Tips for Caring for Your Microscope

Microscopes are delicate pieces of equipment, so you should follow a few basic rules to prevent damage to the microscope.

These rules are meant to prevent you from dropping the microscope, from damaging the lenses, or from storing the microscope improperly. Dropping a microscope can break the lenses or can alter the alignment of the lenses. To prevent this damage, you should always carry the microscope with two hands; one hand under the base and the other hand on the arm of the microscope. 

When using the microscope, keep the instrument at least six inches from the edge of the lab table and keep any excess electrical cord on the table top to keep the microscope from being pushed or pulled off the table. The microscope's lenses are very delicate and can easily be scratched or damaged by oils. Lenses should be cleaned before and after each use with special lens paper. In addition, you should refrain from touching the glass lens with your finger to avoid depositing oils or scratching the glass. 

When using the microscope to view a specimen, you should follow common sense rules of behavior. Do not tamper with any part of the microscope unless you understand its purpose. A common mistake is to focus quickly while looking through the eyepiece of the microscope so that the objective lens bumps into the slide. To prevent damage to the lens, you should always make large focus changes slowly while observing the movement of the objective lens from the side of the microscope. 

Finally, the microscope should be stored carefully. Unplug the electrical cord by pulling on the plug instead of the cord. Remove oil from the oil-immersion objective using lens paper, then turn the nose piece so that the low-power objective is in place. Carefully lower the objective to its lowest position by turning the coarse adjustment knob. Then store the microscope under a dust cloth.

Microscope Maintenance

Routine optical and mechanical maintenance of compound microscopes can ensure that your microscope works well for many years to come. Periodic microscope servicing by a qualified microscope technician is recommended. Compound microscopes should generally be serviced after about 200 hours of use. For most schools, this would be about every three years, possibly more frequent if the microscope is used multiple times each day.

Handling and Storage

Most microscope problems occur as a result of mishandling. When carrying the microscope, always hold it by the base and the metal support arm. If you will be traveling with your microscope frequently from one location to another you might consider purchasing a microscope carrying case. Aluminum cases work best for protecting your microscope in case it falls or tumbles while in transport.

When the microscope is not in use keep it covered with the dust cover. This alone will extend the life of your microscope. Even if the microscope is stored within a cabinet, you should still cover it with the dust cover. Do not store a microscope without any eyepieces, even if it is covered. This can allow dust to collect within the eye tubes, which can be difficult to clean. If the microscope eyepieces must be removed, simply cover the tubes with caps or a plastic bag with a rubber band around the eye tube.

Try to always store your microscope in a cool, dry place. 

Mechanical Maintenance

Each microscope should come with a user's manual. If it did not with a manual in the packaging you can download the manual on the company website. Always consult your user's manual before making any adjustments to your microscope. Avoid using excessive force when performing any maintenance on your microscope. This can damage metal parts in the microscope or strip the parts of their binding. 

Microscope Diagram Nose piece Adjustment

The microscope nose piece can sometimes become loose. Generally there is an adjustment mechanism on the nose piece. A simple loosening or tightening of the slot-headed screw in the middle of the nose piece should generally resolve this problem. Check your microscope's manual for complete instructions on how to adjust it.