Defog Your Bathroom Mirror In 30 Seconds
December 16, 2009 at 12:22 am Chad Upton 14 comments
You’re running late, so you try to have a quick shower. Then you get out of the shower and the mirror is foggy. That means you can’t do your mirror activities (shaving, hair, makeup…etc). Forget wiping it with a towel, that leaves a lot of streaks and the mirror will still be a bit foggy.
The secret to defogging your mirror quickly, without any streaks: use a hairdryer. Set both the heat and blower on high and aim at the mirror directly in front of your face. In 30 seconds, the hot air will perfectly clear a big enough space to get you back on track.
If you’ve ever stayed in a fancy hotel, you may have noticed that part of the mirror never fogs up. These hotels have a mirror heater installed behind the mirror so it never fogs up.
There are some sites that claim wiping foam shaving cream on windows keeps them fog free, but I haven’t confirmed this. Please comment if you’ve tried it. You can also buy Rain-X anti-fog for your bathroom mirror or car windshield from amazon.
Broken Secrets
Written By: Chad Upton
[available on Kindle]
Photo: add1sun (Creative Commons)
Entry filed under: Around The House, Automotive, Be Efficient, ProTips. Tags: anti-fog, antifog, bathroom, broken, brokensecrets, defog, fog, foggy, heater, mirror, rain-x, rainx, secret, window.
Broken Secrets 
1.
Jen Alien-Spouse | December 18, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I keep a squeegee in the bathroom to de-fog the mirror, and I also use it when I’m cleaning the shower to prevent streaks.
2.
Chad | December 22, 2009 at 9:53 am
That’s a great tip Jen, and it’s probably faster than the hair dryer. Also, if you’re in a hotel then there will definitely be a hair dryer and probably not a squeegee. So, I hope people use and remember both tips!
3.
Lucky Eye | January 26, 2010 at 10:39 pm
I have a squeegee too!
4.
Jessica | December 28, 2009 at 1:39 am
the shaving cream thing worked for me when I tried it. I forgot how long it lasted, maybe a couple weeks?
5.
Jen | January 26, 2010 at 12:18 pm
It’s true! I use a variation on this method. I have a small heater/fan that I place on the counter and aim toward the mirror. When my shower’s over the mirror is all clear, and the entire bathroom is less foggy to boot. Plus it warms up the air for when I get out. :)
6.
Chad Upton | January 26, 2010 at 8:39 pm
That’s a great idea jen, thanks for sharing your secret!
7.
Lucky Eye | January 26, 2010 at 10:41 pm
And I have ANOTHER variation. If your bathroom has the built in fan on the ceiling, you could use that. And it takes , like, a minute.
8.
vix | May 6, 2010 at 12:43 am
Just rub a bit of soap on the mirror and wipe off. works well and lasts for a while
9.
Mithun Kumar | June 20, 2010 at 9:53 am
I just use a cotton cloth (like my to-be-washed underwear) to wipe off the fog on the mirror. Takes less than 5 secs!
10.
Chad Upton | June 20, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Yes, I mentioned that option… but the hairdryer gets it completely fog free with no streaks.
11.
Amanda | July 21, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Just remember to keep the hairdryer moving while you defog the mirror – I have cracked a mirror from overheating one spot doing exactly this. :(
12.
Mfree | August 22, 2011 at 12:22 am
Spray WD-40 onto your shower glass and mirrors. It is a water repellant and works very well. Why spend time trying to dry your mirror when you can prevent it from steaming up in the first place…
13.
mumbaimerijaan | September 30, 2013 at 3:40 am
I know I am replying to a very old post, but I would like to share my thoughts on this.
Pour a mug of very Hot water directly on the mirror slowly. This is the fastest way to clear it up, and moreover it will stay defogged for around 30 minutes (approx.), enough time to complete your shaving/bathing :)
14.
alan | January 10, 2015 at 3:01 pm
I’m a professional window cleaner. I tried the shaving cream thing…. IT DOES NOT WORK. I applied shaving cream onto my bathroom mirror three times. Wiped it off using a clean dry cloth. Took a shower… Mirror was foggy. So unless someone is using some very special shaving cream, that theory is BULLSHIT.