How to Clean Swimming Goggles

Competitive swimmers who spend a lot of time in the pool or at the shore rely on their goggles for eye protection and clear race-time vision. Unfortunately goggles, punished by the elements and time, quickly lose their functionality. A few preventative tricks and a post-swim routine can keep them clean and working for you instead of against you.

Things You'll Need

  • Fresh water
  • Liquid soap or baby shampoo
  • Lens cloth
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose the right fit. One of the reasons goggles get so dirty so quickly is because they don’t fit the swimmer properly and are too frequently immersed in the salt of the sea or chlorine of the pool. A tight, right fit assures limited exposure to the water’s elements.

    • 2

      Put your goggles on securely (good suction) before you get in the pool. Limiting contact with the water lessens dirt accumulation.

    • 3

      Rinse your goggles right after your swim in clean, fresh water.

    • 4

      Wash the goggles with a mild liquid dish soap or baby shampoo.

    • 5

      Rinse thoroughly. Soap residue can irritate your eyes during your next swim.

    • 6

      Dry them completely with a lens-cleaning cloth.

    • 7

      Store them properly in a pouch or box in a dry location.

    • 8

      Clean the other parts of the goggles in the same soapy solution, drying all parts fully. If the goggles absorb the odors of the pool, use a little lemon juice and water to clean them, but do not allow this solution to touch the lenses.