Cleaning

• Use a soft, lint-free cloth to clean the perimeter of the lens to remove fingerprints and residues collected from handling. Lenses have a number of ridges and grooves as well as button controls, and it may be hard to get dust out of these areas. Use a cotton swab to effectively clean hard-to-reach places, such as spaces between the buttons and other controls. Use a soft brush to gently dust the sensitive parts of the lens (the part that gets connected to the camera body). Slightly wet a cloth or swab with a lens-cleaning solution and gently clean the lens with a circular motion. Afterward, wipe with a clean piece of lens-cleaning tissue to absorb any excess solution, and polish the glass surface until it is clear of dirt.
  
  

Protection

• Protection is part of the proper care that your lens needs, because the better you protect it, the less cleaning it requires. Store lenses in a padded camera bag. Since lenses are sensitive to extreme temperatures and natural elements, such as dust, sand, water and humidity, keep them stowed at cool room temperature. When not in use, keep lenses protected by making sure the cover caps are attached.
  
  

Traveling

• Photographers are always on the go, lugging their camera equipment with them. Depending on the type of work you do, sometimes you won't have time to sit down in a room to carefully clean your lenses. You should carry with you three things: a brush that retracts for easy storage, a thick microfiber cloth or tissue, which cleans quicker and more effectively than a standard cloth, and lens-cleaning fluid, which can eliminate hard-to-remove spots such as water marks and smudges. Manufacturers often sell camera kits that contain all of these things in one convenient case.