Is dust-off safe to use on a telescopes optics?

Question

I have an Meade ETX-90 and i want to know if it would be bad to use it on the mirrors and the main lens.

Answer 1

there has to be an awful lot of dust on the optics to even think about cleaning them. how much is there?

Answer 2

Do not use Dust-off or any other product that is an aerosol on your telescope's optics.  A much safer alternative is a rubber squeeze bulb that directs a controlled flow of air to the glass surface.

If I'm not mistaken, the ETX-90 is a Maksutov.  The only part of that telescope that would be safe for a layman to clean would be the front of the meniscus, and then you'd use the rubber squeeze bulb to remove any loose dust particles.  Since the inside of the scope is sealed, there should be no dust there.

In the event that you feel the entire scope needs cleaning, contact Meade and arrange to send the scope back to them for professional cleaning.  Sure, it'll be a little expensive, but your scope will be clean and all the components properly aligned when it comes back.