Care and Cleaning of Acrylic Mirrors
Care and Cleaning of Acrylic Mirrors
You will find that it pays to take measures to preserve your
acrylic mirror. These are a few guidelines to ensure your
acrylic mirror lasts the test of time.
Dusting: Dust with soft, damp cloth or chamois and wipe
gently.
Washing: Wash with a mild soap or detergent and lukewarm
water solution. Use a clean, soft cloth or sponge and as much
solution as possible. Rinse well. Dry by blotting with a damp
cloth or chamois. DO NOT USE window cleaning fluids scouring
compounds, gritty cloths, leaded or ethyl gasolines or strong
solvents such as alcohol, acetone, carbon tetrachloride, etc. To
remove tar, grease, paint, etc, use a good grade of naphtha or
kerosene.
Polishing: A periodic waxing with a good grade of
automobile paste wax (not a cleaner-wax combination) will
protect the surface and maintain its lustre. Apply a thin even
coating of wax with a soft clean cloth. Buff lightly with a
clean cotton cloth. After polishing, wipe with a clean, damp
cloth to ground any electrostatic charges which may attract dust
particles.
Anti-Static Coatings: These coatings successfully prevent
the accumulation of electrostatic charge (similar to that
experienced with nylon and wool carpets) for several months.
Between applications of the anti-static coatings, you need only
to dust with a soft cloth or chamois.
Scratch Removal: Like beautiful wood or silver, acrylic
can be scratched. This can usually be removed by waxing (see
polishing). Deeper scratches can be removed by sanding lightly
with a 400 grit 'wet or dry' sand paper and buffing with clean
muslin.
Please note acrylic will withstand severe shock without
breaking, its gem-like surface lustre may be marred by careless
handling. Just as you would take pride in caring for silver or
wood, you will find it pays to take the simple precautions above
to preserve your acrylic mirror.