You may have spotted the shaving foam hack for keeping your bathroom mirrors steam-free that's doing the rounds over on TikTok – but it turns out, experts actually advise against using it for health and safety reasons.
The handy trick has been circulating on the social media app for years now, but has resurfaced recently with new users discovering how to use shaving cream (yes, really!) in order to keep their bathroom mirrors fog-free.
However, experts are suggesting that actually, it could be causing mould and condensation elsewhere in your bathroom – and in fact, it might even lead to other dangers too. Here's why an expert doesn't recommend this specific shaving foam cleaning hack.
What is the hack for steam-free bathroom mirrors?
We've all been there; you've just got out of the shower and want to look in the mirror to start getting yourself ready for the day, but it's still steamy and fogged-up from the shower.
The hack apparently has the solution to this – cleaning and DIY TikTokers suggest rubbing a small amount of shaving cream, or hand soap, into your mirror before a shower or bath (enough to cover the mirror's surface).
The videos then explain that you should use a squeegee, or a microfibre cloth to clean the excess product off your mirror. The idea is that the film of product on the surface prevents that condensation from forming.
All seems pretty harmless, right?
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Well, according to bathroom expert from Bathroom Supastore, Evan Jones, it might not actually be one of the best bathroom mirror ideas.
He explained that while it does work, and may be helpful, by not allowing steam to form on your mirrors, you are inadvertently causing that condensation to go elsewhere in your bathroom.
'The hack does work, and your bathroom mirror will be steam free so that you can get ready without having to keep cleaning steam off the mirror,' says Evan. 'That being said, the best way to keep your mirror steam free is to minimise condensation in the bathroom.'
'One of the problems I have with this hack is that although it keeps the mirror steam free, it doesn't get rid of the condensation. and the water that would have been on the mirror will settle elsewhere. This water can cause dampness that allows mould to form. You are far safer using an extractor fan, rather than rubbing soap on your mirrors.'
Not only that, but Evan also argues that the hack is pretty time-consuming for a result that won't actually last all that long.
'These solutions are only temporary and typically last for less than a week. The effort of covering your mirror with soap, buffing it out and then starting the whole process a few days later is the cheapest option, but it is also the most time-consuming.'
'If you are really fed up with fog and want to know how to get rid of damp, turn on your extractor fan, or, purchase a heated bathroom mirror, which can be great.'
The bathroom expert also advises that constantly rubbing at your mirror in this way may cause it to loosen from its fixing, which could be dangerous. As well as that, it could also mean you need to clean your mirror much more often, to remove any stains and smudges that remain; and we'd rather not add to our list of weekly cleaning chores if we can avoid it!
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