A telescope that is stored well rarely needs cleaning. Dust and humidity are the main enemies, especially in coastal Karachi and in dusty cities.
Storage
- Keep the caps on the tube, the focuser and the finder whenever you are not observing.
- Store the telescope indoors, in a dry place, away from kitchens and bathrooms. A fabric cover keeps dust off.
- After a humid night, bring it inside with the caps off for an hour so moisture can evaporate, then cap it.
- Store eyepieces in their boxes or a small case with silica gel packets.
Moving it
Carry the tube and the mount separately. Knocks affect collimation - check it after a car journey (see how to collimate).
Cleaning - only when really needed
A little dust on a mirror does not visibly change the view. Cleaning too often does more harm than the dust.
- Eyepieces and lenses: blow dust off with a hand blower (not your breath), then use a lens pen or a drop of lens cleaning fluid on a microfibre cloth. Never press hard.
- Mirrors: do not wipe a mirror dry - that scratches the coating. If a mirror is truly dirty, it has to be removed and washed; ask us for help rather than attempting it the first time.
- Never touch optical surfaces with fingers, and never use tissues, shirt cloth or household glass cleaner.
Mechanical care
- Keep screws snug but not over-tight.
- A Dobsonian base moves on smooth pads; keep them free of dust and grit.
- Remove batteries from GoTo hand controllers and red-dot finders during long storage.