it will leave the lenses with an oily film. This can be removed with liquid dish-washing soap and a good rinsing with cold water.
If the paint spots still will not budge, the next step is to try using mineral spirits. Mineral spirits are commonly used as a paint thinner. Never use harsher solvents, such as acetone, on plastic lenses because you will ruin them. Once again, follow up with a little liquid dish-washing soap and rinse with cold running water to remove any film.
Always either use a soft cloth (dipped in the solvent you are using) or your finger tips when removing hardened paint. Rub gently, especially if the eyeglasses have plastic lenses. If you are not careful, the paint itself will scratch the lenses. Never, ever use a paper towel on plastic lenses. A paper towel is very abrasive and will scratch the lenses.
Also, keep in mind that if the eyeglasses have coated lenses, any attempt to remove paint with a solvent could damage or remove the coating. Eyeglass coatings are sensitive and can be easily damaged. It’s always best if you can remove the paint before it dries, or wear an older set eyeglasses that are not critical for your everyday eyesight.