Why Does Your Mirror Look Cloudy?

There are a number of questions about why mirrors do what they do once the start to age and today I want to focus on why they become cloudy and how you can go about cleaning them.

Let us say you own a full length mirror and is tarnished and cloudy well take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. I once owned a problem mirror myself; I can bet that you neighbour has owned one too. Like me at some point, you might have tried everything you can to clean it to no avail.

So what do you do if you are not planning keep it? What is the best way to clean it? As a decorative metal mirrors junkie let me provide some few tips you can try out. These suggestions can apply to all kinds including unframed, oversized, compact, large or even body length mirrors.

You can simply clean them with some water. Just warm the water or even to boil and then try to clean it. Do not add anything to the water i.e. it must be pure. I know that this can work well especially for plexy glass.

Another option is to simply use vinegar and newspaper. I mean it could be that someone once tried to clean it with something that was oily.

Try a spray cleaner like Windex for some more alternatives. One thing I must mention here is that spray cleaners are good for some french antique bathroom mirrors and not for others. This is why you should not worry too much if this option does not work for you – just move on to the next option.

If you are having difficulty with having them clean by using any of my recommendations, then probably there are other reasons why it is cloudy. Maybe the problem is with the silver on the back of the mirror i.e it could be peeling off. This could be a cause to get rid of it but if you really can’t then try to get it re-slivered.