How To Get Scratches Out Of A Bathroom Mirror [6 Ways To Try!]

Whether it’s a minor scratch, a scrape, or a deep groove on your bathroom mirror, it can sometimes be the only thing that catches your attention while looking at it. Luckily, we gathered information to share on how to get rid of those marks easily.

Your scratched bathroom mirror doesn't mean it is unusable now. Buff over the scratched area using any of these six common household items (aside from nail polish, but more on that later):

Whitening fluoride toothpaste
Baking soda
Dry mustard with vinegar
Clear nail polish
Metal polish
Pumice soap

Scratches on your bathroom mirror may be tolerable, but it is never a pleasant sight since it affects the aesthetic appeal of your space. No worries! In this post, we will discuss how you can get rid of those scratches to make your mirror return to its reflective shine.

How To Remove The Scratches In Your Bathroom Mirror

Scratches on your bathroom mirror are no good, but there are a few quick fixes you can try! This minimal-effort repair involves using these common household items and the how-to steps in their application.

Preparation: Clean The Mirror Surface

Your mirror needs a thorough cleaning before repairing the scratches. This will remove any loose dirt, specks of dust, moisture, and dried water droplets on the surface. Further, it enables you to have a clear view and assess the depth and expanse of the scratched surface. Then, let the surface completely dry.

You might be interested to learn more about cleaning a mirror: How To Remove Mastic From A Mirror [3 Methods To Try]

Repairing The Mirror Scratches

Here is a list of household items you can use on your scratch-repairing task with their corresponding steps.

1. Whitening Toothpaste

This is the most common and easiest method to remove mirror scratches since toothpaste is considered a soft abrasive. Assumedly, you'll have toothpaste within reach since it is one of your toiletry essentials.

A whitening or mint toothpaste should be used rather than a gel-based formula or colored toothpaste, specifically for cleaning mirror scratches.

A whitening toothpaste has regular fluoride and baking soda that will work better than gel-based variants. Baking soda has abrasive elements that have a polishing effect on removing scratches effortlessly.

Steps:

Squeeze a pea-sized amount of toothpaste over a damp towel.
Buff over the scratched surface with light pressure.
Leave for 30 seconds and wipe off the excess paste.
The scratches should gradually disappear after applying.
You may repeat the application until the scratches aren’t noticeable.
Clean the area with a dry cloth.

Check out this Crest whitening toothpaste on Amazon.

2. Baking Soda

Baking soda works the same way as toothpaste due to its abrasive components. It is useful for stubborn scratches. The rubbing softens the edges of the scratch to blend with the rest of the mirror surface. You need to prepare a thick paste for a successful application.

Steps:

Equally mix baking soda and warm water to produce a thick consistency.
Scoop up an adequate amount with a damp microfiber cloth.
Buff over the scratched area for 30 seconds.
The scratches should gradually disappear after buffing.
Add a drop of water to maintain the dampness of the cloth.
You may repeat the application until the scratches diminish.
Be mindful not to rub the outlying surfaces because baking soda is abrasive.
Clean the area with a dry cloth.

Arm & Hammer is a well-known brand for baking soda. It is considered a household staple due to its versatility for many uses around the home.

Check out this baking soda on Amazon.

3. Mustard With Vinegar

Dry or ground mustard is commonly used as a condiment or spice. Aside from food preparation, you can use it to eliminate mirror scratches. Mustard powder works similarly to baking soda. Its abrasive components, combined with the acidic properties of vinegar, make a powerful agent to remove streaks and scratches.

The steps in the application are the same as that of baking soda. Dry mustard and vinegar are combined to form a thick paste. Then, use a Dremel with an attached polishing disc to polish the scratch.

Check out this Dremel on Amazon.

Baking soda and vinegar have other uses for the bathroom in this post: How To Unclog A Bathroom Sink With Vinegar And Baking Soda

4. Nail Polish

Use clear or colorless nail polish to repair more pronounced or highly visible scratches. With the nail polish applicator brush, you get a more precise application.

Steps:

With the applicator brush, fill up the deep grooves of the scratch with nail polish.
Also, apply a thin layer of nail polish over the outlying areas around the scratch.
Leave the nail polish for approximately one hour until completely dry.
You can apply a second thin layer.
With a nail polish remover, clean excess drips.
Clean the area with a dry cloth.

5. Metal Polish

Considered an aggressive approach, metal polish, such as a jewelry polishing compound, is recommended for stubborn scratches. However, extra caution should be observed since over-application may increase the damage to the mirror.

The metal polish contains strong abrasives such as cerium oxide. It can quickly remove the scratches to effectively restore the mirror's shine.

Steps:

Take a droplet or the least amount of metal polish possible with a cotton ball.
Lightly buff over the scratched area no longer than 45 seconds.
One application should be enough since an excessive amount can damage the mirror.
Use a damp cloth to clean the area.

This Weiman silver polish leaves a protective coating over the mirror surface. Since it is composed of stronger abrasives, it can rejuvenate dull and tarnished scratches just by light buffing. The silver-toned polish can readily blend with the color of the glass surface.

Check out this Weiman silver polish on Amazon.

6. Pumice Soap

A liquid pumice soap is a heavy-duty hand cleaner. It contains abrasive additives that can wipe off scratches from the mirror’s surface.

Steps:

Dampen a microfiber towel with liquid pumice soap.
Buff over the scratched area.
Clean the area with a dry cloth.

Aside from a hand cleaner, this Gojo brand of pumice soap can effectively remove scratches from the bathroom mirror. Pumice is a hard soap that contains silica. This component offers light abrasive quality that you can effectively polish the scratched surface.

Check out this Gojo pumice soap on Amazon.

What Materials Can Be Used To Wipe Down A Bathroom Mirror?

The bathroom mirror may contain lipstick smears, hairspray streaks, toothpaste splatters, and fingerprints. Dried water droplets are a common sight, too.

As mentioned above, thorough surface cleaning should be done before beginning your task to remove the scratches from your bathroom mirror. And similarly, wiping the excess paste and cleaning solution after repairing the scratches will be a breeze with the right material used in cleaning. But what kind of materials do you use to wipe the mirror surface?

Microfiber Cloth

To avert further scratches on your mirror, it is important to use a microfiber cloth. Rags, paper towels, or shop rags should never be used. The fibers on these items may be too rough that you will end up with more scratches or worsen the existing ones.

Microfiber cloths are made of ultra-soft materials, perfect for cleaning delicate surfaces such as glass and mirrors. The fibers are non-abrasive and highly absorbent. These can soak up water quickly without streaks, traces, and other marks left behind.

Whether the surface is wet or dry, they can leave your bathroom mirror to restore its reflective shine.

These cloths have a superior quality that can endure frequent washing and repeated use without losing their absorbency. Unlike paper towels and disposable cleaning cloths, there is no need to throw out these microfiber cloths.

Check out these microfiber cloths on Amazon.

Newspaper

One alternative to a microfiber cloth is a damp newspaper. Tear a page from your old newspaper, and crumple it to a ball-like form so that you can easily manage to hold it with one hand and dip it in clean water to make it damp. Wipe the damp newspaper on the mirror surface while repairing the scratches.

The rationale behind newspaper is that they are highly absorbent, making them useful for mirrors. It absorbs liquids rather than leaving circular marks. Also, the glass surface is slick and non-porous, so the newsprint will not adhere to it.

Another reason is that newspapers contain no abrasive or scratching components, calcium carbonate, or silica, which can damage the mirror.

Lastly, the composition of newspaper is made of dense fibers which are tightly compressed and rather rigid. This prevents it from tearing into pieces, even with heavy pressure, when rubbed against the mirror. Thus, it is more sturdy than cloth rags.

With newspapers, there is no lint or streaks after wiping. It gives a smudge-free or no traces of haze on the mirror surface after cleaning your mirror.

In Summary

Cleaning the scratches from your bathroom mirror seemed a no-big-deal DIY task. You only need to do slight buffing using the common items you may already have in your home, such as toothpaste, baking soda, mustard, vinegar, nail polish, metal polish, and pumice hand soap.

Once you've successfully removed the mirror scratches, move around to peek at your reflection. A scratch-free bathroom mirror is all that matters! It can be essential to make you feel the entire space is clean and aesthetically pleasing.

Bathroom mirrors enhance the overall appeal of your living space. Check out these interesting posts:

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