Cleaning information for colorPol® polarizers

colorPol® polarizers products are packed and delivered in clean condition, but over the course of time the surfaces may have minor, uncritical contaminations caused by transport or other circumstances.

This document provides fundamental recommendations for the effective cleaning of colorPol® polarizers. They are valid for all colorPol® polarizers (unlaminated, laminated, not AR coated and AR coated).

Principally all typical cleaning materials (e.g. isoprohyl, distilled water etc.) and cleaning utensils can be used without hesitations, which are suited for glass.
Especially a further processing of colorPol® polarizers can require an intense and effortful cleaning.
 

Depending on the contamination we reccomend to notice the following comments for dry cleaning (in case of dust or particles on the surface) or chemical wet cleaning (in case of stains or conatminations like finger prints, reams etc.).

A summary of this cleaning tips is available as a PDF as well in our downloads.

General handling:

  • If possible only grap the colorPol® polarizers on the corner or on the edge with the tweezer
  • Clean the tweezers periodically to remove glass dust and general contaminations
  • Use powder-free latex gloves (one-way), mouth guard

Dry cleaning

→ Dust and/or other surface lying particles

Cleaning utensils:         

  • Powder-free latex gloves (one-way), mouth guard
  • Tweezer for handling of the polarizers, mounting device
  • Clean compressed air, alternatively hand bellows
  • Hard, sharp cotton swaps (lint-free, e.g. HUBY-340)
     

Procedure:

  • Prepare equipment (clean tweezer, put on gloves and mouth guard)
  • At first blow away the particles with air jet. The polarizer must be fixed securely (depending on the intensity of the airflow).
  • If necessary, lift up the remaining particles with a clean and hard cotton swap (with as low as possible contact to the glass surface).

 

Chemical wet cleaning

→ Stains, contaminations (e.g. finger prints, reams)

Equipment:   

  • Powder-free latex gloves (one-way), mouth guard
    - Tweezer for handling of the polarizers, mounting device
    - Soft cotton swaps (lint-free)
    - Chemicals:
  • 2-Butanon (MEK, Methylethylketon)
  • Ethansäure (acetic acid, CH3COOH, percentage of acid 25-30%)
  • Mixture from MEK (50 .. 85%) and acetic acid (50 .. 15%), best mixture ratio depending on contamination

 

Preparation:

  • Prepare equipment (clean tweezer, put gloves and mouth guard)
  • Remove colorPol® polarizers from packaging for cleaning (chemicals can affect the packaging)
  • At first perform cleaning try with pure MEK. If it is not successful, use mixture from MEK und acetic acid.
[Translate to Englisch:] Hand benetzt Wattestäbchen mit Flüssigkeit in Reagenzgläsern

Procedure:

  • Moisten the soft, lint-free cotton swap with cleaning solution.
  • Cotton swap must not be dripping wet, when necessary wipe the remaining cleaning solution on a clean, lint-free (cleanroom) cloth.
  • Wipe the colorPol® polarizers from middle to edge with cotton swap. Do not apply pressure. (If the cleaning solution does not dry off quick enough and it generates drops, the cotton swap is still too moist.)
  • Using a cleaning mixture with a high percentage of acetic acid it might be necessary to immediately wipe dry with pure MEK (second cotton swap).

 

Questions? Problems?
Contact us!