How to Clean a Mirror with Toothpaste (Yes, it does work!)

Toothpaste? You read that right! Does it actually work though?

After I found out that some people cleaned their mirrors with toothpaste, I decided to give it a try.

So, how do you clean a mirror with toothpaste? You put a little bit of toothpaste on the mirror and then use a microfiber cloth to clean it using circular motions. Then use a clean cloth to clean off any remaining toothpaste.

See below for step by step instructions and a video at the end for a visual demonstration.

What You Need:

Step 1 – Pretreat Mirror

Get one of your microfiber cloths damp and wipe down mirror. You don’t need much water.

If you need microfiber cloths, click HERE to check out my favorite ones on Amazon.

Step 2 – Put Toothpaste on Mirror

Use a small glob of toothpaste – about the size of a penny.

Dab it in several places around the mirror. Don’t put it all in one spot or it will be really hard to spread.

Make sure you don’t use toothpaste that has gel in it because it will leave a residue on your mirror! You’ll want to use just regular white toothpaste.

If you need toothpaste, click HERE to see my favorite on Amazon.

Step 3 – Buff Mirror Using Microfiber Cloth

Toothpaste is a little hard to spread, so you have to really work at it.

Do the best you can and add a little bit of water to your cloth to make it a little easier.

You will want to use circular motions as you buff the toothpaste off your mirror to prevent streaks from forming.

Depending on the type of mirror you’re cleaning, you’ll want to hold onto your mirror so that it doesn’t move. Most of the mirrors in my home are hanging on a nail and not mounted to the wall. So, I use one hand to spread the toothpaste over the mirror and the other hand to hold the mirror so it doesn’t fall off the nail.

Step 4 – Use Clean Cloth to Remove Residue

Don’t be surprised if there is a little residue left over. Just grab a clean microfiber cloth and with big circular motions, clean any toothpaste residue off your mirror.

Get your cloth a little wet to get your mirror completely clean.

If you need a microfiber cloths, click HERE to check out my favorite ones on Amazon.

How Does Toothpaste Clean Mirrors?

Usually we are trying to get toothpaste off mirrors instead of putting it on them! But, the reason why using toothpaste actually cleans your mirrors is because of the use of surfactants. What are surfactants? This is what allows your toothpaste to scrub all that plaque and food out of your teeth.

When cleaning a mirror, it helps scrub off all the little specs of dirt, dried toothpaste, and finger prints.

Toothpaste is made to be just abrasive enough to clean your teeth, but not scratch them. So, that’s why it makes a great cleaner for mirrors because any cleaner that is too abrasive will end up scratching your mirror.

Other Benefits to Cleaning Mirrors With Toothpaste

  1. Inexpensive Cleaner – Toothpaste isn’t expensive, so it’s a cheap cleaner to use on mirrors.
  2. Prevents Bathroom Mirrors from Getting Cloudy – During showers, bathroom cleaners often get cloudy from the steam. If you clean your bathroom mirrors with toothpaste, then they won’t do that!
  3. Convenient – If you’re in the bathroom and you notice that your mirror is dirty, then you can just grab the toothpaste and clean your mirror.

More Resources

Watch my “how to” video:

Other Ways to Clean Mirrors

There are lots of effective ways to clean a mirror, so I wrote about them! Check out the below list.

  1. Just Water
  2. Shaving Cream
  3. Baking Soda
  4. Vinegar
  5. Lemon Juice
  6. Hydrogen Peroxide

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