5 Tips for Cleaning a Cloudy Mirror

A mirror loses its effectiveness if it is cloudy, with smudges and streaks that you can’t seem to get off. When you try to remove them, the smudges transfer to other areas of the mirror, and you’re left with a mirror that’s still cloudy and looks dirty. Sometimes, you forget to clean the mirror and over time, the dirt accumulates and gets tough to remove. If you want to revive the beauty of a mirror, try these tips for cleaning a cloudy mirror.

Tip #1 Vinegar and newspaper. Pour white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray over the cloudy mirror, but not to the frame, especially if it’s wooden. Crumple an old newspaper and use it to wipe the vinegar off the glass. Rub the mirror until you’re left with a shiny, streak-free mirror. When wiping, give enough strength to get off the stains but not so much as to break the glass.

Tip #2 Shaving cream. Put an inexpensive, ordinary shaving cream to a lint-free fabric such as a microfiber cloth and use it to wipe the mirror. Buff the mirror until the cloudiness is removed. You can repeat the process if the smudge is too hard to get off. This trick is mostly used in bathroom mirrors since it will also leave your mirror fog-free for weeks.

Tip #3 Jeweler’s rogue. Ask a local jewelry store if they sell jeweler’s rogue also known as red rogue. It is used to polish lenses and metallic jewelry. It is sold as a powder, paste, or stick. Rub the rogue on the affected area and wipe with a microfiber cloth. It can be time-consuming, specially if the dirt feels like its embedded to the glass. Keep on wiping until you remove the smudges and stains.

Tip #4 Water and microfiber cloth. Dampen a microfiber cloth and use it to wipe the mirror, avoiding the frame. The microcloth is suitable for cleaning fragile and sensitive items such as mirrors since it leaves no lint on the glass.

Tip #5 Paint scraper. A mirror may be cloudy due to a thin paint-like residue. A scraper has a big, flat Stanley knife blade that can safely remove the residue film off without scratching the glass.

A mirror is an investment and you should always keep it in tip-top shape to maximize its usage. Clean your mirrors periodically to avoid smudges and stains. Just remember, when using liquid in removing dirt, protect the frame of the mirror by putting rags on the frame.

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