Clean Mirrors

Mirrors can very easily and noticeably build up gunk, dust, or grime. Mirrors in bathrooms, especially, tend to be guilty of accumulating an unsightly layer of toothpaste, hairspray, or other bathroom products. This can be even worse if you have hard water that causes calcium or lime to build up. But by isolating difficult deposits, pre-treating trouble spots, and using the right tools for the job, your mirror will be clean in a flash.

Steps

Pre-treating Stains and Making Cleaner

  1. Assess the condition of your mirror. Depending on the location and use of your mirror, it may have accumulated special kinds of grime that need specific cleaning agents to remove. Limescale or calcium deposits are likely culprits, and should be pre-treated before you tackle lesser stains. You can:
    • Identify calcium deposits by white, slightly rough textured spots. These can be removed by white vinegar on a damp cloth.[1]
    • Spot limescale, which is difficult to remove, by its milky white deposit on the surface of your mirror. Remove these stains with lemon juice, pickling vinegar, or lime juice.[2]
  2. Gather your mirror cleaning materials. If you intend on using regular rags or paper towels, the rough material could cause scratches on your mirror over time, or may leave lint behind. A microfiber cloth is a great way to prevent lint. In addition, you should also make sure you have:
    • A bucket
    • Cotton cleaning rag (2)
    • Water
    • Rubbing alcohol
    • White vinegar
  3. Mix your mirror cleaner. You can also make use of pre-made window cleaner, which are generally available at most stores, but white vinegar is an affordable and safe cleaning agent that will easily cut through build-up on your mirror. To make a white vinegar window cleaner simply:
    • Dilute one part white vinegar per every four parts hot water in your bucket.[3] So for every four cups of water you use, you'll need one cup of white vinegar.
    • You might also consider using a spray bottle, found in the home goods section of most stores, so that you can mist your mirrors with your cleaning solution.
    • If you know you have hard water, using distilled water in place of tap water will prevent minerals from leaving deposits on your mirror.
  4. Pre-treat thick build up and trouble spots with rubbing alcohol.[4] Wet your clean cotton rag with rubbing alcohol and then isolate and remove trouble spots one at a time. Due to the fact that rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly, you should try to perform this task as swiftly as possible.

Cleaning a Mirror

  1. Wet the surface of your mirror. Using the second of your two clean cotton rags, dampen it in the bucket containing your cleaning solution and wring out additional moisture.[3] If you drown your mirror in cleaner, your microfiber cloth might not be sufficient to dry it.
  2. Quarter your microfiber cloth for optimal use.[4] Take your microfiber cloth and fold it in half vertically and horizontally. This way, when you notice one side of your microfiber cloth is getting dirty, you can use the opposite side. When that side becomes dirty, you can open it and use one of the clean inside parts of your cloth, and so on.
    • You can use any soft, lint free cloth. Some people use bar towels for mirrors and glass.
  3. Clean your mirror top to bottom. Pay close attention to cracks, crevices, or contours in your mirror; these are places dirt and grime build up and escape notice. By cleaning from top to bottom, you will also prevent the appearance of drip marks.
    • Angled cuts, deep corners, or other embellishments can be effectively cleaned with a cotton swab or toothbrush.[3]
    • Never wipe in a circular motion. Side to side and up and down leads to less streaks.
  4. Change your viewing angle to verify cleanliness and spot clean.[4] A change in perspective might reveal a glob or streak that you missed while wiping down your mirror. Observe your mirror from multiple angles, and if you see any spots:
    • Apply a small amount of cleaner to your cotton rag.
    • Wring out remaining moisture thoroughly.
    • Spot clean the offending spot with your rag.
    • Dry and buff with a clean portion of your microfiber cloth.



Tips

  • Vinegar is an affordable, effective, and natural cleaner for glass.
  • Another trick for hard to remove water spots is to dampen the area and use a razor blade at an angle. The glass must remain wet while doing this so as not to scratch it.
  • The cheapest and effective way of cleaning glass is using old newspapers. Just wet the glass and rub it with newspaper.

Warnings

  • Pouring very hot water into a plastic spray bottle may cause it to melt.
  • If your hands are frequently in contact with cleaning agents they can dry out quickly and become sore. Use gloves.

Things You'll Need

  • Bucket
  • Cotton cleaning rag (2)
  • Hot water
  • Microfiber cloth
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • White vinegar
  • Spray bottle (optional)

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.weekendgardener.net/garden-tool-care/white-vinegar-020802.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/aug/23/how-to-remove-limescale
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 http://www.topcleaningsecrets.com/house/how-to-clean-glass-and-mirrors.html
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 http://cleanmyspace.com/the-secret-to-a-streak-free-mirror/
Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Clean_Mirrors&oldid=351961"