Compare Mirror Removers
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Mirror removers chemically dissolve mirroring chemicals and metallic leaf applied to glass. We have not tested them on other substrates. |
2-Part Removers:
Silver Remover and Gold Remover are 2-part chemical solutions.
Mixed together, they lose their effectiveness after about an
hour. Mix equal amounts of "A" and "B". Rinse the glass after
removing the silver to clean it completely.
Stripping Commercial Mirrors:
To strip a commercial mirror, use paint stripper to remove the
paint before you remove the silver. Some paint strippers leave a
waxy film on the glass. Remove the film by washing the exposed
silver with our concentrated glass cleaner or acetone. Acetone is
available at most hardware stores.
Many commercial mirrors have a protective layer of copper over the silver. You can see the copper when you strip off the paint. Gold Remover dissolves both copper and silver.
Multi-layer Mirrors:
For multi-layer mirrors, such as galena over silver, dissolving
the bottom layer usually causes the top layer to lift off. Use
the remover designed to dissolve the bottom layer or use a
multi-purpose remover, such as Gold Remover, to dissolve both
layers at once.
Pumice:
You can physically remove a mirror coating by rubbing it with a
paste of pumice and water. Our pumice will not scratch the glass.
Apply it wet or dry with a cotton ball. Pumice offers another way
to "antique" mirrors.
Silver Strip:
Chromic acid, also known as Silver Strip, is a "reportable
substance" in any quantity under EPA rules. We do not carry
it.
Blank squares indicate that the remover had little or no effect on the metal.
| Angel Gilding | Gold | Silver | Copper | Galena | Gold Leaf | Silver Leaf | Copper Leaf | Aluminum Leaf | Destroys the tin layer? | |
| Silver Remover | Good | Good | Best | - | - | - | Best | - | - | No |
| Gold Remover | Best | Best | Good | Good | Good | Best | Good | Good | - | Yes |
| Copper Remover | - | - | - | Best | - | - | - | Good | - | Yes |
| Galena Remover | Silver Only | - | Good | Good | Best | - | - | - | - | Yes |
