Dirty mirrors are not ideal. They detract from the appearance of a room they’re in and make it harder to see your reflection. A clean mirror, on the other hand, is a beautiful thing and will make whatever space it’s in look fabulous.
Though you might think that cleaning a mirror isn’t all that complicated, you’d be surprised! Cleaning the surface to make a streak free mirror can be difficult if you don’t know the proper techniques and required materials. Here we’ll talk about some easy ways to clean your mirror so that it always looks great!
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Use Chalk and Ammonia
Using chalk and ammonia together are a great solution for clean mirrors. You can find both at a local home goods store and they shouldn’t be very expensive. To begin, mix equal parts chalk and ammonia together. The chalk should mix in with the liquid ammonia. Rub the dirty mirror stains and wait for the mixture to dry. Then wipe the mirror with a paper towel. This could be done in the morning or at night after your brush your teeth. This solution will prevent your mirror from ever getting to the point where you have to take the steps below to give it a deep cleaning.
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Clean Fly Spots with Onion Juice
Depending on where you live, you may have lots of bugs to contend with. This is probably the case with outdoor mirrors. Bugs are often attracted to a mirror and will leave residue all over. A great way to clean this off is to use onion juice. If you see fly spots, cut an onion in half and rub the stains out. It’s as simple as that.
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Use Vinegar
Though it might not smell pleasant, vinegar is an incredibly powerful cleaning agent, which is why there are so many cleaning based vinegar uses. Believe it or not, the best solution to removing mirror streaks is a simple mixture of vinegar and water. This inexpensive cleaning mixture adds a whole new addition to the “vinegar uses” list, and it works like a charm. Store-bought cleaners may offer an all-in-one answer, but they’re no match for vinegar in terms of power and price.
To clean the cloudy surface of your mirror, simply mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of water, give it a good shake, and you’ll have the perfect solution for streak free mirror cleaning. If you need more or less of the solution, just mix equal parts vinegar and water.
Related: 11 Cleaning Hacks to Ease Your House Work
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Use Microfiber Towels
Contrary to popular belief, paper towels and newspapers do not make effective mirror cleaners. In reality, they could even make matters worse. Avoid paper based cleaning materials and go with microfiber. Paper based products will leave behind small threads which will be especially visible on a mirror. Microfiber towels, on the other hand, are durable, handy, and fairly inexpensive. A flat-weave microfiber cloth works more efficiently than a thick terry cloth because it won’t hold any lint or other particles that could transfer to the mirror and contribute to streaks. Once you’re done cleaning with a microfiber towel, simply throw it in the wash, clean it, and use it again!
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Use Rubbing Alcohol and Cotton Pads
When all else fails, use rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is a great multi-purpose solution for cleaning any surface, including mirrors. If you don’t want to shell out money for vinegar for the sole purpose of cleaning your mirrors, buy a bottle of rubbing alcohol instead, which has many other purposes. You can use rubbing alcohol to pre-treat thick build up and trouble spots on your mirror that previous cleaners couldn’t clean. In order to do this, wet your clean cotton rag with rubbing alcohol and then target and remove trouble spots one at a time. Due to the fact that rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly, you should try to do this quickly or be prepared to consistently redampen the rag.
If you don’t want to use a rag to clean your mirror, try cotton pads instead. To clean with a cotton pad, take the pad and wet it with rubbing alcohol, then use it to target the trouble spots and clean your mirror. You may have to use several, but don’t stop until the job is complete.
One simple trick that some people use is to keep rubbing alcohol and cotton pads in the bathroom by the mirror at all times. After all, both should be part of any first aid kit. Once a day or perhaps once a week, use the alcohol soaked cotton pad to clean the mirror, even if it’s not dirty. This will keep you ahead of the game and stave off the big streaks that require a more thorough cleaning.
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Use Glass Cleaner
Though glass cleaner will be more expensive, it has the benefit of being in an easy to use spray bottle. All you’ll have to do is spray the solution on the mirror, get a towel and rub the glass cleaner across your mirror to wipe away streaks and buildup. Beware though: there are countless different brands of glass cleaner, and many will over promise and under deliver.
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Use Milk and Toothpaste
If all else fails, you can always use milk or toothpaste to get a streak free mirror. For milk, pour some milk into a cup or tray and dab a towel into it. Then use the towel to buff out trouble areas on the mirror. You can do the same using toothpaste, just pretend that the mirror is a tooth and you’re brushing it! Both should work to a certain extent, though you may want to wipe down the mirror with warm water and a washcloth afterward to ensure a more uniform appearance.
To wrap up, the best way to keep your mirrors clean is to wipe them down every day so that grime doesn’t have a chance to build up in the first place. But if you do need to do some heavy cleaning, use vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and glass cleaners to see what the best solution is for you. Depending on the method you choose, microfiber towels or cotton pads may be the best choice. Finally, don’t stop until your mirror’s clean!
Related: 20 Dirtiest Places in Your Home You Don’t Know About
