Actually cleaning the microscope

[charlie]

Repeating the "How to clean your Microscope pamphlet" link. Covers what, i.e. eyepieces, objectives, camera lenses etc and how.

http://microscopy.duke.edu/downloads/Th ... scsope.pdf

Again thanks for that link 75RR but when I actually decide to follow that advice, sticker shock hits! I am hoping that you found better alternate pricing?
Texwipe TX707A Clean Tips Rect Swab 5" PK100 $64
Whatman Lens Cleaning Tissue, Grade 105 PK100 $61
Pure petroleum ether 2.5L $88 + s/h

http://www.amazon.com/ITW-CleanTips-Rec ... B004VHKWYW
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00394FD38/ref=biss_dp_t_asn
http://www.capitolscientific.com/Whatma ... oCtI3w_wcB
https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products ... /p-3759203

[gekko]

I can tell you how I clean my microscope and camera optics; of course that doesn't mean it is the right way to do it, but I am willing to learn better ways.
I never wipe with a dry cloth or paper. I use an "ear syringe" to blow loose dust followed by a clean (non-greasy) lens brush.

I use two kinds of cleaning fluid: Zeiss Lens Cleaner ( http://www.amazon.com/Zeiss-Lens-Care-P ... ns+cleaner ) and Zippo Premium Lighter Fluid (in metal can). Zippo is great for cleaning immersion oil as well as other oils or greases (better than other stuff I tried and it evaporates very quickly). I slightly wet the cleaning cloth (see below) with the fluid (Zeiss lens cleaner or Zippo), and wipe the lens very gently (no pressure at all). For tiny lenses (microscope objectives) I wipe across the lens in one direction once, use a new cloth and repeat in the same direction until clean. For larger optics (eyepieces, camera lens) I use circular motion spiraling from the center outward; again I use a new piece of cleaning cloth to repeat as necessary.

Optics inside the instrument and especially first surface mirrors gnerally require special care and are best left alone, I think.
Cleaning cloth: I use either clean, lint-free microfiber cloth or PecPads ( http://www.amazon.com/PEC-PAD-Lint-Free ... ds=pecpads ). I cut the cleaning cloth into one inch squares and store them in a Ziploc bag, the use as necessary.

[Charles]

I'll echo what Gekko says. I use bulb air and lens brush first. I also use Zeiss lens cleaning fluids and texwipes.

Ebay has good prices on Zeiss lens cleaning fluid and texwipes.

[75RR]

Rather than use WHATMAN Lens Cleaning Tissue 105, use cotton swabs, they are economical and work well. Isopropanol and small quantities of petroleum ether are not expensive. The 2.5 litre bottle you mention will last several lifetimes.

gekko's suggestion of zippo lighter fluid and Zeiss Lens Cleaner is, given his experience, sound.

I think it is important to know that one should clean the lenses (objectives and eyepieces) as little as possible, each cleaning risks micro scratches and removing the coating. Dust is the main problem. Cover the microscope when not in use and use a blower before each session. I like gekko use an ear syringe as a blower. They are available at your local chemist/drugstore and cheap.

Do not get stuck on the suggested brand products page of the pamphlet. They are but suggestions after all.

[charlie]

lol All right, thank you gekko, Charles and 75RR. I was hoping it wasn't going to be as tough as I thought! At least I figured out on my own that washing up soap=dish soap! ps; so where do you buy smaller amounts of petroleum ether?

I definitely need something:
http://s585.photobucket.com/user/charli ... scent/Ughh

[75RR]

I would clean the optics as they are new to you. That way you have a timeline from the last cleaning.

I definitely need something:
http://s585.photobucket.com/user/charli ... scent/Ughh

Assuming the lens are clean and they may be, the most likely suspect is your setup. Have you set up köhler correctly? It can take a little practice.

[charlie]

Assuming the lens are clean and they maybe, the most likely suspect is your setup. Have you set up köhler correctly? .

Nope - I was convinced it was a cleaning issue. I plan to practice Kohler daily along with other good microscope habits. (Before doing much of anything else!)
But it hadn't occurred to me that lack of Kohler would/could cause what we are seeing. Thanks again, I will get on that!

[apochronaut]

Lenses can look clean when they are not. You need to cast a light on them at several different angles to actually get a good look at what is adhering to the surface. A low contrast image, or an image with a murky or out of focus section or slightly soft image, can be the result of poor cleaning, that hasn't been detected. Looking through the lens is useless. Even a lens with a completely delaminated doublet can look good , when looking through it at a light source.

I use about 6 cleanings , on a lens new to me. A high quality cotton swab is an essential tool. Branded ones with dense ends and stiff cardboard or wood sticks are best. I wet with one end( ethyl or isopropyl-- sometimes a slight amount of detergent and water mixed in if I suspect oil or grease, followed up by alcohol), dry with one tip, followed by up to 4 more clean swabs. You get a feel for the lens being clean, when using a clean swab on it. It has a combination of grip and smoothness against the clean swab, that is not there ,if there is any film at all. Inspection in good light from various angles will reveal the truth. Small light residual streaks , can usually be removed with the light use of a dry swab. Dust can be blown off with a small blower coupled with a soft clean artists brush. It is best to do the final look and dust removal under a stereo microscope but if not possible, the instructions here will give 98% results.
Paying a fortune for petroleum ether is ridiculous. The entire cost for the tools to clean hundreds of lenses perfectly is about 20.00, if pure ethyl alcohol is included in the mix but a lot less, if isopropyl is deemed o.k.

[Charles]

As an aside to Apo's cleaning technique which is probably very good for many makes of objectives, but for older Zeiss objectives, Zeiss does not recommend using alcohol to clean their objectives. They state it will attack the cements in them although for the newer objectives it should be okay. Only problem is they don't identify how old, old is. And to further muddy the waters, their recipe for their hexane based cleaner has: 85% n-hexane, 15% isopropanol.

Follow the cleaning instructions for Zeiss microscopes instructions and you can't go wrong: The Clean Microscope:
http://bio.sabanciuniv.edu/sites/bio.sa ... cope-1.pdf

[gekko]

What exactly is the symptom? Do you actually see (more or less focused) dirt/dust in the image or is it just low contrast? If the former, does the character of the dirt change when you move the condenser down? I couldn't quite tell by looking at the images in your link. What happens when you rotate the optical component that can be rotated?

apochronaut, I used to use Q-tip cotton swabs, but read somewhere (I don't remember where) that some cotton contains silicon contamination, so I am now wary of using them, but maybe that report was unsubstantiated.

[apochronaut]

The very brief contact of alcohol on the surface of the lens, which is almost immediately removed has zero chance of dissolving any cement. If , of course the person doing the cleaning floods the area and doesn't just introduce the solvent on the end of a swab, then I suppose it is a possibility but after cleaning hundreds and hundreds of lenses I don't see that effect. It is a theoretical possibility when dealing with lenses that are already in a state of fragility,such as an old Zeiss lens, not a practical result of having cleaned many lenses.
Sure, cheap cotton swabs can be contaminated with anything but that's why they invented dollar stores. You always can be sure of getting more than you paid for! Q-tip brand are o.k. and I use them in a pinch but pharmacies here, in Canada have super high quality 100% cotton swabs, for about the same price and lab quality swabs with long wooden sticks are available on-line for very little too.

[gekko]

Thank you, aphochronaut, for the tips . Cotton swabs are very handy for cleaning small lenses, so it is good to know that branded ones should be OK. I have been using them to support Pecpads (by wrapping the piece of Pecpad on the tip). I assume Pecpads are OK since they are used for cleaning camera sensors. My assumption that microfiber cloth is safe to use is based on the fact that Nikon sell such cloth for use on their camera lenses. I think the main thing is to make sure that these things are regarded as for one-time use and not re-used.

[charlie]

Thank you apochronaut for sharing that cleaning routine. I look forward to developing a "feel" for clean glass.
Thanks for the alchohol warning Charles! I'd rather be safe than sorry in this case. (How I have changed since my youth!! )
I will try to get better images gekko. There are all kind of uglies in the view! lol (technical term) It seems not to be the eyepiece since movement of your eye location rather than rotation of the lens affected the view most. I am hopeful that setting up Kohler properly as 75RR suggested improves things. That is going to be my next step in any case.
If I am understanding what your recommendations, my current cleaning supplies should be fine? (minus the alchohol)
http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... ent/27.jpg

Can you link the cotton swabs that you like apochronaut?

[bobm4360]

Lighter fluid is petroleum ether, known also as ligroin and naphtha, but lighter fluid is the best way to get small quantities.
Bob

[gekko]

Lighter fluid is petroleum ether, known also as ligroin and naphtha, but lighter fluid is the best way to get small quantities.
Bob

I agree. Actually Nikon suggest naptha for cleaning their oil-immersion objectives (at least ones from the 80's), which gave me confidence in using Zippo for that purpose. I've been using it for many years to clean my camera lenses after I found that Kodak lens cleaner left swirl marks when I breathed on the lens after using it (Zippo did not). I use Zippo in particular because it comes in a tin can (I just don't know whether lighter fluid in plastic containers might have some contaminant from the plastic, so I avoid those).