What is the best and continually way to get rid of steam and fog on a mirror? The picture below is what I mean:
Image from: vivaitalianmovies.com
In the past, I've tried using soap and toothpaste on the mirror and it worked only 4-5 minutes then I needed to do it over and over. So I think it's not a good method to get rid of these steams.
The fog is because the mirror surface temperature is below the dew point of the air in the room. That leads to two obvious approaches:
Increase the mirror surface temperature, that is, get a heated mirror.
Decrease the dew point (humidity) of the air in the room. For example, if its a bathroom mirror, turn on the bathroom exhaust fan during your shower. This will also help prevent mold growth in the bathroom.
And, the quick fix... wipe it off with a clean towel, or remove it with a blow dryer. This works once you've got the humidity down a little.
If you have one available you can use a blow-dryer. It's a clever, simple solution to a common problem. Pretty neat!
Here are some methods I use:
Before you shower, wipe some shaving cream onto your bathroom mirror. It will keep it from fogging up so you don’t have to wait to get to work with your toiletries or shaving after you get out of the shower.
For me this works really well. Here is how it works:
Dave - In some senses, it doesn’t actually stop it steaming up. Steam is lots of little droplets of water. When the light hits it, the light gets bent and so you get a very distorted image which, when you move away from it, just looks like a kind of mist. What the shaving foam does: there are lots of detergents in it and those detergents reduce the surface tension of the film of water so it doesn’t form lots of little droplets. It just forms a big flat sheet that you can see through much better, so you can see through it even though the water is still condensing.
Ben - So there’s literally the same amount of water there; it’s just a change in the structure of the water. So why do the droplets make it so hard to see things?
Dave - Because water has quite a high refractive index - when light hits it, it bends. If it hits this curved surface of a droplet, each one basically acts as a little tiny lens, light is bounced off in all sorts of different directions and makes it looks essentially white. This breaks up the image and makes it look misty.
1 quart spray bottle
2 tbsp. household ammonia
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
3 drops dish soap
1). Pour 2 tbsp. of ammonia, 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol and three drops dish soap into a 1 quart bottle.
2). Fill the bottle with tap water, tilting the bottle while filling to minimize suds.
3). Screw on the spray mechanism tightly to avoid leakage. Your anti-fog glass cleaner is now ready to use in the same manner as a store bought glass cleaner.
For me this works up to 10 minutes and works on glass lenses for glasses, as well. This works better if you apply several coats and can also be used for cleaning the glass.
Creating a 50-50 solution of vinegar and water will also do the trick. Instead of buying a mirror cleaner like Windex, which has a ton of chemicals inside, you can use this all-natural cleaner instead.
Simply pour a cup of water and a cup of vinegar into an old spray bottle, add a drop or two of dishwashing soap and spray. Wipe the mirror with a towel and the glass should stay steam-proof for a few days.
Vinegar does have an odor, but it should go away within an hour. You can also add lemon juice for a fresh smelling bathroom.
Also using blow dryers are suppose to be:
if you forgot or don't feel like applying anything to your mirror, you can use a blow dryer to quickly eliminate the water from your mirrors.
Is there a technique to make a shower mirror fog-free?:
This Q&A has a lot of methods, that can be bought.
Some methods for making these products more effective are:
Turn a fan on while you shower.
Take your mirror down while you shower and put a towel over it. Wait 5 minutes after a shower, and then put it back up. Or apply the towel while it stands up.
Also, using thicker products like shaving cream and makes them stay longer. Soap with the water in the air can wash off.
Putting warm objects on the mirror works, as well.
Additional Info and things I don't know work
Prevent your bathroom mirror from steaming up after your next hot shower. Apply a small amount of car paste wax to the mirror, let it dry, and buff with a soft cloth. Next time you step out of the shower, you’ll be able to see your face in the mirror immediately. Rub the wax on bathroom fixtures to prevent water spots too.
Using a light coating of dishwashing liquid can also do the trick. Place a few droplets of soap onto your palm and add water. Wipe this soapy hand across the face of the mirror and then wipe clean with a paper towel. Voilà.
Mirror should remain clear for about a day; then you can simply repeat the process. Using this method is also handy for creeping out other shower users. Simply lather your hands in soap, write your message and wipe.
From LifeHacker.com KeithS Comments:
Actually, dish detergent is better than bath soap because it doesn't leave a soap scum film.
Walker Answers:
A good ventilation fan to remove the steam is the first step. Then you need a heated mirror, or you can try to put a floor heating mat behind the mirror. If the mirror is warmer than the tiles, most condensation will form on the tiles rather then mirror.
Put heating cable behind the mirror. It will keep the mirror at a higher temperature than the air, so no condensation can occur. Works like a charm!
Described here.
The mirror is fogging up (and will keep fogging up) because the air in the bathroom is warm and humid, and the mirror is a nice, cool place to condense on. Get rid of the warm water in the air! After you get out of the shower, run the shower on cold for a little while; it will cool down the air, and the humidity will condense in the cooled-off inside of the shower instead of your mirror. The mirror will slowly unfog as the moisture evaporates, and it will help condensation from re-occuring if you wipe it off.
The simplest way I have found to keep my bathroom mirrors fog free is to rub a white candle all around the glass and then polish it in with a soft cloth. The wax makes any moisture bead up and roll away.
What you are looking for would be an anti-fog window cleaner. The chemical agents within the cleaner prevent condensation which in turn creates "fog" on a window or glass surface.
This is a nice wiki-how dedicated to making your own should you not want to purchase any.
I just use a window squeegee. Five seconds and the mirror is dry. Fits nicely below the sink.
Keep a space heater on underneath the mirror. Make sure it's on before you start showering.
This is in some ways a variant of the blow dryer answers.
Take a cold shower.
In addition to avoiding steaming up the mirror, research has found it will increase your metabolism and make it easier to burn off any extra caloric intake you might be indulging in from time to time:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/154168-how-to-lose-weight-with-cold-showers/
Plus, you avoid the temptation to waste extra minutes, which for a busy person (as many of us are), is also a boon.
