As I Cooked?

[DXRK]

I made the stupid decision to try and clean the DSLR Mirror without knowing the dangers of it. I used a ray bands glasses cloth, which i’m sure is fine but it turns out it was dirty. Wanted to know what you guys think, is my sensor scratched or dirty? Hopefully not scratched since i’d definitely freak out a little but let me know!
The white marks are dark when not pointed at light, however i assume that’s a scratch anyway? No idea.

 

[wfooshee]

The mirror itself is not part of the image capture, only the viewfinder view. Damage to the mirror will not affect your images.

 

[PhotoHobbyist]

That is the mirror, not the sensor. I have an old Xsi Canon that I cleaned the sensor and mirror with a Q-tip and 90% alcohol. Made a world of difference, but don't know if I risked damage to either. Try at your own risk.

 

[smoke665]

As noted above scratches/dirt on the mirror won't affect the sensor. Hard to tell for sure if the marks are scratches or dirt. Starting with the least abrasive method you could try cleaning the mirror with DISTILLED water and Q tips, dip it in the water and starting in the center use overlapping circles to the outside. Discard and use a new Q tip to dry using the same circular method, continue with new dry Tips until the mirror is completely dry. If the marks remain it's likely a scratch, but in case it might be oil/grease, you can use the same method with isopropanol alcohol. ANY ACTION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

 

[cgw]

You made one mistake. Don't compound it with further OCD-like scrubbing. Leave it alone. Totally in agreement that crud has ZERO impact on your images.