Last year, in a moment of heat and hunger induced weakness, I succumbed to a sales pitch for a $40 bottle of glasses cleaner. Does it work? Yes. In fact, I tested my complimentary cleaning for an afternoon before, having grown even hungrier and hotter, I returned to make the purchase. A year on, I have $39.50 of it remaining. I found dish soap works just as well.
What never works, it seems, is the cleaning cloth that comes with sunglasses, even pricey Ray Bans. They are as effective at mixing sweat, sunscreen and skin oil as Bob Ross is at mixing Liquid White with Phthalo Blue, but useless at removing the slurry from the lenses. They do excel at fitting in the case, whereas a 16-ounce spray bottle is cumbersome to carry.
This year, I found the solution. And it’s not a solution. NORAD and USNORTHCOM have a heavy presence to educate pilots on avoiding TFRs which, during this election year, pop up with greater frequency and are violated with greater frequency. Brilliantly, they are passing out lens cleaning cloths. I gave one a rigorous test (the removal of yesterday’s AirVenture detritus) and it performed flawlessly.
Do yourself two favors, be aware of and avoid TFRs and swing by the NORAD booth in Hangar D and get one of their lens cleaning cloths. Tell them Kerry sent you and enjoy the puzzled look on their face.
