How to Clean Mirrors!

Not the most exciting topic ever, but if you've ever tried to clean a mirror you will understand how frustrating it can be. From one angle it looks clean, only for you to move across the room to see unsightly streaks or smears.

Searching the Internet can produce all sorts of weird and wonderful answers for getting the glass of your mirror to sparkle. From using scrunched up newspaper, mixing white vinegar with concoctions of chemicals, through to using coffee filters as cloths. I am sure that all of these solutions hold merit, but in actual fact achieving that desired shine is so simple...

The biggest culprit for 'dirt' on mirrors is dust, especially around the edges next to the frame. My first piece of advice is therefore to start from the middle of the mirror and work outwards. Starting at the edges is the most natural way to start your cleaning, but by doing so with a mirror you are more likely to spread the condensed dirt right across the face of the glass, making the task at hand much more difficult.

Step 1: Dust! 
Using a clean dry cloth, start in the middle of the mirror and move the surface dust on the mirror to the edges. You can then go around the frame edge to clean away any loose dirt.

Step 2: Wash! 
Put a tiny drop of washing up liquid in a bowl of warm water. The amount of liquid should be so minute that you simply get a couple of surface bubbles on the top of the water and nothing more, it should almost be as though there is nothing in the water. Rinse a new cloth in this water and ring it out so that it is just damp (not dripping water) and wash the surface of your mirror, again from the middle outwards.

Step 3: Dry! 
This stage is vital if you want that perfect shine. Use a dry, lint-free cloth and literally dry your mirror and you've guessed it, start in the middle and work outwards.

Working in the industry that I do, cleaning mirrors is a regular occurrence for me and it was actually my window cleaner that recommended this technique to me, because after all a mirror is just glass at the end of the day.

So when you are following these simple steps think like a window cleaner: Middle then edges. Dust! Wash! Dry!

Despite what my window cleaner may have suggested, mirrors are not 'just glass'! If cared for and hung in the right places, mirrors can create the illusion of space, reflect light and can even be used as works of art in their own right. As well as their obvious functional uses, they can form a focal point in a room. Visit my blog for more 'How to' ideas using mirrors and check out my website to find the mirror design that is right for you. With hundreds to choose from at Exclusive Mirrors, you are sure to find a mirror that suits your tastes, decor and budget. http://www.exclusivemirrors.co.uk

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Best Way to Clean Windows and Mirrors

 

The Right Way to Clean a Mirror

One thing you should know about mirrors, it is very important for you to get the right materials to use. What has always worked well for me is Glass Plus, it does not contain any chemicals in its ingredients that can possibly damage the coating on the back of the mirror and around the edges of the mirror. It really does a good job on mirrors and glass. Without all the streaking, you won't have to work as hard.

It is such a great product for a lot of other surfaces in your house as well. Stay away from vinegar and ammonia. The reason you shouldn't use these two is because they are acids and they could cause your mirror to go bad. Out of the whole mirror, the edges are the most vulnerable. The first place mirrors start to bad are at the edges.

Lint free paper towels or a lint free cloth is best to use when cleaning glass or mirrors, they will save you time and extra work. Don't spray the mirror, spray the cloth instead. One thing you really need to be careful about is getting any of the cleaner behind the mirror, it would be better to spray the rag and not to spray the mirror. This will help keep the edges of the mirror and the back part of the mirror dry. A mirrors worst enemy is moisture. Moisture can cause your mirror to go bad, as moisture will start to break down the backing on a mirror.

A lot of vanity mirrors are installed with the mirror sitting directly on the backsplash. The problem with this is that water can be splashed up on the mirror and the water now has an opportunity to get behind the mirror.

Take yourself some polyseam seal or silicone caulk and apply a small bead along the mirror and backsplash to close off that void. Use care and do not tool the caulking too hard or you'll force the caulk in to far to the backing of the mirror. There are some caulks that can damage the back of a mirror. We had a bad experience with latex caulk taking the back off of mirrors. We never had any problems using poly seam seal or particular kinds of silicone, but you can't lose by being careful.

Mirror manufacturers have different qualities with the backing they apply on their mirrors. Some companies use a protective glaze on the back of their mirrors, while others will put twice the amount of backing on theirs. The edges of the mirror need to be sealed properly, regardless of how good the backing is. The double backing or the glazed coating that some manufacturers apply to their mirrors will definitely out last a mirror with only a single backing. These mirrors do not cost that much more a square foot.

Always make sure that the mirrors you are going to have installed in your home are of good quality. Usually, a manufacturer will have some type of literature describing the quality of their mirrors and what materials they use to make them. Before settling with a company to do a mirror job for you, do some research into the company to make sure that you are going to be getting what you are paying for, like quality. Some people learn the hard way by not doing their research and wind up paying twice for a mirror job. It will end up costing you more to have a mirror job redone.

There is a mirror sealant made to seal the edges of mirrors to prevent deterioration of the backing of the mirror. Always check to see if this has been done. Mirror sealant will help keep moisture from causing the edges of the mirror to turn black prematurely.

A good way to help make your mirrors last longer is to have an exhaust fan in your bathroom. When taking a shower or a bath, it is a good idea to turn on a ceiling exhaust fan if you have one. This will keep the moisture level down in the bathroom. The less moisture a mirror has to deal with, the longer it will last. Bathroom exhaust fans are not that expensive and are pretty easy to install.

I'm a glazier by trade. I enjoy writing articles like these. God bless you. [http://www.e-bookssite.com]

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How to Make the Mirror Fog Free

When you take a shower, the immediate problem is that the mirror is fogged. You are not able to use it immediately because you still have to clean the mirror before you can actually use it. If you can't find a tissue paper you either use your towel or robe to wipe the mirror clean. You lose precious time doing it and you are supposed to be in a hurry. The few minutes cleaning the mirror can be costly especially if you bare a busy person and time is very important for you.

Hot shower is the cause of the fogging on the mirror. If you want to avoid the inconvenience caused by the fog, then you can skip the hot shower. That is utterly absurd and impractical. It is like going back in time when you take cold showers. Why, even summer camps have hot showers installed in their facilities. The fog cause by hot shower can make dirt and other substances, from the shampoo or the shaving cream stick on the mirror. This can cause the mirror to lose its shine and luster. Although it is not really expensive, changing the mirror on a weekly basis is out of the question because it is highly impractical.

The first thing you can do to avoid fog on the mirror is to place your towel over the mirror before taking a shower. But be careful doing this. The ends of the mirror could be chaffed by the sheer weight of the towel and this could cause injury. Just make sure to cover wholly the mirror. After the shower, you will have no fog on your mirror as the towel has protected it. Now you can use your mirror and see yourself clearly while using it.

If you have the time, you can buy in the stores an anti-fogging solution. You just spray it all over the mirror and then wipe it dry. The solution will repel water and fog. And by doing it you also clean your mirror from dirt and other foreign materials. You can do it this at least twice a week to be really effective. If you have no anti-fogging solution, you can also use a shaving cream. Same with an anti fogging solution, the shaving cream will also repeal water and fog from the mirror. You also apply it the same way you do with the anti-fogging solution. The effects are not the same but this could be good if you are pressed in time and want a fog free mirror.

Read more heated mirror pad [http://fog-off.com/recommendations.html] owners recommendations and learn how to make your bathroom mirrors fog free [http://fog-off.com] by visiting the website of Fog-off today!

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Mirror Cleaning Secret! How to Clean a Mirror Tutorial - Clean My Space