Do you hate toothpaste splatter all over your bathroom mirrors? Do you loathe looking through mascara, other makeup stains and shaving cream while trying to clean your teeth? Do fingerprints and tacky hairspray all over the mirror leave you wanting to pull your hair out?
Me too and if I had to create a list of all the things that drive me crazy around the house, this would be in my top 5!
But I’ve overcome the problem with a fairly simple solution … creating a routine of wiping the bathroom mirrors every day or two by using 2 microfibre cloths.
Last thing at night, after I’ve cleaned my teeth, I simply wet one of the microfibre cloths, squeeze out the excess and wipe over the mirror. I wipe from left to right from the top of the mirror and work my way down so that every part of the mirror is cleaned. I then use a second dry microfibre cloth to buff the mirror. This simple routine prevents marks, grime and stains from building up, which would otherwise make my weekly clean more difficult and much more time consuming. Voila … a clean, shiny and streak-free mirror in less than one minute!
If you find a mark on the mirror that proves to be a little stubborn, you can use either a Glass Cleaning Product or a homemade solution of one-part vinegar to two-parts water. I keep some mixed up in a spray bottle in my bathroom cupboard. Give the offending mark a gentle rub before wiping over with the damp microfibre cloth. Rubbing alcohol also works a treat to get rid of stubborn marks, especially hairspray.
I love my microfibre cloths and use them in all areas of the house. They are hygienic, effective and eliminate the need to use expensive (and sometimes harmful) chemicals because they use only water. They also don’t leave behind lint or fibres.
Microfibre cloths are super cheap and you can pick them up for less than $2 at places like Crazy Clarks, The Reject Shop and other discount stores. I keep 2 cloths in each bathroom stored in a drawer or cupboard. After using each cloth, I simply rinse them out and hang them on a spare towel rail, the side of the bath or the edge of the basin to dry overnight. I’m really reluctant to store them on hooks inside the cupboard because they rarely dry properly, particularly in the colder winter months. Keeping damp cloths in a closed cupboard also contributes to a damp environment, which promotes the growth of mould … yuk!
So, a couple of things to avoid when cleaning mirrors:
- Paper towels are best saved for the kitchen as they generally leave behind small fibres. I find this so annoying as I need to clean the mirror a second time to get rid of them. Paper towel also can’t be reused, so it’s a bit wasteful.
- Other cleaning cloths generally won’t give a streak-free clean quite like a microfibre cloth and will also possibly leave lint behind.
- Don’t use anything that is abrasive, either a rough sponge or cleaning product, as it will potentially scratch the surface of the mirror.
- If the edges of your mirror are exposed, try not to apply too much liquid otherwise it may seep into the edges causing those black marks you often see around the sides. If you do happen to apply too much water or cleaning product near the edges, wipe it off as quickly as possible. The simplest trick to prevent this is to spray any liquids onto a cloth first rather than directly onto the surface of the mirror.
- Newspaper is great for keeping up with current events but best avoided when cleaning mirrors. Some of the inks used today will leave behind residue, which can contribute to streaks.
And one final trick: if you want to stop your bathroom mirrors from fogging up, apply a thin layer of shaving cream over the mirror before you jump in the shower. When you hop out, wipe it off to enjoy a fog-free mirror for up to a month. Try it … it really does work!
My goal is to spend the least amount of time possible on cleaning because that intrudes on my time with the kids, family and friends. It’s important, therefore, to use the right products that will give the best results, otherwise, time will be wasted. It’s equally important to have everything at your fingertips so you don’t waste even more time walking to another room to get what you need.
So there you have it … a few simple tricks that will help you clean you mirrors quickly and easily! Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve that you would like to share?
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Wow, I had no idea that microfibre cloths could be so tough when cleaning mirrors. I tried it the other day and was amazed that I didn’t need to use anything, but water. My mirror looks super clean now because I wiped from the top to the bottom. Thanks for the tips!