I tried this $1.29 shaving foam cleaning hack to make my mirrors shine – and the results were seriously impressive

Aubergine eggplant bathroom with white bath, sink, side table, shiplap walls, shelving, towel storage, Farrow & Ball .

I like to think I'm on top of keeping my bathroom clean – polishing faucets, managing mold and dusting surfaces regularly for a sanitized sanctuary.

That being said, I am always on the lookout for ways to make getting the job done easier, cheaper, and quicker, so when I stumbled across a viral hack for cleaning your mirrors with shaving foam, I couldn't wait to give it a try.

With such a wealth of cleaning tips available online, I was understandably wary before getting started – but my bathroom mirrors have never looked better.

I tried this $1.29 cleaning hack to make my mirrors shine

While I know how to clean a bathroom, I do struggle with knowing how to clean a mirror without streaks, but, to be honest, I was confused why this hack would work. Shaving foam isn't a product I generally associate with cleaning at all, let alone for cleaning a mirror.

After a little research, though, I found out that, as shaving foam contains surfacants, it is effective for cleaning, as these work to break down dirt and grime, and other common stains, such as toothpaste.

So, armed with this knowledge and hope that it could indeed work, I got started.

What you'll need

• Shaving foam: I used a foaming shave gel from Bulldog that I already had at home, but I've just found this bestselling Gillette Foamy Regular Shaving Foam available at Amazon which I'm sure works just as well, and it's only $1.29.
• A cloth: I used a J cloth like the Clorox Handi Wipes Multi-Use Reusable Cloths available at Amazon, but you could also use a microfiber cloth such as the MR.SIGA Microfiber Cleaning Cloths available at Walmart.

How to clean your mirrors with shaving foam

Step 1: Apply the foam

I squirted shaving foam onto my mirror (Image credit: Ottilie Blackhall / Future)

First things first, apply your shaving foam to your mirror. I sprayed it directly onto the mirror, and then spread it using a clean cloth for an even application.

This did result in some shaving foam dropping onto my sink below, but this was easy enough to wipe off, and actually got rid of water stains from my faucets, making them shiny. Bonus!

Step 2: Wait

Once my mirror was fully covered in shaving foam, I waited for 20 seconds whilst it did its magic (Image credit: Ottilie Blackhall / Future)

Then, wait for around 20 seconds to allow the shaving foam to sit on your mirror and work its magic.

Step 3. Wipe

I then wiped the foam away with a clean J cloth (Image credit: Ottilie Blackhall / Future)

Next, it was time for the grand reveal. I think you're actually supposed to use a dry cloth for this, but as I only had one, I rinsed it with cold water after each wipe.

I was worried this might be a mirror cleaning mistake that would leave my mirror streaky, but actually it just took a little more perseverance. I repeated until all the shaving foam had been removed, and then carefully dried off any excess water with a soft towel, to avoid a smudged look could curtail my hard work.

My mirror was wet from my cloth but very clean (Image credit: Ottilie Blackhall / Future)

My verdict

After drying my mirror, I was seriously impressed (Image credit: Ottilie Blackhall / Future)

Ta da! From start to finish, this process took eight minutes – which is reason enough to give it a go.

Asides from that, my mirror generally looked incredibly good, without any water marks, stains, lint or streaks, so I will definitely be making it a regular part of my 15-minute bathroom cleaning and organizing routine. It's a perfect method for anyone trying to clean a bathroom in 30 minutes or less.

FAQs

Why does shaving foam clean mirrors so well?

While I was aware of how shaving foam works to clean before trying this hack, I was eager to know just why it works quite so well.

It turns out that shaving foam contains active ingredients that are very similar to those used in soap, meaning a can is effectively a can of whipped, foamy soap.

As it's made for skin, it's also gentle on all surfaces, but always test it out on a small area first, to avoid any irreparable damage. You can also make use of this budget-friendly hack to clean bathroom floors without chemicals too, and it's even suitable for cleaning grout.

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I love testing cleaning hacks, and recently tried Stanley Tucci's unusual method for cleaning a chopping board – which restored my old one to a near new condition.