Are your bathroom mirrors starting to lose their appeal? Are you noticing unpleasant black shapes appearing around the edges of your mirror? You are not alone! In fact, if your home is over ten years old, there is a high probability that you are facing this same issue as many other homeowners.
It’s the Dreaded De-silvering Disease… but fear not, it’s not really a disease and there is a fast and easy cure for your bathroom mirror blues. MirrorChic has the formula to make your bathroom mirrors attractive again.
What is De-silvering?
To better understand what de-silvering is, let’s first talk about how a mirror is made.
In modern mirror production, the process of mirror silvering involves a series of chemical reactions using silver nitrate, ammonia, Rochelle salts and distilled water, all being brought to a boil, mixed and then poured over highly polished glass as a thin, but perfect, coating. As the metal cools down it clings to the surface evenly. The back surface of the mirror is then painted to prevent damage to the metal coating. The glass used must be polished to perfection as any impurities would cause waves in the mirror, which would cause distortion to the image that is reflected back.
When mirrors start to desilver, it is because of a combination of repeated exposure to high moisture along with toxic cleaning chemicals that strip away the protective coating of paint on the back of the mirror, the paint that protects the metal coating. The desilvering is the chemical reaction to the metal now exposed to the moisture and oxygen in the air. This results in the jagged, blackened “cloud” of markings along the edges of a once-beautiful mirror that begins to look dated, dirty and dingy in an otherwise clean and well-functioning bathroom. So, what can be done about this “Dreaded De-silver Disease”?
Once the de-silvering process has started it cannot be stopped.. but it can be slowed down! When you clean your mirrors, spray your glass cleaner on the cleaning rag, NOT directly on the mirror. This will prevent “excess” cleaner from being wiped over the edges of the mirror and further creating chemical reactions. With no “new” introductions of cleaner to the back of the mirror, the desilvering will take decades to advance much further.
The trend for treating de-silvering is not the replacement of the mirror, but rather to refresh it with a beautifully designed frame instead. Home experts agree, with the popularity of DIY and a greater focus on being more Eco-friendly, why wouldn’t a homeowner want to repurpose and reuse their mirror?
Easy Bathroom Mirror Frames – DIY Made Easier
DIY, or Do-it-Yourself, is a great way to go. But the reality is: it can be time consuming and require the right tools and skill set. Yes, you can find some cheap wood at your local home improvement shop, do your measuring, cut the frame, paint it, assemble it, and figure a way to attach it… if you have eight or more hours to spend and are skilled at using a miter saw, and chair rail moulding is acceptable to you as a frame, this could be a route for you to take. But let’s look at another option as well.
The beauty of MirrorChic is that they’ve chosen only top-quality, designer frame options, the same frame material you could buy at a high end picture framing shop (but for 3 times what MirrorChic sells the same frame style for and it is not rated for moisture locations like a MirrorChic frame). Plus, they make their frames in easy to assemble & install DIY kits that take only 30 minutes to install! “MirrorChic’s mirror frames are specifically designed to press directly onto an existing mirror while still on the wall…” said Chief Operations Officer, Hunter Fitzgerald. “It will immediately cover most de-silvered edges and upgrade the look of the entire bathroom as well.” Now that truly is DIY made easier!
MirrorChic Frames are Eco-Friendly and Fast!
So most people don’t know that a wall-mounted mirror is typically glued in place and very difficult to remove. A lot of these mirrors crack or shatter and pose safety dangers when they are being removed. And then there’s the subsequent disposal of the mirror… usually ending up in a landfill. Not the most Eco-friendly option! Plus, it’s time consuming to remove that mirror and repair the wall behind it.
For a faster, cleaner option to your bathroom mirror makeover, you can choose from a variety of frame options from the MirrorChic website. Then, you send your measurements and other pertinent details about the job straight from the site. In less than a week, you’ll have a gorgeous frame for your mirror. Worried about installation? Don’t be. It’s easy and fast and there is a fantastic how-to video to show you just how simple installation can be.
Ready for your bathroom mirror makeover? Check out the gallery of photos here to give you an idea of the possibilities. You’ll love the end-result…and improve the value of your home too!
Guest Post By Camille A.
