The Mistake That's Leaving Streaks On Your Mirror Even After Cleaning

Sick of seeing streaks whenever you clean your bathroom mirror? You might be making a common mistake that causes these marks to stay even after you've sprayed and wiped them away. Several TikTok accounts have created videos explaining that your bathroom lights could be the culprit behind streaky glass, and their reasoning is simple yet groundbreaking. You see, after you spray glass cleaner on your cloth or surface, the warmth produced by your bathroom lights — especially those around the mirror — begins to dry the product, evaporating it before you can wipe it away. This is why turning off your lights before cleaning will leave surfaces streak-free.

Lightbulbs around the house emit heat — not enough to do any damage when left on for a few hours, but leaving lamps on all day or night still produces quite a bit of heat over time. When you're using liquid cleaning products around light bulbs, chances are the heat will cause the moisture to evaporate. Since you're not using a lot of liquid, this happens quickly when you spray the product onto a mirror, especially if it's surrounded by light bulbs. While clever hacks like using tea bags to clean your mirror will help with streaks, this simple solution will help them stay that way with your cleaner of choice.

To avoid streaky surfaces, make sure any lights around your mirror are turned off. If you want to wait for a few seconds to let the bulbs cool completely, you can do so before spraying on your cleaner. The less heat present to dry up your solution, the better chance of getting it all off as you wipe away splash stains and other detritus. Apply your glass cleaner or an all-natural mirror cleaner if you prefer, then wipe it away with a clean microfiber cloth using one side to remove the spray and flipping it over to buff out any leftover marks.

Some people even recommend using newspaper to clean your mirrors, because the texture is durable yet grainy, which gives it the ability to clean, buff, and polish. Whatever product you choose to use, avoid annoying streaks by trying this clever hack — after all, you only need to flip a switch and your mirrors will be clearer than ever before.