In order to remove silver backing from mirrors without taking the risk of scratching the glass; furniture stripper, nitric acid, which is highly toxic, protective clothing and respirators are required.
This could prove to be quite costly; in particular as the respirators generally available from hardware stores will not be adequate and a company supplying safety equipment will have to be sourced and contacted.
Although the use of razor blades may produce minor scratches, which will be visible if the glass is to be re-silvered, the following alternative will more than likely be the most cost-effective and safest option when doing this at home.
To begin with, a flat work surface in a well ventilated room has to be covered with some old newspaper. The mirror is then removed from its frame and placed onto the newspaper with the back facing up.
The grey backing is then removed from the surface by gently scraping with a razor blade free from nicks; a brand new blade would be ideal, as it will also be sharper than a used blade.
Brushing off the scrapings from time to time will keep the area worked on clean and prevent missing small areas.
Once all the grey backing has been removed, small amounts of muriatic acid, which is available at most larger home improvement stores, are rubbed onto the silver with a clean cloth.
As this acid is toxic, although not as dangerously so as nitric acid, safety glasses and heavy duty gloves should be worn during this process.
Following this, the surface of the glass is cleaned using a mild soap to remove the chemical.
Scrapings are disposed of wrapped in the newspaper. The glass is then again cleaned with mild soap, to remove any residues and dried with a lint-free, clean cloth.
This could prove to be quite costly; in particular as the respirators generally available from hardware stores will not be adequate and a company supplying safety equipment will have to be sourced and contacted.
Although the use of razor blades may produce minor scratches, which will be visible if the glass is to be re-silvered, the following alternative will more than likely be the most cost-effective and safest option when doing this at home.
To begin with, a flat work surface in a well ventilated room has to be covered with some old newspaper. The mirror is then removed from its frame and placed onto the newspaper with the back facing up.
The grey backing is then removed from the surface by gently scraping with a razor blade free from nicks; a brand new blade would be ideal, as it will also be sharper than a used blade.
Brushing off the scrapings from time to time will keep the area worked on clean and prevent missing small areas.
Once all the grey backing has been removed, small amounts of muriatic acid, which is available at most larger home improvement stores, are rubbed onto the silver with a clean cloth.
As this acid is toxic, although not as dangerously so as nitric acid, safety glasses and heavy duty gloves should be worn during this process.
Following this, the surface of the glass is cleaned using a mild soap to remove the chemical.
Scrapings are disposed of wrapped in the newspaper. The glass is then again cleaned with mild soap, to remove any residues and dried with a lint-free, clean cloth.
