Comprehensive Guide to Red Dot Sight Cleaning: Tips and Essential Steps for Optimal Maintenance

As one of the widely favored types of sights in the current market, red dot sights have a broad range of applications, including hunting, military use, and target shooting. With the increasing frequency of daily use, the external surfaces of red dot sights are prone to accumulating dirt, such as mud or oil stains. Therefore, cleaning and maintenance become crucial.

To clean, you will need the following items, all of which are easily accessible:

An optical-grade cleaning cloth
Tissues
Lens blower
Soapy water/optical cleaner (for stubborn stains)

Here are the steps:

1. Start by observing visible dust on the lens and prominent external areas of the red dot sight. Use a lens blower to clean and blow away these particles and fragments.
2. Dampen a tissue with soapy water or optical cleaner for external cleaning of optical equipment (avoiding direct contact with optical lens surfaces to prevent potential scratches from tissue particles). If you encounter challenging stains, like mud, you can spray soapy water on them before wiping or directly rinse with soapy water.
3. When cleaning the lens, use an optical cleaning cloth to gently wipe away dust and dirt. Apply even pressure across the entire surface to avoid creating scratches. For stubborn stains, spray soapy water on them and clean with the optical cloth or rinse directly with soapy water.
4. Next, use the optical cleaning cloth to dry any remaining water spots on the lens. Simultaneously, use tissues to dry the external surfaces of the red dot sight. With this, the cleaning process is complete.

Note: If the red dot remains blurry after cleaning, check for stains on the emitter lens. If stains are present, follow the same steps as in the third and fourth procedures. During the cleaning process, avoid using tissues to wipe the lens, as tissues contain particles that may damage lens coatings, potentially causing scratches on the lens.

Given the widespread use of scopes, red dot sights currently available in the market come equipped with optical-grade cleaning cloths to facilitate the routine maintenance of the scopes. This convenience benefits most shooters. For cleaning the scope, follow the process from the outer surfaces to the lenses, cleaning from larger to smaller areas, and delicately addressing details. Following these steps will leave your scope looking refreshed.