How to Clean the Bathroom Mirror

To clean your bathroom mirror and leave it spotless, there are certain steps you should take. The methods you should use depend on the state of your mirror. Is it very dirty? If it is, start by rubbing the surface with a dry cloth. Make sure the cloth is lint free to prevent causing any damage to the mirror. Rubbing it with a dry cloth will remove any layers of dust and debris from the mirror.

If you notice any stubborn stains such as dried water droplets or embedded make-up, we suggest doing the following:

• For dried water: dampen a piece of paper towel in water and use to wipe. Then clean the entire mirror with a dry lint-free cloth.

• For make-up stains: to remove the oiliness from make-up products, rubbing the stains with a cloth dampened with a little alcohol can be very effective.

• For grease stains: mix water, ammonia and alcohol in equal parts and add 1 teaspoon of liquid glycerin. This is a sure-fire way of removing any grease stains.

Although you can clean the bathroom mirror with a commercial cleaner, the fact is that such products do not often provide the expected results. This is especially true for mirrors that are already quite old and have lost their lustre, starting to look dull. To breathe new life into an old mirror, try this homemade cleaning solution made using water and white vinegar - the ideal combination to leave your mirror nice, shiny and squeaky-clean. Follow the steps below for perfect results:

1. Add 2 parts water to 1 white vinegar, pour into a spray bottle and shake well to mix.
2. After you've wiped the mirror with a clean, dry cloth, spray this mixture onto the surface of the mirror and rub with a sheet of crumpled newspaper. Newspaper is ideal for cleaning glass and mirrors because, unlike most cloths, it leaves no lint or marks.
3. After this, simply dry the surface using a new sheet of crumpled newspaper to remove all moisture. If the mirror is large, you can also use a squeegee to dry it completely and more quickly.

See this article for other uses of vinegar: How to clean the washing machine with vinegar.

The aforementioned method for cleaning mirrors is the most commonly used; however, it is not the only one that can leave your mirrors sparkling clean. As well as white vinegar, there are other products, such as ammonia, that are effective cleaners and degreasers.

To use ammonia, first dilute ammonia in water (around a 1/5 or 2/5 proportion) very carefully. Apply it to the mirror using a dry cloth before finally drying with crumpled newspaper.

The above methods will leave the mirror like new and lift your entire bathroom, giving it a fresher and cleaner feel. For best possible results, you should also take the following recommendations into account, e.g.:

• Avoid wetting mirrors with water because the humidity clings to it over time and can cause the appearance of some unsightly black spots on its surface.

• Use lint-free (e.g. microfiber) cloths or use newspaper as advised above. Avoid using towels for cleaning.

• If the mirror is very dirty, cleaning it first with a soapy damp sponge is advisable.

Finally, here's a top tip to remove those pesky black spots that sometimes appear on bathroom windows. These form as a result of the build-up of moisture over time, which damages the back part of the mirror. When this happens, buy some silver paint and use to paint each of these black spots before waiting for it to dry. You will find that the spots disappear, meaning you can use your old mirror for years to come.

These have been some tips on how to clean the bathroom mirror in a fast and easy way. There's no excuse now!

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