Well, all of us have grown up on the fairy tale of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ where the evil queen mutters – “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all?” So no small wonder, that some of us have reservations about the mirror and associate it with narcissism, but nonetheless mirrors, besides reflecting our external looks, there are many benefits of mirror.
When it comes to interior décor, mirrors at home can really enhance the aesthetics (and on a negative downside the drawbacks too if not placed appropriately!) of a house. In order to make this happen, mirrors need to be in tip-top shape. Cleaning a mirror is essentially everyday task.
Gharpedia brings for you through this blog a peep into the uses of mirrors and benefits of mirrors along with ways of how to clean a mirror.
Practical Uses of Mirrors
Mirrors are used for a plethora of reasons; one invariably needs a mirror to look at oneself. From combing hair to brushing on some make up or to brush the teeth… the list of uses of mirror can go on and on.
Modern day mirrors come in unique shapes and outstanding frames ranging from simple wooden ones to ornate metallic ones. Moreover they are no longer restricted to bathrooms but adorn any corner of a house be it the bedroom, the kitchen, the study, the passage of the hall et al and lend an aesthetic touch to the interiors of houses.
Benefits of Mirrors at Home
Some pluses of fitting a mirror at home are that it –
01. Creates An Illusion of Space:
With spaces becoming more-and-more cramped, a couple of mirrors incorporated in the house décor can reflect and help make the space look bigger. Perhaps that’s why narrow hallways with a mirror give the impression of space. Make your apartment look bigger with these ideas:
02. Helps Make A Statement:
Instead of a mantelpiece or an exorbitant painting, how about making a mirror with a decorative frame the focal point of your living room? Go a step further and place a light behind the mirror to enhance its statement quotient, alongside artistically placing it on the wall.
03. Elevates The Aesthetic Appeal of A Room:
A mirror can upgrade the beauty of a room as it reflects the other state-of-the-art objects, which are your prized memoirs from your trips abroad. A word of caution … mirrors are non-judgmental and fair, so they end up reflecting everything in a room. Do clean up that cluttered desk and spice up that drab couch too!
04. Maximizes The Lighting of A Room:
Besides doubling the appeal of a room, mirrors can also magnify the element of brightness. This is one of the major benefits of mirror. So mirrors are the perfect remedy for dim or poorly-lit rooms and corners of your house. They simply need to be hung at positions that leverage natural light (say across the window) or artificial lighting. How about hanging a mirror in your drawing room to bring to the fore the breathtaking beauty of your chandelier?
Want to brighten your room, here are 10 innovative tips, you must try:
05. Brings-In Good Energy:
Feng-shui states that mirrors represent water, and hence can help balance the energies of a room. Try hanging a mirror over the fireplace to temper the fire element; or alternatively, place a mirror at your entrance to make your guests feel more welcome.
Create a mesmerizing and cozy fireplace with these design tips:
06. Keeps Your Image Intact:
Mirrors, for many, are essential means for maintaining their personal image right through the day by checking that there’s no leftover from their meal lurking on their visage; their hairstyle is intact; their outfit is decent et al.
How about having mirrors at locations like the hall entry or the garage door to ensure that you are spick-and-span on your way out and providing your guest with a visual check before he/she steps into your house?
07. Offers Security:
One of the least known benefits of mirrors is that it offers security when arranged in a specific manner. Mirrors placed at niche locations in your house can allow you to keep an eye around walls and doorways, thereby upping the security quotient.
08. Conceals Imperfections
Innovative householders also deploy mirrors to cover up a hole or a non-removable smudge on the wall.
For concealing imperfections, first the mirror should be sparkling clean. So here is our guide on how to clean a mirror.
How to Clean a Mirror
All the above pluses are reduced to a zilch if your mirrors are dirty, misty or unclean. So here are some DIY ways to cleaning a mirror –
- Mix equal parts of distilled white vinegar and water in a bowl. Scrunch up a piece of non-coloured newspaper and dip it in the mixture. Wring it out and then wipe the mirror with it. Wipe the mirror dry with a soft cloth, soft paper towel or dry newspaper page. Be sure to wear rubber gloves to keep the newspaper print off your hands.
- For cleaning a mirror, you can wipe the mirror with a used, wet bag of black tea, then dry it with a paper towel or newspaper. The tea’s tannic acid will leave the mirror sparkling clean.
- To get a lint-free shine go over the mirror with a used sheet of fabric softener or a dry coffee filter or a pair of old pantyhose or gift-wrapping tissue.
Level up your house cleaning skills with these tips:
Creating Fog-free Mirrors
Mirrors in bathrooms get a tad foggy owing to their constant exposure to moisture. So here are some time-tested tricks to create fog-free mirrors –
- Apply a thin layer of glycerine (available at most pharmacies) to the mirror to prevent it from fogging-up in the shower.
- Before you shower, spray a dollop of foam shaving cream on a cloth and wipe the mirror with it.
- For longer-term defogging – two to three weeks at a time – put a generous amount of foam shaving cream on the entire mirror and leave it there until the foam just about evaporates. Then wipe it off.
01. Removing Hairspray from Mirrors at Home:
Has hairspray got over your mirror? Relax – Give your mirror the once-over with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol. Doing this will take off hairspray as well as any thin film that’s left over from a cleaning agent, an aerosol product or from shaving cream. Moreover, the alcohol will evaporate on its own, which will save you the job of wiping it dry!
02. Mirror Touch-ups:
Most mirrors consist of a dark protective bottom layer; a layer of metal (aluminium, silver or tin); and a plain glass top layer. If there are scratches on the metallic layer and you can’t get to it, tape a piece of non-creased aluminium foil to the back of the metallic layer to hide the scratches. Put one or two coats of metallic silver auto paint on the scratched silver backing. Then seal the spot with clear shellac.
Here are some home repairs that you can DIY:
A Note of Caution: Do not spray water or liquid of any kind on a mirror. When moisture seeps into the edges and the back of the mirror, the silvering gets spoilt which causes dark spots.
Summing up, mirrors at home, play an important role for interior décor apart from its functional uses and benefits. Putting up a decorative and well-lit mirror can increase the aesthetic appeal of your house. The above guide on cleaning a mirror, must have surely answered a popular everyday question, i.e. how to clean a mirror to keep it sparkling? So the next time you ask the mirror on the wall who’s the fairest one of all we hope you are looking into a clean and fog-free mirror!
Incorporate mirrors in your interior décor, for more details, read the following article:
Author Bio
Huta Raval – An English Literature and Journalism Topper, Huta Raval has graduated from the L D Arts College, Ahmedabad. Post serving for 23 years in the NBFC and Public Library Sectors her desire for ‘writing the unwritten’ brought her to the creative field of content writing. Her clientele comprises of NGOs, Blogging Platforms, Newspapers, Academic Institutions, et al.
