CLR to clean camera lens

[Broachoski]

I had previously used a couple of Amcrest IP2M-841B (inside) cameras outside to watch wildlife. They were sheltered from rain but high humidity and fog frequently got them quite wet. I retired them after about 6 months and tonight I played with them and found 1 of them to be to blurry to use for anything other than a paper weight. I cleaned the lens with alcohol and window cleaner but it did nothing. As a last resort I dabbed a drop of "CLR" calcium and lime remover on the lens and let it sit for a couple of minutes before washing it off. To my amazement it worked like a champ. Thought I would share in case that this trick may help someone else. I enclosed before and after pics that I captured from BI afterwards.

 

[Mark_M]

You've done well.
I don't know the strength of CLR compared to bleach but a good example of cleaning with bleach is at a local optomtrists. They had a person clean their glasses with bleach and the glass went a dark yellow, Eek!

CLR looks like a promising tough cleaner without damaging the glass lens.

 

[guykuo]

The flat glass in FRONT of the actual lens. That is usually not optically coated and is OK for short exposure to de-liming agents. Don't do this on the actual lens. Just the cover glass at the front of the camera.
Also, completely rinse off the aluminum housing. It's not good for aluminum.

CLR and other de-liming agents will strip anti-glare coating off lenses in seconds. I learned that the expensive way.