Anybody have any tips for cleaning statically charged bathroom mirrors?

#1

I’ve encountered this same situation in two of my clients houses, and I’ve got to find a way around it. Basically, a housekeeping client of mine will have a bathroom mirror with a row of lightbulbs directly above it. The mirror will invariably be covered in a ton of dust, just little white micro particles or hair, and I try to wipe it down with a rag and alcohol, (my typical method for glass that doesn’t involve wearing window cleaning BOAB on me when I clean their house) and that doesn’t work. As soon as any rag I have touches the glass, it just sucks up tons of little micoparticles from the rag, and the light shining down on it makes it extremely noticeable. So I end up going to the van and getting my window cleaning supplies, and I try it with a scrubber and squeegee. This gets about 60% of the particles, another 30% slide right under the squeegee, and another 10% just get dislodged into the air, and just magnetically attract themselves back onto the mirror. It drives me nuts. It’s impossible, by these means, to get a clean mirror, and because of the direct illumination of the dust and fibers, it looks horribly noticeable and I need to find a work-around, fast.

I’m not 100% on the science, but I"m guessing the mirror is negatively charged. Perhaps the answer may have something to do with using a balloon, perhaps using it to statically charge or discharge a rag or something? Or using a really high quality microfiber rag, fresh out of the package, before it’s had time to latch on, and subsequently shed, other fibers, (like they all seem to do in my experience)?

Has anybody else encountered this, or have any ideas?

#2

You’re dealing with airborne dust. If you think about it, what’s in a bathroom? Spinning toilet paper and towel lint. This is in addition to dust from heating and A/C vents and household dust. It’s difficult to clean mirrors under bright lighting, and motion raises dust. Work smoothly so as not to whip up dust. I have white and totally lint free cloths for mirrors and touch ups. I will work the area as described, then final pass with the white, lint free cloth.

#3

Thank you, I actually do all of those things as well. And I’m able to get 99% of my clients homes with no problem at all, (even ones with direct lights) it’s just a few of them are like literal dust magnets. What brand of white, lint free cloth do you use? I’ve yet to find one that is completely lint free, (or at least for more than one laundry cycle).

#4

Be cautious with using alcohol or strong cleaners on mirrors.

The solution can instantly damage the mirror coating when it wraps around any of the edges and coming in contact with the coating.

#5

ive never had that issue. in restrooms or anywhere else in homes or offices.

squeegee and huck too detail. sometimes they may be oily from previous cleaners but never statically charged

#6

Wal Mart sells flour sack dish towels. That’s my new lint free go-to. They’re cheap…real cheap. The experiment continues. I will spritz towel or mirror for final pass.

#7

Use more water lose the alcohol just wash them with a t bar and squeegee off, the dust will get wet and will not fly away.

#8

I am wondering if the properties of the glass surface has anything to do with the experience. What if you were to polish the mirror with a cerium or silica compound with a felt pad on a random oscillating square machine? This will change the glass so you can wet with pure water and squeegee off without the rubber chattering. Then just detail the edges with a high quality microfiber.

Henry

#9

@Henry, What would the charge be for this process on one mirror?