EU and all European and Canadian Orders

Credit Card Orders

Product Questions

Shipping

FAQ by Photographers

Frequently Asked Questions about Lens Clens

EU and all European Orders
WE NOW HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR IN EUROPE

We are pleased to announce we have appointed “Lens Clens Europe” a division of COLOP, Poland to be our exclusive distributor for the EU plus all other European countries. Since Lens Clens is a flammable liquid that contains alcohol the fixed costs to ship small quantities of a hazardous material overseas is prohibitive. Due to extremely high transportation and other related import costs, it is more economical for European customers to purchase Lens Clens directly from a local source inside Europe. “Lens Clens Europe” imports Lens Clens in large enough quantities to lower these import costs so you can order smaller quantities that are more affordable. We have found “Lens Clens Europe” and all Colop, Poland employees to be reliable, honest, and trustworthy people that provide exceptional customer service according to the feedback we receive from the sales leads we give them.

We are proud to have “Lens Clens Europe” representing us. They are a company you can trust to consistently be fair and honest with you, and they will always do exactly what they tell you they will do. They can economically ship Lens Clens to any country in the EU and all of Europe with some restrictions.

You can reach “Lens Clens Europe” also known as “lensclens.eu” directly at:

https://lensclens.eu

Canadian Orders
How can I enter an order in Canada?

Canadian Orders

We now ship to Canada directly through our website using Paypal.  If you need to place an order directly with a credit card please call or email below.
Phone 714-535-2271
lensclens@yahoo.com

Shipping & Handling to Canada Chart

Order
.
$30.00
$100.01
$250.01
$500.01
$1000.01		 Amount
.
–   $100
–   $250
–   $500
–   $1000
+		 S&H Charge
(Table Rate)
=   $20.95
=   $32.50
=   $50.00
=   $65.00
=   CALL

Credit Card Orders

How do I enter a credit card order?

After entering your shipping information on the first page click Continue Checkout. On the 2nd page you have the option to check out using your Paypal account, or to pay with your credit or debit card. If your billing address is different than your shipping address you must select “Change” (which is listed under your shipping address) and enter your billing address.

How do I enter a different billing address?

On the page where your credit card is entered you must click on “Change” several lines below the credit card icons to enter your billing address.

What is your minimum order quantity?

Our minimum order quantity is $30.00.

What do I do if I enter the wrong shipping address?

Call us at (714) 535-2271 and leave us a message and/or send us an email at sales@lensclens.com and we will do our best to change your shipping address which will be dependent on when we receive your change notification. Leaving us both an email and phone message regarding the change would be the best thing you can do to reach us prior to shipment. We normally ship credit card orders on Monday and Thursday mornings, but some weeks when more orders are received we ship additional days.

What do I do if my credit card is declined or won’t process and I know it is a good credit card?

Usually a credit card is declined because the billing address has not been updated on the page where the credit card is entered. On the payment page where your credit card is entered you must click on “Change” several lines below the credit card icons to enter your billing address.

Web browsers are being updated so fast, that sometimes our credit card processor is not able to keep up with the updates as fast as they are released. If the browser you are using to access our website has recently been updated this may be why your credit card won’t process. The first thing to try is to use another browser to access our web page. If that still does not work with your credit card, please call us at (714) 535-2271. If we are unable to answer the call please leave us a message with your phone number and the best time to return your call. We will call you back and take your credit card information over the phone, and run your credit card manually without using a web browser.

Product Questions

What Lens Clens solution should I order?

We produce four different Lens Clens solutions each formulated for a different use and each solution is to be used at your own risk. In more than 40 years we have not heard of any damage caused by our Lens cleaning solutions; however we still recommend testing our Lens Clens solutions on a small sample surface of what you plan to clean prior to use.

Lens Clens #1 [PINK] was designed to clean all kinds of Coated Optics. This is our most aggressive cleaner and does well on the most difficult substances including gums and tars. Most of our customers exclusively use Lens Clens #1 for all of their cleaning needs.

Lens Clens #2 [YELLOW] was specifically designed to clean Front surface mirrors. It will clean the most delicate surfaces. Front surface mirrors are found inside cameras, microscopes, telescopes, etc.

Lens Clens #3 [CLEAR] was designed to give the ultimate clean to uncoated optics. This is our purest solution and will give the best final clean with no residue. It was designed for lens manufacturers to clean their lenses with the cleanest clean possible prior to applying a protective optical coating. We use the purest grade of absolute or anhydrous alcohol available along with several other proprietary chemicals for this purpose. Lens Clens #3 can be applied after using our #1 solution for an exceptional clean for any use.

Lens Clens #4 [GREEN] is for use on any hard plastics. This product is the safest to use on any hard surface especially plastics. We do not recommend any of our Lens Clens solutions to be used on any soft surfaces that can absorb the solution.

Can I use Lens Clens #1 on uncoated optics?

Yes, any of the four Lens Clens solutions can be used on uncoated optics; however Lens Clens #3 was specifically designed as the best final cleaning solution prior to applying the permanent protective optical coatings that most lens manufactures apply.

Can I use Lens Clens #3 on coated optics?

Yes, any of the four Lens Clens solutions can be used on coated optics.

Lens Clens #1 is our most aggressive solution and is safe to use on coated optics and will extract the dirt and debris on the lens better then any other solution. For the absolute best final cleaning results when an exceptional clean is necessary use Lens Clens #1 first, followed by a cleaning with Lens Clens #3 for the absolutely best final cleaning.

Will Lens Clens damage my coated optics/lenses?

No not if it is a commercially applied lens coating applied by the manufacturer. Lens Clens has been in business since 1971 and we have never heard of any of our solutions damaging any coated optics. The biggest threat to damaging coated optics is a gritty substance on the lens that can scratch the coating. That is why we recommend using non abrasive disposable clens cloths free from dirt and dust; and brushing or blowing any loose dirt off of your lens prior to cleaning. Do not use a dry cloth to wipe your lens. Instead apply 1-2 drops of Lens Clens solution on your cloth, or cleaning tip applicator, prior to cleaning your lens. Once your lens is clean you can wipe it dry with a dry cloth, or allow it to evaporate dry, which will happen quickly. If you use a reusable cleaning cloth to clean your lenses, you need to use a clean spot on the cloth every time you use it to avoid scratching your lens from dirt particles. It is important to wash the cloth frequently to avoid running out of clean spots to use for cleaning your lenses. We also recommend keeping your clean clens cloths or clens tips in a plastic baggie to keep them free from dirt or dust.

What is a front surface mirror?

Most common mirrors such as a bathroom mirror are a piece of glass with a reflective coating on the backside to protect it from corrosion, scratches, and other surface damage. When you clean this type of mirror you are cleaning the glass surface not the reflective coating itself. A front surface mirror is used to reflect light or bend light inside of a camera, microscope, telescope etc. With a common mirror the light would have to travel through the glass before it was reflected and then back through the glass before the actual image can be seen. Light traveling through the glass is distorted or bent slightly distorting the desired reflection of the reflective coating itself. Because of this front surface mirrors are used to bend light inside cameras, microscopes, telescopes etc. with the reflective coating applied to the surface of the glass instead of behind the glass. This allows light to be bent preciously with the angle for the front surface mirror used. The only problem with this type of mirror is that you are cleaning the more delicate reflective coating itself (not the glass) when cleaning a front surface mirror. Our Lens Clens #2 was specifically designed to clean the more delicate finished mirror coatings used on front surface mirrors.

What kind of clens cloth should I use?

We recommend using disposable cleaning cloths free of any dirt that can scratch the coatings on your optics. If you use a reusable cloth you need to be careful to use a clean portion of the cloth for each cleaning. Wash your cleaning cloth when it gets too dirty to safely use to avoid scratching your lens coatings with dirt particles remaining on your cloth (keep your clean cloth in a plastic baggie to avoid getting dirt or dust on it). We sell a disposable Clens Cloth that works well for cleaning lenses, but you can use any cleaning cloths you are use to using. Use Clens Tips or cotton swabs to clean the dirt build up on the edges and corners of your lens.

How long is the shelf life of Lens Clens?

The shelf life of Lens Clens #1-4 solutions is two years. We batch Lens Clens in small quantities very frequently between once and 10 times each month (depending on the solution and demand). The Lens Clens you receive is never more than one month old and in most cases only 1-2 weeks old or newer, so you are always receiving fresh product. Constant exposure to heat, light, oxygen, and a lack of humidity can shorten the shelf life. For best results store in a cool (room temp.) dark place with the lid tightly sealed. If you purchase our solutions in a pint or quart bottles they come with an induction seal under the cap, which helps keep the product fresher until removing the protective seal. If properly stored in a cool dark place a sealed bottle will remain fresh until the seal is broken, much like uncorking a bottle of wine. This seal keeps oxygen out so the solutions remain fresher until the seal is broken. If you are not a volume user you can extend the shelf live by purchasing two pints instead of one quart, keeping the second pint in a cool dark place until the first pint is used up. You can also purchase empty 2 oz. blank bottles from us, to pour the contents of your open pint bottle into, and store your full 2 oz. bottles in a cool dark place using one or two bottles at a time to avoid oxidation. Proper storage conditions can extend the life of your lens clens.

How can I get an SDS for Lens Clens #1-4?

Go to our home page and click on SDS on the top bar.

Do you still sell UNS #1 (CRT Lens Cleaner)?

UNS #1 (CRT Lens Cleaner) is the same solution as Lens Clens #1. We no longer package UNS #1, but any customer that formerly used that product can now use Lens Clens #1. Many years ago we packaged Lens Clens #1 in bottles marked as UNS #1 l Lens Cleaner for one customer that resold it to clean CRT screens in aircraft, however we no longer package that label. Most customers that formerly used UNS #1 were converted over to Lens Clens #1, however if you were not you can now use our regular Lens Clens #1 with the same results.

Do you sell empty 1.7 oz./50 ml bottles?

Yes, we are currently selling empty unprinted 1.7 oz./50 ml bottles with the caps, and dropper tip nozzle attached that you can use to refill with our pint (16 oz.) and/or quart (32 oz.) bottles of Lens Clens #1-4. When available you will find these bottles under the SPECIALS section of our web site. Keep in mind this bottle is actually a 2 oz. bottle that we fill with 1.7 oz./50 ml of fluid to allow for sufficient head space for expansion during shipping or storage due to excessive heat or humidity.

We also sometimes sell misprinted or out of date printed 1.7 oz./50 ml empty bottles (when available) for the price of the blank bottles. You can find both bottles available for sale under the SPECIALS section of our web site. Keep in mind that the misprinted or outdated empty bottles are limited to stock on hand and can be any variety of Lens Clens solutions #1-4. You can not specify a particular misprinted or out dated solution label you get whatever variety we send you, however these are the exact same bottles as the blank bottles we sell or the printed bottles (L/C #1-4) that we sell with solution inside of them.

PLEASE NOTE: This is actually a 2 ounce bottle that we fill to 1.7 oz. to allow for expansion space during shipment. When using these replacement bottles for storage at room temperature you can fill these slightly fuller, but to be safe leave some head space.

How do I refill an empty 1.7 oz./50 ml bottle?

Refilling an empty 1.7 oz./50 ml bottle is easy; just follow the steps below:

  1. Remove the cap.
  2. Remove dropper tip by pushing sideways or prying vertically upward.
  3. Insert a funnel in the bottle and fill the bottle with fluid. Be careful not to fill it completely full leave enough room (approximately 1/4 oz.) for expansion. It is a 2 oz. bottle that we fill with 1.7 oz./50 ml of solution.
  4. Place the nozzle tip resting on the rim of the bottle and push in slightly to hold in place.
  5. Thread the cap on to bottle top and tighten. As the cap tightens it will push the nozzle properly into place, and once you hear a slight pop the nozzle will be properly seated.

Shipping

How much are the shipping charges?

Our shipping charges are dependent on the size of your order and will be calculated automatically when you place your order online.


Shipping & Handling Chart

Order
.
$30.00
$100.01
$250.01
$500.01
$1000.01		 Amount
.
–   $100
–   $250
–   $500
–   $1000
+		 S&H Charge
(Table Rate)
=   $15.95
=   $26.50
=   $37.10
=   $53.55
=   CALL

How long will it take to receive my order?

We ship all orders from Anaheim or Brea California by UPS ground service. Standard delivery is about 4-5 business days for the east coast, about 3 business days for the central United States, 2 business days for the western United States, and 1-2 days for orders shipped to California.

Do you ship to my country or state?

At this time, we only ship to the 48 contiguous United States (all except Alaska & Hawaii). If you have an international freight forwarder located in the 48 contiguous U.S. capable of sending you a hazardous material shipment (flammable liquid), we can accept your order by email, and ship directly to your freight forwarder. In this case payment needs to be made prior to shipment by wire transfer to our bank; and your freight forwarder is responsible for all international documentation and IATA packaging if necessary, and all sales are final once received by your freight forwarder.

Can I pick up my order?

No, we have no accommodations for picking up orders at our facility

Can you ship overnight, or ship second day by air?

We only ship UPS ground because the solutions are flammable and considered hazardous when shipped. If we ship by ground we can ship under a special limited quantity provision that allows us to ship to the 48 contiguous United States without all of the higher costs and extensive paperwork required by hazmat shipments. All air shipments require hazmat documentation, IATA packaging, and substantially more expensive hazmat shipping charges. Due to the extreme additional costs, additional liability when shipping by air, and extensive additional training involved to ship hazmat materials and complete the more involved international documentation we do not choose to ship by air.

What is the Harmonized Tarrif Code (Harm Code), or Schedule B Export Code for Lens Clens?

The code for Lens Clens #1-4 is 2905.12.0050 for both HTC or Schedule B.

What is the difference between the Schedule B codes (for exports) and the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes (for imports)?

All of the imports and export codes used by the United States are based on the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS). The HTS assigns 6-digit codes for general categories. Countries which use the HTS are allowed to define commodities at a more detailed level than 6-digits, but all definitions must be within that 6-digit framework.

The U.S. defines products using 10-digit HTS codes. Exports codes (which the U.S. calls Schedule B) are administered by the U.S. Census Bureau. Import codes are administered by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC).

Why would I need to know the Schedule B and/or HS numbers?

In order to determine applicable import tariff rates, and to determine whether a product qualifies for a preferential tariff under a Free Trade Agreement when you export:

The Schedule B number is needed to complete the Shipper’s Export Declaration, Certificates of Origin and other shipping documents.

The HS Number may be needed on shipping documents, such as certificates of origin, or commercial invoices.

FAQ by Photographers

I borrowed some from a friend, which worked great, but I don’t know which numbered solution it was?

Lens Clens #1 is Pink. Lens Clens #2 is Yellow. Lens Clens #3 is clear, and Lens Clens #4 is Green.

I don’t know what to order?

We make four cleaning solutions. The one most photographers use is Lens Clens #1, which is a pink solution to be used on any coated optic including the multi-coated lens found on most cameras.

If you clean inside your camera (not recommended for most photographers) use Lens Clens #2 (yellow solution) to clean the front surface or optical mirror. If you have a plastic lens or plastic filters use Lens Clens #4 (green solution), which was formulated for plastic optics. Lens Clens #3 (clear solution) is for uncoated optics used by manufacturers prior to coating, or for a final clean following Lens Clens #1 in critical cleaning applications. Our Clens Kit CC-10 contains one bottle each of solutions #1-4, plus 10 clens cloths CC-6, and 10 clens tips CT-5. Clens Cloths, and Clens Tips can be ordered separately.

Do I need to use your clens cloths or clens tips?

No, we recommend our products but any good lint free cloth or tip that you are used to using will work. Our cloths are disposable and large [3-3/4” wide by 16” long] intended for industrial users. Most photographers will cut these in half and use them single-ply, which can be folded over into a 2-ply [3-3/4” by 4” sized pieces] giving 40 disposable cloths to the package. Because dirt can scratch a coated lens, we recommend blowing off or dusting off the dirt prior to cleaning and using a clean tissue for every wipe of your lens.

Is Lens Clens safe to use on my multi-coated lenses?

Lens Clens #1 was developed as a heavy-duty industrial optical cleaner, capable of removing gums and tars, without damaging coated or multi-coated optics. Because of the continuing development of new uses and products we caution all users to test our product before using, however, in more than 40 years of industrial use and use by hundreds of serious photographers both amateur and professional we have never heard of one incident of lens coating damage from use with our products. After having said all that we do require the purchaser to assume all risks in connection with any use, and the seller shall not be liable for damages in excess of the purchase price of the products or for incidental or consequential damages. Since dirt can scratch the coating on optics, we recommend blowing or dusting off the lens with a soft brush prior to cleaning with a clean cloth containing Lens Clens #1. Lens Clens contains no detergents or ammonia, which can be harmful to, coated optics.

Why wasn’t the bottle completely full when I received it?

The bottle is a 2 oz. bottle that we fill with 1.7 oz./50 ml of solution. We don’t fill it completely full to allow for expansion in transit due to heat and humidity. Our pint and quart bottles have a pint and quart of solution in them, and the bottles each have some additional space to allow for a sufficient amount of headroom that allows for expansion.

How to refill an empty 1.7 oz/50 ml bottle?

The 1.7 oz/50 ml bottle has 3 components (1) bottle, (2) cap, and (3) the nozzle tip.

  • Remove the cap, push the nozzle tip sideways with your fingertip until it pops out, and remove the nozzle tip and set aside. If the nozzle doesn’t pop out easily, pull it out with pliers and replace the damaged nozzle with a new nozzle tip (sold separately).
  • Now use a small funnel or pouring carefully from the pint or quart refill bottle fill the 1.7 oz/50 ml bottle leaving about 1/4 inch of headroom to allow for expansion.
  • Place the nozzle tip resting on the rim of the bottle and push inside the bottle as far as it will go.
  • Place the cap over the nozzle tip and push down while twisting the cap to engage the bottle cap threads. As you continue to twist the cap to tighten the nozzle, you will hear a slight pop when the nozzle seats properly into place.
  • You have now completed refilling your 1.7 oz/50 ml nozzle bottle.

If nozzles are the only product you want to order, please send us an email to lensclens@yahoo.com. We will call you for the credit card information and send the nozzle tips by USPS instead of by UPS, so the shipping charge will be much less than trying to order online, which requires a $25 minimum purchase.

I recently watched a Moose Peterson video and he recommends using Lens Clens #1 for cleaning camera bodies. I have Nikon camera that has some plastic parts. Moose didn’t say anything about not using your #1 solution on plastic and, I see how he cleans everything (lens caps and all) with Lens Clens #1. Your site says not to use on plastic. Can you please clarify?

We developed Lens Clens #4 to be 100% safe to use on any non-porous hard plastic surface, but after you watch Moose Peterson’s videos (as you noticed) he cleans everything with Lens Clens #1. Moose has been doing that since the early 1980’s, and as you well know he has some very expensive equipment. This confuses a lot of people because there is a lot of hard plastic that he cleans with Lens Clens #1. There are chemicals in Lens Clens #1-3 that can and will attack plastic over time. From a legal standpoint we have to label Lens Clens #1-3 “Do Not Use on Plastic” because we don’t know how every customer will use our products. On contact you will not experience any short term or long term damage, but if you take a plastic part and soak it in a beaker of Lens Clens #1-3 overnight you will eventually experience some damage. If you take that same plastic part and soak it in a beaker of Cola overnight you will notice a very similar damage. My point is would you be concerned with splashing a Cola drink on a hard plastic part? With normal use Lens Clens #1 works great on hard plastic just as Moose Peterson demonstrates in his videos and seminars. Lens Clens evaporates quickly so if you clean your gear (like Moose does) with Lens Clens #1, and wipe it dry or let it air dry and you will not have a problem with any hard non-porous plastic part. In a similar way if you accidentally splash a Cola on a plastic part and wipe it dry in a reasonable amount of time it might be a little sticky from the sugar, but it would not any cause damage the plastic part. Lens Clens works in a similar way to having a Cola splash on your hard plastic part. I hope this answers your question about using Lens Clens #1-3 on hard plastic. DO NOT USE LENS CLENS ON ANY SOFT POROUS PLASTIC PARTS. Lens Clens #4 was developed to be 100% safe to use on any hard plastic.

Q&A

What happens when Lens Clens goes bad?

Not all expired expiration dated products are equal. When food, beverage, pharmaceutical products etc. go bad then can be dangerous and cause serious health hazards. Lens clens contains alcohol, and alcohol is used to clean wounds because it kills bacteria. When Lens Clens goes bad typically the worse thing that generally happens is the alcohol content evaporates first, and reduces the cleaning properties. To avoid exposure to oxygen keep the lid tightly sealed at all times; and pour contents in a smaller bottle (with a 1/4 inch head space to allow for expansion) after using some to avoid excessive oxygen in the bottle when not being used for long periods of time. As Lens Clens ages you may or may not notice a slightly weaker solution, and using additional drops may be necessary.

What happens when the color of my solution fades?

When the color fades this is normal and does not have anything to do the the quality or cleaning ability of the solution. We use industrial grade food coloring to differentiate the color of each solution for identification purposes only. Lens Clens #1 is PINK, #2 is YELLOW, #3 HAS NO COLOR ADDED, #4 is GREEN. For some reason the GREEN color we use for Lens Clens #4 fades faster than the PINK, OR YELLOW; however, this does not affect the quality of the product.