I've had a Robern cabinet for several years. I always clean it with Windex and it has never turned black. Why would you not use glass cleaner on a mirror? What do they say you should have used? I would fuss a lot more and louder.

they say their directions call for alcohol and water only.

Our Robern mirrors are fine, but the black paint along the edges of the door has been chipping off (in MB and hall bathroom).

I have three Roberns and none of them have turned black. My oldest one is 7years old. I use an environmentally friendly window cleaner and it is mainly white vinegar. Another one I use is mainly alcohol.

Good luck!

Our glass/mirror installer said that you should use ammonia free cleaners on mirrors. The ammonia is what causes the mirror backing to turn black.

Windex has an ammonia free version.

I have a few Robern medicine cabinets that are approx. 10 years old. They were in the same bathroom and cleaned the same. One or two of them have a little of the black on the top most edge and I wondered why also. I thought perhaps because we didn't have the best ventilation. I am not sure now if we will use them in our new bathroom remodel until we order a vanity. It's very discouraging considering the large price tag on Robern products.

Yes I am in the same boat as you. Remodeled by bathroom and added 2 of these super expensive Robern medicine cabinets with lighting, anti fog all the bells and whistles only to have both turn black along the edges. I too called and they said I can only use water to clean them. I never use ammonia based products so this should not have happened. If I had known that their warranty was so bad I would have purchased something else. I am looking for options, maybe add a new border made of mirror...not sure. but I am sure that I would not recommend this expensive item to anyone.

Water with a miracle cloth is all I use on my med cabs. I have heard of this problem before. Maybe they don't seal the edges as well as they used to, or maybe the silvering is not as thick. One must always read all of the literature available with new items because nothing is what it used to be.

Yes , we’ve had the same issues and Robert claims were the only ones. Robern replaced the mirrors for both medicine cabinets to only have them turn black on the edges again! Very expensive and poorly crafted. We are trying to figure out our options. Disappointing as things aren’t made like they used to be.

• This is what causes deslivering.

  1) Mirrors will desilver if they are exposed to moisture from a steam bath or water splashes. Moisture results in oxidation of the silver. Also, if you live close to the ocean or sea the moisture in the air is salty, which can also cause deslivering

  2) Improper cleaning such as using ammonia cleaning agents can cause mirror desilvering. The moisture from the mirror will start to create the black spots on the mirror

  3) Mirror desilvering is caused by a breakdown of the silver backing of the mirror. The silver backing can break down due to age or poor initial craftsmanship.

  Quality craftsmanship also play a huge role in preventing this. Some brands do not silver their mirrors properly, which will lead to these issues. You can have this repaired at some mirror repair shops if you love your cabinet and want to keep it. And going forward, just don't be too harsh in cleaning your mirror.

Same! Robern replaced and happening again. I can’t help but think quality of manufacturing has changed. My friend purchased in 2007 and uses windex and her cabinet door is fine. I have a windowed bathroom, use alcohol to clean and have the issue again.

coopowner123 - Yes, quality of manufacturing makes a huge difference. I myself don't know if Robern manufacturing quality has changed. They are a well known brand name and have been around a long time. Have you thought about having this repaired vs. investing more money into buying another new cabinet? I found this Glass Doctor service who seems to specialize in resilvering mirrors. https://glassdoctor.com/expert-tips/all-about-mirror-glass/bathroom-mirror-repair

Thank you! I am going to try to have Robern make good on it first- not cheap (as I’m sure you know) and it’s 6 years older!

coopowner123 - You are welcome. If they will not replace it, at least have them pay for repairing it for you. Good luck on this and keep us posted on how it works out. I can understand why this is upsetting to you. When you invest in something and pay a certain amount for it, you should expect the quality and the longevity not matter who you buy it from. :)

I did a complete remodel of my bathroom 15 years ago and Splurged on a Robern medicine cabinet thinking it was a quality product. Almost immediately I noticed that the edges of the mirror were turning black. I called Robern and they would not take any responsibility for this and insinuated we did something to it. The mirror on this cabinet continued to get worse and worse and after 15 years looks horrible. Even the side mirrors that nobody ever touches turned black. No cleaning products are used on this cabinet it’s very clear it can’t tolerate a moist environment. I would never buy an expensive Robern medicine cabinet again.

Cindy Gardner - I am sorry to hear this. Can it be repaired by an outside service provider? There are alot of glass and mirror repair shops who can fix this for you, which is less costly than replacing it. Or will you be replacing it?

As for this being your fault for why it happened, its not possible when there is quality craftsmanship in the making of the mirror. I am not implying Robern is poorly made as its not my place to speak on that. I am just pointing out what can either prevent or lead to the common problem of mirror delisvering, and it starts with the crafstmanship.

so robern had replaced my door and the new one is also turning black. just got off the phone wtih them and they shared a laundry list of reasons why - make-up, lotion on hands, any kind of spray or air freshener. seems like they are just making excuses for poor quality in production. i asked if they would like to see a picture of what's happening and they declined. will never use again.

@Melissa Siegel this is unfortunate news. In my opinion, a high quality mirror that is crafted well should be able to withstand make-up smears, lotion on hands, any kind of spray or air freshener, etc..

So, are they not willing to rectify the issue for you at all?

@sidler - they were downright nasty. i tried to call corporate and they wanted more info than i have. they did

give a case number but now when i call back i am being sent to customer service. im continuing to try

Melissa Siegel - Keep trying to call their corporate office and speak to someone in customer care in the upper management. I am so sorry you are experiencing this. Maybe the customer service agent you initially spoke to was just having a bad day so, it was not their intention to come across rude at all?

Keep trying and let us know how it turns out. I am crossing my fingers for you.

I had the same situation with a Robern medicine cabinet mirror. I called Robern and since it is past their one year warranty, they wouldn't replace it. The best they offered was 50% off a replacement door + $25 to ship it. It will cost $150 to replace...

Splurged on his and hers Robern medicine cabinets -- tall and very expensive -- as part of a house remodel in 2019. Now, four years later, I'm noticing mirror edges are turning black. My contractor told me to use ammonia-free cleaner, which is the only thing I've ever used on these mirrors. Very disheartening. Who cleans a medicine cabinet with only water? Absolutely ridiculous.

yeah this is my thread and im on the third door on my cabinet. i was succ in getting them to send me replacement doors bit took a lot of pressure on my part. the last door they sent a few years ago was already balck at edges when they sent. the product is not quality.

I think its funny how many of you dont read the care and maintenance provided by the manufacterer for such an expensive item. windex is for windows, a mirror is not a window. simply use 50/50 iso alcohol and water, simple as that. your bathrooms should be well ventilated and if they are not then as any mirror it would create black edges. i habe worked in a showroom for more than 8 years and i always tell my customers to never use windex. if you buy from a showroom you wont have to deal with the manufacterer

Robern medicine cabinet glass looses it's silver backing on edges. In my opinion they just have bad quality mirrors. I use alcohol/water to clean them. It's not possible to clean them only with water. And being a medicine cabinet, there is always a chance that a medicine or cosmetic spills, so are we to expect that the product is then excused? Form and function, can't only make it look good and not think of it's purpose. It's clear that the worst areas are the ones where hands hold the mirrored door to open it.