Like everything else in your home, mirror cleaning is essential to ensure you don’t end up with cloudy glass. A mirror is only as good as its reflection, and a hazy mirror is about as useful as looking into a shiny toaster. Find out how to clean a mirror that is hazy, whether it’s a bathroom mirror or a handsome wall mirror you picked up at an estate sale.
If you have mirrors throughout the house, you’re probably aware that they each suffer from different stains. For example, a bathroom shower door and mirror suffer from soap scum or hard water spots, while a bedroom mirror accumulates everyday dirt and dust.
Whatever the cause for a cloudy mirror, you know it’s time to clean mirrors when the glass loses its sparkling brilliance, and you can no longer see in them clearly. Fortunately, cleaning mirrors is one of the easiest household chores.
Ways to Clean a Cloudy Mirror
Are you tired of looking into a foggy mirror? Discover several cleaning methods to help you remove cloudiness from a mirror and leave the glass surface crystal clear.
What Causes Mirror Fogginess?
While cleaning a foggy mirror, you may wonder what causes the mirror to get cloudy in the first place. There are a few reasons for mirror cloudiness, and understanding the cause helps you choose the right cleaner for the job.
Hazy Mirrors
There are a few explanations for a foggy mirror. It could be as simple as smearing soap scum or toothpaste across the mirror surface as you wipe away steam after a hot shower or hard water stains from splashing water. It may be from damage to the mirror backing, which means it’s time to replace the mirror.
Using Rubbing Alcohol to Clean a Cloudy Mirror
Use alcohol to clean a cloudy mirror. Rubbing alcohol is an antiseptic that removes stubborn stains, including those on a mirror. It is ideal for removing permanent marker from a mirror surface. In addition, it kills bacteria and leaves the glass shiny.
Start by pouring rubbing alcohol into a small dish. Dunk a cotton pad or ball in the liquid and rub it over the cloudy glass area. It’s vital to work quickly since rubbing alcohol evaporates almost immediately. After removing the stain, spray the entire mirror with glass cleaner and dry it with a soft cloth.
If you have a bit of gunk left over from a decal on your mirror, you can remove sticker residue from a mirror with rubbing alcohol, too. Dab at the stickiness with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol until it lifts away.
You can also use rubbing alcohol to removing the fog marks inside of headlights. Denatured alcohol will coat the inside of the headlight and won’t allow fog to stick to the surface.
Cleaning a Foggy Mirror With White Vinegar
Make a homemade mirror cleaner with vinegar and a clean microfiber cloth. White vinegar is excellent for cleaning a foggy mirror and glass shower doors. Not only does it remove dirt and fog stains, but it also leaves the glass streak-free.
Pour white vinegar into a small bowl or a spray bottle. Spray the vinegar on the mirror or apply it with a clean cloth, and rub the stained area in a circular motion. Avoid using a paper towel since it may leave lint and paper debris on the clean glass.
After the stain is gone, apply more vinegar to the glass and clean it from top to bottom by starting at the top left side and working down in an S formation. Use this easy fix to remove cloudy film from glasses in the cabinet or your favorite wine goblets.
How to Clean a Mirror That Is Hazy
Believe it or not, the most unusual way to get a cloudy mirror clean without using harsh cleaners is with shaving cream. The shaving foam has anti-fogging properties and is perfect for cleaning a bathroom mirror, whether you are cleaning a stained mirror or have a problem with it fogging after a shower.
To remove mirror haze, apply shaving cream foam to a microfiber cloth and rub it over the glass in circular motions without getting it on the mirror frame. Do not use a cream gel that leaves residue; it is not as effective as foam.
After covering the entire mirror, buff the cream off with a dry cloth. Inspect the glass for hazy areas and repeat if necessary.
Cleaning a Cloudy Mirror With Hydrogen Peroxide
Use peroxide as a mirror-cleaning spray. Bathrooms are notorious for being warm and damp, leading to mold and bacterial growth. Hydrogen peroxide not only cleans a foggy mirror but also disinfects the glass.
Fill a bottle sprayer with hydrogen peroxide to make your own mirror cleaner, and spray the liquid over the whole mirror. Clean the mirror by starting at the top with a soft, lint-free cloth until dry. Take a step back, inspect the glass for cloudiness or smears, and repeat if necessary.
Tips for Preventing a Foggy Mirror
While it’s easy to clean a cloudy mirror, it’s better to avoid mirror stains in the first place. Follow some maintenance tips to keep your mirrors from clouding, so you get a crystal-clear reflection.
Never use dish soap and water, all-purpose cleaners, furniture polish, or other cleaners for getting a foggy mirror clean. These products leave a residue that causes fogginess. Instead, clean the mirror with glass cleaner, distilled water, white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or shaving cream.
Avoid spraying the cleaner directly on the glass, which leads to drips that may soak into the back of the mirror. Instead, apply it to a microfiber or lint-free cloth that doesn’t leave lint. Try not to use newspaper to dry a mirror because many newspapers now use soy-based ink that streaks when wet.
A foggy bathroom mirror makes it challenging to get ready in the morning, and a dirty wall mirror looks unsightly. Luckily, you may already have a home cleaning product that removes cloudiness from the mirror surface, whether it’s rubbing alcohol or white vinegar.
Now that you’ve learned how to clean a mirror that is hazy and restore the mirror’s appearance, why not share our tips for cleaning a cloudy mirror with your family and friend circle on Pinterest and Facebook?