Cleaning Bathroom Mirrors

Some household cleaners should not be used on bathroom mirrors, especially in combination with other commercial or homemade cleaning solutions.  A popular commercial multi-surface cleaner warns users not to use other cleaners along with it. In general, avoid using commercial glass cleaners in combination with ammonia, vinegar or solvents. If you aren't sure how a cleaner will react with the glazing of your bathroom mirror, do a spot test on an obscure area. An oil-free steel wool pad will cut through grime, but can also damage the glazing if you aren't careful. Apply a light touch. Avoid getting the frame of a mirror wet, especially with harsh chemicals, or a mirror that is glued may loosen and fall out of the frame.

If you apply a cleaner directly onto your mirror, hold the spray container well away from the mirror, approximately eight inches should be enough.  Wipe the surface quickly if it has a frame or edge, because the spray can seep behind the frame or edge and damage the coating on the backside.  A better strategy is to spray the cleaner onto your sponge or cloth, and apply the sponge or cloth to the mirror.  

Some of the most effective cleaners for your bathroom mirror can probably be found in your kitchen or in your medicine cabinet.  Distilled white vinegar straight from the bottle and fresh squeezed lemon juice are both excellent for removing stubborn grime from bathroom mirrors.  Don't worry about the smell of vinegar, it quickly evaporates and the smell disappears.  If you can't bear the smell of vinegar, lemon juice is just as effective at cutting soap scum. 

A mixture of 1/3 cup of ammonia to one gallon of water is another excellent bathroom-mirror-cleaning formula.  Apply the mixture to a sponge or spray it directly onto the mirror. Buff the mirror with a lint-free cloth, paper towel or chamois for a streak-free shine.  Another combination to try is two cups 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, two tablespoons liquid dishwashing detergent of your choice and two cups of water.  Mix thoroughly, and pour the mixture into a spray bottle.  Spray directly onto the mirror and wipe the mixture off with a paper towel, lint-free cloth or chamois to produce a sparkling reflection 

Soap scum is one of the toughest cleaning challenges in the bathroom. You must allow sufficient time for the cleaner to cut through the scum.  You can use a commercial product designed to cut soap scum, or you can purchase an alkaline degreaser from a janitorial supply story. Commercial products are your best solution to remove lime, calcium or rust.  If you have an automatic dishwasher, try using a bit of your automatic dishwashing detergent with a nylon scrubber.  Wipe the solution onto your mirror with a sponge and allow it to sit for 15 minutes.  Keep applying the mixture to keep the surface of your mirror wet.  This allows the detergent to cut through the soap scum. A paste of baking soda and water is also an effective scum remover.  If soap scum is especially stubborn, you may need to repeat the process.  Once you've removed the scum, keep your mirror clean by wiping it down with a chamois or squeegee every time you are in the bathroom.  Add a weekly cleaning to keep soap scum at bay.

The means for preventing your mirror from fogging up from shower steam may be as close as your medicine cabinet.  As odd as it sounds, shaving cream is excellent at preventing mirrors from fogging.   Cover your mirror completely with shaving cream, then wipe the shaving cream off with a soft, clean cloth.  One shaving cream cleaning should keep your bathroom mirror fog-free for several weeks. However, if you clean your mirror with another cleaner, you will need to repeat the shaving cream process to restore the fog-repelling properties to your bathroom mirror.

Follow these steps and you will have a consistently sparkling and bright bathroom mirror.