Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
How to Refinish a Mirror
Clean the frame of the mirror with Murphy's Oil soap and a clean rag. Scrub any detailed areas as needed to loosen dirt and tough grime. Clean the mirror with glass cleaner, repeating if areas are particularly dirty. Examine the mirror again to decide if the piece needs to be refinished.
Take the mirror outside or into a well ventilated room such as a bathroom with a fan and open window and door. Working in small sections at a time, use the steel wool to apply small amounts of furniture refinishing product to the frame. While the refinishing product will remove the now softened lacquer, the steel wool will address any scratched or hazy areas.
Use a clean rag to wipe away the old finish which has dissolved. Work quickly to remove the finish before the refinishing product has a chance to dry. Continue working in the same area as necessary before treating the rest of the frame. Take your time if the piece has decorative crevices which can be hard to get into to strip.
Let the mirror frame dry completely before adding polyurethane with a clean cloth. Work with the grain of the wood and wait at least an hour between coats. If the manufacturer suggests a longer wait time on the can, then use their suggestion over the hour guideline.
Wash the mirror once more with glass cleaner once you are satisfied the polyurethane is completely dried.