Thread: Steamed up mirror solution

Hello everyone, just a quick post about a solution I found for stopping my shaving mirror steaming up when shaving. Normally I shave after I have showered but find keeping my mirror clear can be a pain. What I found is that if I run my face cloth under the hot tap and wash the mirror with the hot cloth it stops the mirror from fogging. I apply the face cloth to the mirror three or four times and hold it against the mirror to warm up the glass and then dry it off, works a charm for me. Just thought I would share . Has anybody got any other methods for keeping your mirror clear?

Physics rocks, doesn't it! That's an awesome tip Kenneth. I usually open the window and that takes care of it within 30 seconds, but this is better and it's more fun. (yes, I'm a geek and proud of it LOL)

I've seen products they sell for just that purpose. I don't remember the specifics but they are out there. They also sell mirrors that are not supposed to fog up.

Originally Posted by kenneth

Has anybody got any other methods for keeping your mirror clear?

Join the Polar Bear/Cold Water Shaving/James Bond Shower/Dark Side of the Moon....
Never have a problem with the mirror fogging up.

Do use a warm/hot final rinse followed by an ice-water towel...

Now if I could just learn how to shave without a mirror...

Originally Posted by MJC

Join the Polar Bear/Cold Water Shaving/James Bond Shower/Dark Side of the Moon....
Never have a problem with the mirror fogging up.

Do use a warm/hot final rinse followed by an ice-water towel...

Now if I could just learn how to shave without a mirror...

Agreed on most points, but why the warm/hot final rinse?

Just scribble a thin S on a mirror with the corner of a piece of bar soap. Polish out the soap S with a cloth so you can't see it and that should eleminate fogging. A quick swipe with some soap lather and then just squegeeing it off with the edge of your hand should do it as well, if it's just a small shaving mirror.

Yes, the mirror still technically fogs up... it's caused by the mirrors lower temperature bringing the moist air down to the dew point and the water condenses on the surface in small droplets. The very small amount of soap on the glass causes the water droplets (fog on the glass) to loose it's surface tension thus allowing the droplets to spread out into a thin layer of moisture on the glass so you can see clearly.

This treatment needs to be repeated regularly as the moisture eventually washes the minor amount of soap off the mirror surface, allowing dew droplets to form again.

Regards

Kaptain "Better Shaving through chemistry and physics" Zero

Originally Posted by Srdjan

Agreed on most points, but why the warm/hot final rinse?

For some reason it is easier to clear the accumulation of lather out of the Mo with warm water, but that may just be my habit.

I clear the lather off of the blade by stropping off on my (non-dominate) forearm, and can get through the normal 2 pass + touch up shave with the spent lather on my arm and switching the razor between hands. So I do not have water running while I shave.

Then I turn the tap on (warm/hot) clear the later off of my forearm using the spine of the razor and rinsing under the faucet - the only time I do this at any time, and my goal is to rinse and heat the blade to promote drying. (I have razordinkaphobia)

While the sink is partially filling with warm/hot I tend to the razor (square of TP to dry (carefully) store in a silicon sleeve until I can strop & oil in another room)
That warm water in the sink is what I use with a washcloth to clear the lather out of my ears and Mo...

And in the end, it's all very YMMV and "It's your razor and your face"

The whole shaving with a straight razor can get you to challenge yourself.

Used to think that face lathering was crazy, now I can't remember doing it any other way.

Cold water shaving? are you out of your mind? - now I can't get over how much better it goes.

Stropping the lather off on my forearm is the latest change, yet another "why didn't I try this three years ago?"

Enjoy the journey and know that you are amongst friends...

Smooth Shaving..

Hahaha I do the same, with stropping the lather off on my hand/forearm and cleaning it off with the spine later, warm water to rinse the razor, square or 2 of toilet paper to dry it, yes, of course! I have to say, I don't go as far as the silicon sleeve though.. and probably won't oil my razors after every shave.

Cold water? Yes sir, but not always (I like the feeling of warm is all), but I do know that it helps me with minor nicks - another one thanks to physics, albeit that of the human body.

I like your method a lot and I, too, am particularly picky about saving water where I can. Funny to speak about that in a wetshaving forum, but, there it is....

OP, sorry about the off-topic bits!

On topic, I wouldn't put soap on my mirror in my current bathroom setup, but I've done it in hotels (shame on me!). It leaves soap stains that someone has to clean up later and I am not big on cleaning, unless absolutely necessary. You know, a typical male......

Originally Posted by kenneth

Hello everyone, just a quick post about a solution I found for stopping my shaving mirror steaming up when shaving. Normally I shave after I have showered but find keeping my mirror clear can be a pain. What I found is that if I run my face cloth under the hot tap and wash the mirror with the hot cloth it stops the mirror from fogging. I apply the face cloth to the mirror three or four times and hold it against the mirror to warm up the glass and then dry it off, works a charm for me. Just thought I would share . Has anybody got any other methods for keeping your mirror clear?

Take less time in the shower.

I just plug in the hair dryer. 20 seconds or so is all it takes to clear my mirror, and my mirror is 29" x 46"(2' 5"x 3' 10").