You probably own a few pairs of nice glasses but have sentenced some of them to the junk drawer due to jacked up lenses. That’s not right.

If you’re looking for ways to resuscitate glasses that are lost to scratches and marks, then there’s good news. You don’t have to shell out dough to replace them or toss them in the trash. With a few of the tricks listed below, you can rub your specs the right way and start rocking them again.

Follow the instructions carefully below using some common household items. We know that some lenses come with special coating, so consider which methods will work best for your glasses. And don’t forget to wear gloves!

Furniture Polish

Mike Mozart via Flickr

Your favorite lemon-scented furniture spray acts as a compound to fill in scratches. Among the internet community, Pledge seems to be the clear winner. Spray a little onto a soft rag, and buff out the scuffs and scratches.

Baking Soda 

General miracle worker and jack-of-all-trades, baking soda to the rescue for minor or major scratches. Make a thick paste with soda and water, and rub it into the lenses in a circular motion. Rinse with cool water. Repeat as necessary.

Sunscreen

Can’t see through the beat-up coating on your lenses? If you’re not ready to buy a new pair, try using some sunscreen with a SPF of 45 to get rid of the worn-off coating. Using a soft cloth, dab a little sunscreen onto both sides of the lenses and polish until the coating comes off. Note: this will take some time and this method is only recommended for plastic lenses.

Toothpaste

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S83tYkfxUF0

Seen on lists all over the web, toothpaste can be used for minor scratches as a buffing agent. Choose one that’s non-abrasive and doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals for whitening or coloring. That means avoiding fancy formulas! With a cotton ball or soft cloth, rub toothpaste on the lens in a circular motion. Do so for about 10 seconds and then rinse with cool water. More than one application may be required for deeper scratches.

Car Wax 

Like furniture spray, car wax serves as a compound that can buff out marks. Folks who have tried it swear by Turtle wax and soft wool buffers. Polish away in a small circles for scratch removal on plastic lenses. You may need to repeat this fix every few weeks.

Glass Etching Cream 

Use this on plastic/polycarbonate lenses only. Etching cream operates by removing scratched coating from lenses. Hold the glasses by the frame and apply a small dollop to the lens, being careful not to get any on the frame. Rub it in for a few minutes and then rinse with warm water. Dry with a soft cloth.

Dry Mustard + Vinegar

Lynn Greyling via Public Domain Pictures

Make a paste with powdered mustard and vinegar. Apply with a cotton ball in a circular motion and rinse. Mustard is an eye irritant so rinse thoroughly and keep your fingers away from your face.

Metal Polish

With a clean cloth, gently rub liquid metal polish (like silver) into the lenses to get rid of scratches. Afterwards, wipe them down with rubbing alcohol. This technique works best for small, superficial scratches and it’s suggested for mirrored sunglasses.

Baby Oil

​Some people find much success with using baby oil as a gentle polish for scratches or scuffs. Buff a small dot into the lens until the scratch comes out.

In some cases, cleaning the glasses will draw the dirt out of scratches, making things visible again. To clean, use white vinegar or a mild dish soap to dissolve debris.
Don’t write off your favorite pair of shades just yet; trying giving them some TLC with one of these tricks. If all else fails, just get a new pair – and remember to protect them in a case!
What methods do you use to get rid of eyeglass marks? Have you saved any pairs from a final resting place? Which one of these hacks would you try? Tell us in the comments!