The Way To Mist-Free Mirrors

Having good bathroom mirrors is a must, although of course attitudes towards them vary.

On the one hand, there are those who have a high opinion of their physiques, and are very happy to admire them in their full length. That might come as the result of a lot of working out in the gym, on the exercise bike, or just by pounding the streets, and in such circumstances it can be very rewarding to have a look and see how much progress has been made through efforts to get fitter.

Indeed, it is safe to say those who actually make a success of the inevitable new year’s resolution to get in shape will have good reason to use such a mirror. For others, however, seeing themselves in the mirror, whatever their physique, and admiring it is an act of self-love. 

Others may be a little less keen on what they see, or simply regard mirrors as a functional thing. In this instance, larger mirrors are likely to be eschewed in favour of something much smaller for use in practical elements like facial care activities such as makeup and shaving.

Whatever category you and your household members fall into, a mirror will still be an important element of your bathroom. However, with that comes an obvious problem - steam. Having stepped out of the bath or shower, your image will be invisible behind the translucent but opaque layer of condensed water vapour.

It may seem simple enough to wipe it down, although this does not leave the glass totally dry and means the mirror can still convey a slightly distorted image. Moreover, this will be no small task with a big mirror. 

This is where mirror demisters can come into their own. Attached at the back of a mirror, these 100 Watt electrical items consist of a piece of self-adhesive film that stick to the back of a mirror. They conduct the electrical current to generate heat and therefore cause the moisture that might otherwise cling to the mirror to evaporate.  

Mirrors, windows and other glass items mist up because glass does not hold heat for long and when the air around it gets warmer - as steam rising from a shower will be - the effect is for the vapour to cool rapidly when it hits the glass, causing condensation as the vapour cools rapidly and becomes liquid again.

If you wear glasses, you may be familiar with this effect if you have been outside in the cold and then enter a warm building with humid air, at which point your glasses will steam up. 

By heating the mirror, you can ensure it is no longer prone to steaming up as the mirror glass will not be cooler than the air, so the vapour will not be able to condense into water again. Indeed, it may seem like this was such a simple idea that one will wonder why they hadn’t thought of it before. 

Of course, in a bathroom this doesn’t matter too much with other glass, especially the windows, which are often frosted by design to preserve the modesty of those inside! Moreover, bathrooms usually have tiles rather than wallpaper so that more consequential effects of condensation, such as mould, do not take hold.

While some might imagine it is no great hardship to wipe a mirror clean, a demister is useful not only when there is nothing close to hand. It also has a great practical use too. Imagine you have climbed out of the shower to clean the misty mirror only to see shampoo bubbles all over one side of your head and have to then climb back in to wash them off. 

At the same time, it is luxurious item that, among other things, can impress visitors who come to stay and find they can see themselves much more easily when they come to use the bathroom. 

Indeed, it is worth considering just how simple and effective such a device can be in making your bathroom seem much more of a special place. Of course, you could install one as part of a major makeover of the whole room, but if you have a smaller budget or don’t want to make the bigger changes until a more convenient time, it can also be effective in the here and now at a low cost. 

Once you have a de-mister fitted, you will find using mirrors easy and convenient, whether this is simply a practical thing or an avenue for self-admiration.  

 What is a mirror demister and how does it work? | Thermogroup

What causes condensation and how to stop it | AXA UK