Your colored contacts felt great for the first week. Then the irritation started — and it probably wasn’t the lenses. It was the care routine.
Cleaning and storing contact lenses isn’t glamorous, and it’s tempting to cut corners. But proper care is the difference between lenses that stay comfortable for months and lenses that leave your eyes red, gritty, and at risk of infection.
This guide walks you through the complete care routine — what to do every day, which solutions to use, and the mistakes that quietly cause most contact problems.
Why Cleaning Matters
Your eyes produce a constant film of tears containing proteins, lipids, and other substances. When a lens sits on your eye, these deposits stick to its surface. Add dust, cosmetics, and the natural bacteria on your hands, and a lens quickly becomes a tiny accumulation of everything you’d rather not press against your cornea.
Cleaning does three things:
- Removes deposits that make lenses feel gritty and reduce oxygen flow
- Disinfects the lens surface to prevent bacterial growth
- Rehydrates the lens so it stays comfortable the next day
Skip these steps, and the deposits accumulate faster than you realize — which is why lenses often feel fine for weeks, then suddenly become uncomfortable all at once.
The Daily Cleaning Routine
Here’s the step-by-step routine for reusable (monthly or yearly) lenses, done every single night:
- Wash your hands with soap and water, then dry them with a lint-free towel. Water from the tap contains microorganisms that don’t belong in your eye.
- Remove one lens and place it in the palm of your hand.
- Apply a few drops of multipurpose solution to the lens.
- Rub the lens gently with your fingertip for about 20 seconds. This mechanical rubbing is the most important step — it dislodges deposits that soaking alone won’t remove.
- Rinse the lens with fresh solution to wash away what you just rubbed off.
- Place the lens in a clean case filled with fresh solution, and repeat for the other lens.
- Close the case tightly and let the lenses soak overnight (at least 6 hours) to fully disinfect.
Choosing the Right Solution
Not all solutions are the same. The main types:
| Solution Type | What It Does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Multipurpose solution | Cleans, rinses, disinfects, and stores in one product | The standard choice for most wearers |
| Hydrogen peroxide systems | Deep-cleans with peroxide, then neutralizes | Great for sensitive eyes or stubborn deposits, but requires the special case and full neutralization time |
| Saline solution | Rinses only — does NOT disinfect | Never use saline alone to store or clean lenses |
Two rules apply regardless of which you choose: never top up old solution (dump it and refill fresh), and never use water — tap water, bottled water, or saliva — on your lenses.
Storing Lenses the Right Way
Storage is where many people go wrong. The essentials:
- Fresh solution every time — the solution in a lens case loses its disinfecting power over hours
- A clean, dry case — rinse the case with fresh solution, then leave it open to air-dry between uses
- Replace the case every 1–3 months — cases harbor bacteria even when they look clean
- Store the case in a clean, dry place — not the bathroom, where humidity and bacteria thrive
If a lens has been sitting in its case for more than 30 days without being worn, discard it and start fresh — the solution has long since stopped protecting it.
The Mistakes That Cause Most Problems
These are the habits eye care professionals see over and over:
- Topping up solution instead of replacing it — the most common mistake, and a major infection risk
- Rinsing with tap water — water carries Acanthamoeba and other organisms that can cause serious corneal infections
- Wetting a lens with saliva — never, under any circumstances
- Wearing a lens past its schedule — no amount of cleaning rescues an expired lens
- Not rubbing — “no-rub” is a myth for most solutions; the physical rubbing is what actually removes deposits
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use tap water to rinse my colored contacts?
No. Tap water — and even bottled water — contains microorganisms like Acanthamoeba that can cause severe, vision-threatening corneal infections. Use only sterile contact lens solution for anything that touches your lenses.
How long can lenses sit in a case before I need to replace the solution?
If you store lenses in a case for more than a few days, dump and replace the solution before wearing them. If it’s been more than 30 days, discard the lenses entirely — they’re no longer safely wearable.
Do I really need to rub the lens, or can I just soak it?
Rubbing matters. Soaking disinfects, but the mechanical rubbing is what physically removes protein and lipid deposits. A quick 20-second rub each night keeps lenses comfortable far longer than soak-only care.
How often should I replace my contact lens case?
Every one to three months. Cases are a common source of contamination because they’re rarely cleaned properly. Replacing them regularly is a cheap way to reduce your infection risk.
Can I use hydrogen peroxide solution with any case?
No. Hydrogen peroxide systems require the special neutralizing case that comes with the solution. Using peroxide in a standard case — or without the full neutralization time — can burn your eye. Follow the system’s instructions exactly.
What should I do if I drop a lens on the floor?
If it’s a daily disposable, throw it away. If it’s reusable, you can clean and disinfect it thoroughly, but inspect it carefully for tears, debris, or damage first. When in doubt, replace it — a lens is always cheaper than an eye injury.
Good Care Is Boring, and That’s the Point
The best contact lens care routine is the one you do the same way, every day, without thinking about it. Wash, rub, rinse, store in fresh solution, replace on schedule. It’s unglamorous — but it’s what keeps your eyes comfortable and healthy month after month.
Ready to keep your lenses in top shape? Browse our colored contact collection and pair them with a proper multipurpose solution and a fresh case.