To clean mirrors properly, first clear obstructions, pretreat tough spots with rubbing alcohol or vinegar, then use a vinegar/water mix or mild cleaner with a microfiber cloth in an "S" pattern from top to bottom, and buff dry with a second clean cloth for a streak-free shine. Avoid ammonia, harsh chemicals, and paper towels, which can leave lint.
Using too much cleaner leaves extra moisture that takes longer to dry and often causes streaks or water marks. If your mirror looks cloudy right after you wipe it, you probably used too much product.
Most dirt on mirrors is water-soluble and can be removed by wiping or by lightly rubbing it from on the glass surface. It is best to clean them using warm water.
Don't use acidic or alkali cleaners for mirror cleanup. Either substance can attack the front surface and edges as well as the backing of the mirror. No abrasive cleaners should ever be used on any mirror surface. Do use 0000 oil-free steel wool, not solvents, to remove surface marks or stubborn dirt.
Tools That Make A Difference. According to Stein, using a microfiber cloth beats using paper towels to clean glass, but you want to make sure that the cloths are “lint-free.” “Microfiber traps dust and moisture, doesn't leave lint behind, and you can reuse it over and over,” says Stein.
The biggest no-no when it comes to getting your mirrors clean is using paper towels. Paper towels are both single-use and leave teeny tiny bits of residue that can create an even bigger mess. In order to achieve a streak-free shine, use a microfiber cloth.
There are hundreds of different glass and mirror cleaning solutions available, and more than 99% of them don't work as expected. The most common products are glass cleaners like Windex, which contain ammonia or alcohol. But these products can actually make glass look much worse than before you started.
The cause of foggy mirrors
Cloudy mirrors result from a buildup of residue that is natural. It can also be a result of damage to the backing of the mirror, which may indicate that it's time to replace your mirror.
If your mirror is scratched, look carefully to see if the scratch is in the glass or the silver. It is not possible to polish a scratch out of the glass by hand but re-silvering will remove scratches, black spots and detached silver in the silver layer. You will get better results if you silver the entire mirror.
To clean cloudy glassware, soak it in a solution of warm water and white vinegar (or use vinegar and salt/baking soda for tougher spots), then hand wash with soap, rinse well, and dry with a lint-free towel; this usually removes hard water mineral deposits, but permanent etching can't be fixed.
If your mirror has lights right above it, turn those off before you spray. The heat dries the cleaner too quickly and that's exactly what causes streaks and remember, when it comes to glass cleaner, less more. Over saturating the surface just makes it harder to wipe and can leave residue behind.
Start off with using rubbing alcohol on a rag, and scrub the mirror down evenly and completely. Wipe all residue off with a paper towel and determine if the haziness is still present or not.
They work well to clean your mirror and get a streak-free shine.
7 Cleaning Mistakes That Always Lead to Streaky Mirrors, According to Pros
Dish Soap Solution
Believe it or not, one of the most common and effective window cleaning solutions that is used by professionals is a mixture of dish soap and water. Simply mix one gallon of water with two teaspoons of liquid dish soap, and you have a professional window cleaning solution.
Alternative #5: Dryer sheets
Much like the disinfecting and baby wipes, you can rub them over the mirror, or, for more stubborn grime, you can wet the sheets a little and then wipe the mirror. The fabric of these sheets is abrasive enough to remove smudges or stuck-on dirt but not too strong to damage the glass.
Whether you've cleaned the inside, the outside, or both, smears often appear due to issues with technique, water quality, cloth choice, sunlight, residue, or even the window surface itself.
Professionals start at the top corner of the window and pull the squeegee across the glass in a smooth, overlapping motion, working from top to bottom. They wipe the blade clean after each stroke with a lint-free cloth or towel to prevent streaks and drips.
How to clean your glass and mirrors without streaks in five easy steps:
Soak a small rag or dish towel in vinegar, then rub a portion of the glass with the rag. A glass that's milky from hard water buildup should become clearer with each wipe.