lol i found that the hard way. :person_facepalming:
I use a microfiber cloth that I got for cleaning glasses. It does not scratch reflectors. I just blow air from my mouth on the reflector and use the cloth for any remaining pieces of dust. I wait to wipe it until after any condensation from my breath evaporates.
For the lens, I spray Windex (glass cleaner) on both sides and wipe it clean with the same microfiber cloth. I then blow air on it to remove any dust, wipe it again, and repeat until all the dust is gone.
Then quickly assemble the reflector and lens and inspect to make sure I didn’t miss any dust before tightening everything up. If any specks of dust are discovered later, I’ll decide if it’s worth redoing since sometimes redoing it may make it worse.
Brillo pad 
Microfiber cloth with almost no pressure works well for removing dust.
If there is something stuck to the reflector then this will definitely not work though.
Thanks for all the tips. :+1:
I can testify to this. Cleaned a 501 with one of those single use alcohol pads and it took all the chrome off it to the point it’s now brass. Red LED “walking light” that is mainly used as a toy by my son so I really don’t care.
I’ve used baby wipes before worked fairly well. I’d suggest getting the name brand wipes as there is a difference in cheap and name brand ones
Personally, I’d avoid wiping the reflector with ANYTHING. The coatings are extremely delicate. Any wiping at all is likely to do more harm than good.
I use a compressed air canister to blow off lose debris and beyond that leave it as-is.
If I really wanted to do more, I suppose maybe rinse it with distilled water. But absolutely no rubbing.
Pec-Pads (used for cleaning camera lenses and sensors) and gentle puffs of compressed air (from a compressor, not those aircans).
Go and buy the most expensive vodka you can afford and drink until all the smudges and streaks disappear . if they return … rinse and repeat .
Some years ago I asked this same question and was told to us compressed air so I went into my shop and grabbed my air compressor nozzle and gave my reflector a quick blast and did the most spectacular job of spraying water all over the reflector.
Hadn’t heard of cans of compressed air yet, I’ve never have made that mistake twice and I always drain my air compressor regularly, ha ha
Because I pissed off cleaning reflects, I stopped buy lights with bad sealing.
Mostly Convoy lights are not dust proof.
Prefer TIR optics and for reflector one buying some more expensive brands like Olight, Nitecore, etc.
Some Astrloux lights like ft02s, ec03, ea01s also has good sealing.
I think it’s pretty cools when someone resurrects an old thread! Some things are still relevant today as they were years ago.
I once left some smudges on an OP reflector after I tried to remove some lint. So I put it in an isopropyl alcohol bath, rubbed the same spots, and then blew it dry. Luckily it turned out great.
I’ve learned to blow air through the hole into the reflector to remove lint. And to use a very pointy toothpick to nudge any remaining lint.
I used to try microfiber cloth and ended leaving lint all over the reflector. I tired using alcohol and ended up taking the relective paint off of cheap lights.
Now I just used soapy water and rinse with clean water. Then make sure you don’t touch the reflector at this point and use compress air to dry it. I use a simple camera air bulb.
If you don’t see any artifacts in the beam profile, leave it alone, is what I’ve been told, since the vapor deposited aluminum is a very thin layer and easily damaged.
Now, if you’ve snotted out a slimy booger onto your reflector, get some distilled water and give it a shot.
Boogers will show up in the beam profile and that is absolutely soul crushing for many here.
Chris
Running water and soap foam (not normal soap) and your bare clean finger can work. Afterwards you need to wash it off with distilled water and let it dry. Don't use any cloths, they will easily scratch your reflector. In most cases it's best to not clean it at all. The chances of ruining it are high.
“Don’t use any cloths”… Hmmm… I will disagree with most guys here.
There are clothes - and “there are clothes” Super fine microfiber cloth will not damage reflector…. Fine microfiber cloths are used for super expensive 2000+ Euro riflescopes like Zeiss and Swarovski. For cleaning their lenses and AR coating on them(which is btw more sensitive than reflector) so it will definitely not scratch Simon’s reflector :laughing:
Hi The Driver! Where are you man 
Maybe check if you can get a new reflector before cleaning, just in case it gets fubar.
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The coating is pure aluminum and is soft as warm butter, so basically untouchable ( exception for Enderman’s method ).
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Even can air will damage it, if Freon comes out accidentally as it has already happened to me twice.
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Only the small cheap plastic reflectors are chrome coated and are easily cleaned without damage.
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I will try the warm sink water, then distilled water, can air method on a spare reflector.
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I just screwed up an S3-21700's host reflector, luckily there are spares. But it's very easy to damage the reflector surface with alcohol, super easy. I gave it a bath of isopropyl alcohol, rubbed it with a q-tip, and I was already noticing some subtle white streaks. Then, after another bath in ethyl alcohol, the white streak index increased… :facepalm:
It's hard not to be judgmental with this stuff; with how easy is to screw up standard reflectors, that is. I don't think there's a real need to make something so fragile. :|
Hope I learn the lesson this time. O:)
Nice info. I would love to see all reflectors made with a durable coating.
So no one want to listen to me? Than fine you’ll all destroy your reflectors… Enjoy on a hard way
For the last time LCD TV soapy fluid & superfine microfiber clothes!
Microfiber clothes that is used for riflescope cleaning, and there is nothing more sensitive than AR coating of riflescopes and some are in 2000$ range.
So spray with mentioned soapy fluid, blow that with compressor or compressed air and then gently use superfine microfiber cloth in circular motion.
Done that with cheap plastic reflectors(Jacob A60) and expensive reflectors (olight, Dereelight, Lumapower) and I never damaged anything…