Bathroom Mirrors

Okay, let’s face it. What is a bathroom without a mirror in it? One of the most common fixtures in bathrooms worldwide, next to the toilet, is the mirror. We use the mirror for so many reasons, that it is a necessity and not just an option for bathrooms everywhere. Have you ever tried brushing your teeth without it? Even worse is trying to get a clean shave without seeing where the razor blade is going or applying makeup without seeing where you are placing the eye shadow and the lipstick. As under-rated as the mirror may be, it is indeed needed for the bathroom to function the way it is supposed to.

A mirror is a plane of glass that has a very thin aluminum sheet attached to it, with the reflective side being viewed from the other side of the glass and the back of the aluminum sheet being painted black to stop or prevent corrosion to the metal.

Mirrors do not only function as a reflective surface for the bathroom user to see himself while doing his daily toilet rituals. They can also be used as a decorative piece of furniture along with its being a fundamental part of the bathroom. Along with its ornamental uses, mirrors have also been used to enlarge an otherwise small room by creating the illusion of a bigger space via its reflective properties.

Bathroom mirrors come in variations in size, shape and reflective capabilities as well as with certain added functions to it, like the mirror with built in lights or the rather unfashionable yet very useful medicine cabinet. Medicine cabinets, one of the most common types of mirrors used in bathrooms, are usually rectangular in shape with a door that opens to reveal some shelf-like spaces inside to store basic bathroom and even non-bathroom items.

Bathroom mirrors are often placed right above the bathroom sink, which makes it useful for shaving and for brushing one’s teeth, since both actions require the use of running water. While the standard or most commonly used bathroom mirror shape is the rectangular kind, there are actually quite a lot of shapes and designs to choose from.

Since a mirror can be used as a design element to further enhance how any room in a house looks, this same concept can also be held true in the case of bathrooms. Bathroom mirrors now come with designs that can be described as contemporary, modern, ornate, country or may even come frameless.

They can also have frames that are finished in brass, stainless-steel, designer hand-painted and even marble. The choices made by the person purchasing the mirror often depending on its suitability to the bathroom décor that it is supposed to be incorporated in.

As for sizing, bathroom mirrors may come in the small sizes that are usually placed on vanity tables or bathroom sink counter-tops and the bigger wall mounted mirrors that can show half to full body views of the person. The smaller mirrors usually come with their own stand and are often two sided, with the one side displaying regular reflective properties and the other side showing a magnified reflection. The bigger, wall mounted mirrors are screwed or attached to the wall of choice in the bathroom.

Prices for these mirrors also depend on their size, shape, finish and functionality. With prices ranging from as low as $20.00 to as high as a few thousand dollars, a person’s reflection can be seen in as cheap or as expensive a reflective device as one might purchase.

One problem that bathroom mirrors and their users often face is the misting up of these things, thereby clouding up the person’s reflection. This problem can be solved by using heated mirrors or mirror defoggers. These fog-free mirrors use a built in heated pad to keep the glass from misting up and need to be connected to an electrical outlet or wired into a wall switch for easier usage.

While there are ready made heated mirrors available in the market, converting your existing bathroom mirror into a fog-free version can be achieved by placing a heating pad at the back of this. Installation instructions often come with the purchase of these defoggers but may need a little help from authorized personnel to get them done, depending upon local building and electrical installation codes in your area.

Another factor to consider in converting your ordinary bathroom mirror into a heated one is to make sure that, before you adhere the heating pad to the back of the glass, that it is dirt and grease free to ensure proper adhesion. 

As with any electrical installation procedures, utmost care must be exercised both in creating your own self-defogging mirror and installing it or a ready-made heated one into your bathroom. Getting a professional to do this might be safer since you might run the risk of electrocution or breaking the glass in the process.