We all hate cleaning right?! Unless, you are lucky enough to have a cleaner - and even then, do you still get aggravated with smears on your bathroom mirrors?
Grubby, smeared mirrors will never look good in your beautiful home - they need to be spotless and reflect streak-free light. They can be a nightmare to clean when you're faced with toothpaste marks, fingerprints, water spots and limescale and in my daughter's bathroom - hairspray and make up!.
Here is my guide on how to clean a bathroom mirror for a streak free spotless finish every time.
So, here's your essentials list:
2 x microfibre cleaning cloths ( cotton (lint free) is fine but I swear by a microfibre cloth!)
Hot water, or even better - distilled water rather than tap water – this prevents mineral deposits remaining behind on your mirror.
An empty spray bottle. ( not essential really but good to keep in your vanity under the sink.)
Step-by-step guide to cleaning your mirror and leaving it streak free
Now we are going to be looking at the easiest way to clean your mirror quickly and
effectively leaving it streak-free, giving your bathroom that high-quality finish you are after.
​​1.Start by lightly wetting the surface of your mirror with either hot water or distilled water and a little soap from your spray bottle and grab your 2 microfibre cloths.
2. Start by cleaning tougher stains first.
Get into the dried toothpaste splashes, hairspray residue, and smeared fingerprints first up.
Then, wet one cloth and wipe top to bottom. Avoid going in a circular motion to prevent smearing the stain around. (ahhhh! why did I not know this?!) This should wipe your tough stains away ready for your whole mirror to be cleaned.
Alternatively, you can use glass cleaner, but this solution usually smears the tougher stains as store-bought sprays contain excess soaps and chemicals, which we do not recommend on safety-film-backed glass. Also, I'm a big believer in trying to avoid using as many chemicals as possible - especially when they aren't even needed half the time.
3. Wipe the mirror down with a soft cloth
Time to start cleaning! It’s best to go from top to bottom – to help stop the appearance of drip marks – and wipe from side to side or up and down – to avoid streaks.
Fold your cloth twice over, so it’s a quarter of the cloth’s full size. This allows you to use different sides of the cloth as it fills up with dirt when you’re cleaning the mirror. You can also open it and use the inside of the cloth once the outside part is dirty.
Finally, finish by drying and buffing your mirror with your second cleaning cloth. And, look, your mirror has never looked better!
4. Don’t forget the other surfaces
Don’t forget the top and sides of your mirror for that added sparkle. Simply use the rest of the cleaning solution you made with the water and soap and spray on your microfibre cloth and quickly wipe these down. Alternatively you can use this solution for other surfaces such as inside your mirrored cabinet and your glass shelves etc.
Five tips to keep your mirror clean
Here are our 5 easy tips you need to know when cleaning your bathroom mirror.
1. Clean stains straight away - honestly, this can save you time in the long run and keep your bathroom looking its best. Getting into a routine of wiping down your mirror every time you see a toothpaste stain or dirty fingerprint makes it less likely for the stains to build up making cleaning much quicker and easier to do!
The simplest solution would be to keep a bottle of your cleaning solution (solution mix above) and a microfibre cloth either under your bathroom sink or within your bathroom cabinet for easy access, as mentioned above.
2. Don't go overboard with cleaning products
You don’t need the latest gadgets or newest cleaning products to keep your bathroom mirrors sparkling clean all year long. A lint free microfibre cloth goes a long way to tackle the everyday light stains and grime build up.
Consider natural cleaning solutions - not only are they kinder to the planet they are often cheaper than commercial windows or glass cleaners. Many shop bought cleaners contain added fragrance which can leave your mirror with steaks and residue.
3. Having the right type of cloth can cut down your cleaning time and leave your mirror streak free with ease. The small fibres of the microfibre cloths have been crafted to stick to anything they come into contact with. They will absorb all the dirt, grime or dust on your mirror and the cleaning solution you use leaving you with a streak free mirror.
4. If you're looking to buy a new bathroom mirror I would recommend investing in a demister mirror with built in demister pads which will save you time on cleaning dirty mirror marks left by water. Heated demister mirrors can also help with dampness in the bathroom. These mirrors gently heat up to quickly clear the steam and reveal a beautifully illuminated reflection, without water residue.
5. Wipe the mirror from side to side
Don’t listen to the myths of cleaning your mirror in a circular motion. The best way to clean your mirror is to work from top to bottom and then side to side. Working from top to bottom means that if the cleaning solution starts to drip it won’t leave any streaks behind. Finish off your mirror by looking at it from different angles to see if there are any leftover streaks and repeat the process of wiping top to bottom and side to side if necessary.
Simple really! ( still involves cleaning though! )
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