Spring is that time of the year when nature starts giving signs about new things to come. We all feel a little bit more energetic and thus usually start our fun yet somewhat demanding tasks of house cleaning. To be honest, you do not really felt hat in Singapore, as temperature and weather are similar all year round, without large differences between spring, summer, winter, and autumn.
Some might find it to their liking as I have, some others not that much. Nevertheless, in the spirit of the true spring clean up, I have decided to write down this article about mirror cleaning.
Let’s be honest, no one likes cleaning mirrors, windows or glass in and around the house. It takes a lot of energy, your hands hurt and you have been inhaling chemicals all day long. Sometimes, we dislike the job so much, that we would be willing to bypass the work altogether, even though we just got the entire house back to sterile condition.
Do not fall into the trap of boredom before you even think about mirrors. Put forth the plan and seek out the best ways to get it done in the fastest way possible. I know that once your hype dies down, it would be same old boring swishing up and down until the mirror in front of you is not brought into sparkling condition.
What Should I do Differently?
Now, it is time to roll up the sleeves and get to work. Up to this point, you would have used either one of those chemical products that promise miraculous cleanup results if only you swish the liquid
across your mirror. No need for you to spend the buck to get things done, as I have found out. All you need is some vinegar or a newspaper and warm water.
Mix them up and pour it into the spray bottle and use any, regular cloth or cleaner material. Spray it on the mirror in your bathroom, kitchen and living room mirrors and take swish from upwards down.
While swishing and spraying, use two different cleaners, one to wet the surface and another to dry it in the end. Repeat the process twice and you will have a brand-new looking mirror with your face
staring back. Make sure the liquid you made up does not reach wood, as it will leave marks on it. In hacks section, I have listed a number of other things that came out handy when cleaning mirrors.
What about Windows?
Windows in Singapore are a little bit more tricky to work with, as the monsoon seasons come and go each year. The humidity and temperature are constant at this part of the planet and so is the rain. Many people would simply give up cleaning the windows for months, until “better weather” comes in. In my experience, there is an important step in the different direction that you should take while cleaning windows of your apartment/house.
I would advise you to make the windows cleaning a regular house chore once or twice a week and only with minimal chemical or material usage. Rain can bring about a lot of dirt from other parts of the world, thus increasing the workload with each passing month. By cleaning the layer after layer, you will find yourself still cleaning the windows several hours into a chore. Thus, I would recommend you to divide the work and clean the windows 15 minutes twice a week. Don’t let them get dirty at the rate where you would need to dedicate an entire day just to windows.
Are there Any Cleaning Hacks?
Here is the list of hacks and tricks that you can use when cleaning windows. I tried all of them out and they have worked wonderfully for me. All of these materials are available in Singapore, so feel
free to go shop hunting for them.
– dryer sheets: used for mirrors in the bathroom, shower doors, and water fixtures is the issue are hard water spots.
– vinegar: pretty much usable on any mirror in the house if mixed with warm water. Do you want to clean your eyeglasses? Put them into a bowl full of vinegar mixed with water and watch as the glasses get cleaned in front of you without any effort.
– coffee filter: if you want to avoid ink spots from newspapers, use coffee filters.
– non-gel toothpaste: use a dab of toothpaste and clean the particular spot with scratches in circular motions.
– Alcohol: you have something sticky in your glass? Use alcohol as it will scrub off even the toughest spots.
– black tea: exchanges vinegar perfectly by brewing it long and strong. Pick it up when it cools down a bit and clean the mirrors using a piece of cloth or cleaners.
– dish soap: for quick jobs, use dish soap with a piece of clean clothes or cleaner. Slow motion is needed to get full results with this hack.
– vinegar and baking soda: mix baking soda with vinegar while at the same time putting the old piece of cloth in hot water for 15 minutes. Take the cloth and swish around using the mixture to see the results almost immediately.
– bread: if you have broken glass pieces around, take a piece of bread and pick these broken shards easily.
Do’s
– clean mirrors and windows regularly
– use different hacks listed by this article
– plan your cleaning regularly until it becomes your habit
– put the smile on your face and swish your cares away
Don’ts
– do not mix wood with vinegar
– do not get negative about the amount of work
– do not spend large amounts of money on expensive detergents
– do not let kids near the mixtures you made up
Final Thoughts
Cleaning windows and mirrors might not be all entertainment and glory but let’s face it – making up your own potions is loads of fun. Put the positive thinking inside of your head and use hacks listed by
me to get clean results fast.
Do not forget to do the chore regularly if you do not wish to meet another spring in Singapore, thinking just how many days it will take to make all glass surfaces clean again.
