What protective gear is recommended when cleaning firearms?

Wearing eye and hand protection when cleaning firearms is essential for safety. The process of cleaning firearms can involve the use of solvents, oils, and various cleaning tools that may pose risks to your eyes and skin. Eye protection is crucial as it prevents harmful chemicals or debris from getting into the eyes, which could cause injury or irritation. Hand protection, such as gloves, safeguards your skin from potentially corrosive cleaning agents and helps maintain a proper grip on cleaning tools.

While rubber boots, face masks, and ear protection are important in specific contexts, they are not standard recommendations for the act of cleaning firearms. Rubber boots may be more relevant in wet or muddy environments, face masks are typically used for dust or allergens rather than during routine firearm maintenance, and ear protection is essential when shooting but not necessary during cleaning since noise levels are not a concern in that activity. Therefore, the focus on eye and hand protection aligns best with the recommended safety measures during firearm maintenance.