[Histonet] Cleaning oil off objectives

[Smith, Allen]

If the contamination is fresh, a bit of spit on a piece of lens paper will usually remove it.  Human salivary mucin is an excellent emulsifier.  The best thing for removing old contamination is cedarwood oil.  Again, use a drop on  a piece of lens paper.
Allen A. Smith
Professor of Anatomy
Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Va Paula Sicurello
Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 12:56 PM
To: Pamela Marcum; HistoNet
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Cleaning oil off objectives

I use a dog chewed old stick.

On another note,  how to clean off dried mounting media.  I have several objectives where some goombahs dragged the objectives through wet mounting media.

If y'all have any suggestions about removing dried mounting media.  Send them my way.  

4 of my 5 objectives are no longer objective after having their lenses clouded by the media.  ;-)


Paula 

Paula Sicurello
VA Medical Center San Diego
Veterans Medical Research Foundation (VMRF) 
Core for Micro Imaging(C-MI)
3350 La Jolla Village Dr., MC151
San Diego, CA 92161
858-552-8585 x2397

C-MI for your imaging needs.


--- On Fri, 8/21/09, Pamela Marcum <mucram11 <@t> comcast.net> wrote:

> From: Pamela Marcum <mucram11 <@t> comcast.net>
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] Cleaning oil off objectives
> To: "'Rittman, Barry R'" <Barry.R.Rittman <@t> uth.tmc.edu>, histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Date: Friday, August 21, 2009, 12:43 PM
> Really like the taser idea!  I
> could have used that for several people over
> the years.  
> 
> Pam Marcum
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]
> On Behalf Of Rittman,
> Barry R
> Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2009 10:36 PM
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] Cleaning oil off objectives
> 
> Adam
> Hi
> I would strongly recommend that the best approach is to
> train the people
> using the microscope, everyone is trainable although for
> some this may be a
> long learning curve.
> The use of a taser with the later individuals is strongly
> recommended!
> 
> Several years ago the Zeiss representative in Iowa used the
> expanded plastic
> packing beads to wipe off the excess oil as he said this
> was much more
> absorbent for oil that lens tissue.
> We have also seen the use of soft wood tips with oil that
> is encrusted on,
> on the understanding that the wood is much softer than the
> lens.. Never
> completely happy with that concept.
> A lot depends on the type of lens that is being used.
> Some lenses, especially older ones may have a coating that
> is easily damaged
> even by Q tips.
> I would use lens paper first (don't be cheap skate with the
> lens tissue)
> then repeat using  a small amount of lens cleaner. The
> most difficult and
> usually the most contaminated seem to be the 40 due to its
> working distance.
> Most of the lens cleaners have isopropyl alcohol and some
> acetone. 
> If it really does not get all the oil after repeating a
> couple of times then
> can use acetone but don't flood the lens just use small
> amounts and wipe
> across the face. Follow this with lens cleaner and lens
> paper.
> Has always worked for me. This sounds a lengthy procedure
> but only takes a
> couple of minutes.
> Hope that this helps
> Barry
> 
> 
> ________________________________________
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]
> On Behalf Of Adam .
> [anonwums1 <@t> gmail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2009 7:19 PM
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: [Histonet] Cleaning oil off objectives
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> You guys were so helpful on my last question, I'll ask
> another. We have a
> microscope shared by the floor with several objectives, and
> it's pretty
> common for the non-immersion objectives to get contaminated
> with oil. I
> asked the guy who is responsible for the scope about this.
> He said that they
> call someone from some company who carefully cleans the
> objectives with
> acetone and a Q-tip, which if done right works wonders but
> if done wrong it
> can damage the lenses. But he mentioned that the lenses are
> usually
> re-contaminated within a few weeks since so many people use
> the scope, so
> it's sort of a pointless endeavor. This system seems pretty
> silly to me... I
> feel like there must be an easier and cheaper way to clean
> the lenses
> without damaging them; I certainly don't want to be
> responsible for damaging
> a microscope that costs more than my yearly salary. What do
> you recommend?
> 
> Thanks,
> Adam
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