The "just a cloth and some breath" line is what gets me every time, because that works great until it doesn't. What I usually do is ask them one question: can you see the screws? Usually they say no, because the screws are under the nameplate, the nameplate is under the trim ring, and none of that is coming off with a microfiber. Then I tell them the honest truth, which is that the outside glass is maybe five minutes of the job and the other forty come from getting inside without scratching anything. Fungus is the part that sells it though, same as your guy. Once someone sees those little threads eating into the coating, they stop asking about the charge and start asking if it's too late to save the lens.

That metal lever trick is genius, definitely grabbing a spare for my glovebox too.

...and here I was thinking I was some kind of pastry prodigy for finally getting my croissants to look like actual croissants instead of sad, broken biscuits. Turns out the secret was just letting my butter chill out a little, both literally and figuratively. I'm in Houston so I feel you on the heat, my first batches were basically me fighting the butter and the butter winning every single time. 60 degrees sounds terrifying to me though, I might have to work my way up to that slowly, like dipping a toe in before I cannonball in.