How to Clean Mirrors Without Streaks
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Cleaning mirrors and other glass surfaces can be frustrating when, after spending the time scrubbing, cleaning, and polishing the glass, you’re still left with unsightly streaks, smudges, fingerprints, and watermarks. This can leave you questioning how to clean mirrors without streaks.
If you’re not using the best products, tools, and techniques, maintaining streak-free mirrors can seem almost impossible. But there is no need to despair, in this article we are going to talk you through the best, most efficient, and most effective methods of cleaning your mirrors for an easy, sparkling, streak-free finish every time.
Before we get into these techniques, we want to emphasize the importance of having effective tools to hand that will make this process so much easier.
This Window Cleaning Pack from E-Cloth is a must-have when it comes to cleaning mirrors, windows, or any glass surfaces.
E-Cloth Window Cleaning Set, Reusable Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
The pack comes with two microfiber cloths, one for scrubbing and removing dirt, and one for polishing glass for a smudge-free finish. The cloths are machine washable and come with a 300-wash or 3-year guarantee. They’re excellent value for money and their precision-engineered microfibers work to grab dirt and dust particles using only water.
Microfiber cloths are essential when cleaning mirrors and this pack from E-Cloth is super convenient and extremely effective.
Related: The Best Microfiber Cloths for Cleaning Your Home
| Image | Product | Our Ratinge | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall  | E-Cloth Window & Glass Cleaning Cloths
| 9.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Norwex Window Polishing Cloth
| 9.6 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Pure-Sky Window Glass Cleaning Cloth
| 9.5 | Check Price on Amazon |
How to Clean Mirrors Without Streaks
Step 1: Remove any Surface-Level Dirt
So, the first step when cleaning your mirrors should always be to remove as much surface-level, dirt, and dust as possible. Depending on where the mirror is in your home, you might find that it can quickly become saturated with product buildup. Whether you’re dealing with toothpaste, hairspray, excessive layers of dust, or any other product residues, this method will enable you to remove them quickly and easily, making the polishing stage that will come a little later much more efficient.
First things first, you’ll need an effective cleaning solution. You have a couple of options here…
Depending on the amount of grime you are tackling on your mirror, you could use your own preferred castile soap, liquid soap, or detergent, dilute this in a bucket or spray bottle and use a microfiber cloth to wash the entire mirror. Or try using a natural cleaning wipe to remove these messes.
Dr. Bronner’s – Pure-Castile Liquid Soap Citrus
Alternatively, you could mix equal parts distilled water and white vinegar in a clean spray bottle or bucket and add in a few drops of lemon juice for a DIY window cleaning solution. The white vinegar and lemon juice are highly acidic and will break down tough grease and grime. Again, use your microfiber cloth to scrub away as much dirt as possible.
A good-quality microfiber cloth will effectively scrub away and remove any dirt particles or product residues. If you have the waffle-weave cloth in the E-Cloth window cleaning cloth set use this. Or another favorite of ours is the E-Cloth general-purpose cleaning cloth that can easily clean these grimy messes with just water.
E-Cloth General Purpose Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
At this stage in our steps on how to clean mirrors without streaks, you don’t need to worry about leaving streaks or watermarks on the mirror; we will tackle these a little later on. For now, focus on lifting and removing as much dirt as possible. If there are any hard-to-reach places on your mirror, use a soft bristle brush or toothbrush to clean these areas.
Finish off by drying the mirror with a clean microfiber cloth or towel.
Step 2: Tackle Tough Stains
After cleaning away any surface-level dirt, you should be able to identify any particularly tough stains that haven’t been lifted in the previous step.
To tackle these, take a cotton swab or ball or gentle cloth and dip it in a little rubbing alcohol. Use this to rub the stained area and you should find that the leftover dirt lifts away easily.
Rubbing Alcohol is excellent when it comes to removing greasy or oily residues and will cut through product buildup and dirt easily, so it’s great for getting rid of stains on your mirrors. It also won’t damage the surface of the mirror.
Related: How to Keep Your Glass Shower Doors Sparkling Without Chemical Cleaners
Step 3: Polish and Shine
Finally, it’s time to polish the mirror for a streak-free finish. This is the most important step in knowing how to clean mirrors without streaks and if it’s not completed properly you are likely to be left with lots of unsightly smudges and watermarks.
First, gather your supplies. For this step, you’re going to need a clean microfiber cloth. When polishing, it is important to use a cloth with a super fine weave and small, dense fibers. This will allow any remaining dust or dirt particles to be removed and will leave you with the best finish once you’re done. Again, the glass polishing cloth we mentioned earlier from E-Cloth is a great option here.
If using general-purpose, basic microfiber cloths you will also need a cleaning solution. You can use the same distilled water, white vinegar, and lemon mixture we used earlier. You can also add a couple of drops of rubbing alcohol to the solution to help lift any fingerprints or oils from the mirror. It is important that you use distilled water here, too, as it won’t leave behind any watermarks, unlike regular tap water. If using a glass polishing microfiber cloth just using water should be sufficient.
Norwex Window Polishing Cloth
Spritz the mirror with a light coating of the cleaning solution or water (it’s important not to over-saturate the mirror as this will make it much harder to polish) and then immediately take the dry microfiber cloth or glass polishing microfiber cloth and use this to polish and dry the glass. Wipe in horizontal and vertical motions rather than in circles and continue to buff the mirror until it is completely dry and there are no marks or smudges.
If the mirror dries before you get a chance to thoroughly buff the solution away, simply repeat this process. Bear in mind, though, that this will only work with a dry cloth, so you may need to let it dry out before repeating.
You should now be left with a mirror that is clean and streak-free, all in three easy steps!
Related: The Best Non-Toxic Window Cleaner: Natural Eco-Friendly Glass and Window Cleaning
Final Tips
Below, we have listed a few final tips and tricks that might prove useful when it comes to helping you know how to clean mirrors without streaks.
For Large Mirrors, Work in Smaller Sections
To remove streaks and marks, you will need to buff and polish the mirror while your cleaning solution is still wet. As we have said, if the solution is left to dry before you get a chance to polish it thoroughly, you will almost definitely be left with lots of unsightly streaks and smudges.
So, if you’re working with an especially large mirror, it’s a good idea to work in sections. Focusing on small areas lets you thoroughly polish the surface and gives you the best chance of removing any streaks. Just be sure to work from the top down to avoid any solution running into areas that you have already polished, undoing all your hard work.
Spot Clean Regularly
By spot cleaning your mirror regularly, you can really reduce the need for regular deep cleaning. If some product or water splashes onto your mirror, wipe this away while it’s still wet, and then take your glass polishing cloth to buff it out again and remove any smudges. Once these liquids or products have dried onto the surface of the mirror, they become much more difficult to remove.
Use Baking Soda to Remove Rust
If your mirror has a little rust on it, baking soda can be used to effectively remove this or at least improve the situation considerably. Mix some baking soda with a little water to form a thick paste and apply this to the affected area. Leave it to soak for around 30 minutes and then use a wet cloth or towel to wipe it away. You should find that the rust wipes right off.
Related: Does Baking Soda Ruin Your Vacuum?
| Image | Product | Our Ratinge | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall | E-Cloth Window & Glass Cleaning Cloths
| 9.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
| Norwex Window Polishing Cloth
| 9.6 | Check Price on Amazon |
| Pure-Sky Window Glass Cleaning Cloth
| 9.5 | Check Price on Amazon |
Final Thoughts on How to Clean Mirrors Without Streaks
Keeping the mirrors in your home shining clean and streak-free might seem like an impossible task, but by using the products, methods, and tips listed in this article on how to clean mirrors without streaks, it is actually much easier and less time-consuming than you might think!