# Removing bathroom mirror **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 5, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022 "2008-04-05T01:30:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/1 "2008-04-05T01:30:19Z")
Above the sink in our bathroom is a mirror that fills the wall almost completely, from sink to light fixture, and then side to side. It is starting to desilver, so we want to replace it. I see no fasteners, so I assume it is glued on. The question is how to remove it without shattering it into a million pieces. Prying it off just does not seem like a great idea. I assume there is some trick or method for doing it. Does anyone know how? ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/2 "2008-04-05T01:55:09Z")
Saw this on HGTV - Depending on the size of the mirror, you can cover it with Contact paper so that if there is a crack it’s contained, much like the finish on the interior of car windsheilds. If the mirror’s smaller, you can use strips of duct tape instead. This is all assuming you’re not keeping your mirror. Keep in mind you may have to take the mirror to the landfill/recycling center yourself. The larger the pieces it’s in, the better for everyone concerned. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/3 "2008-04-05T03:18:10Z")
I agree about the duct tape. Do the whole mirror. Get EVERYTING you can out of the bathroom. There may be little bits of glass that fly. If it is glued on to the drywall, you will likely take the drywall paper with the mirror, and need to replace the drywall. Where gloves, and safety goggles (or at least a good pair of wrap around sun glasses). Have a couple of buckets handy and a utility knife. You can buy 5 gallon drywall mud buckets pretty cheep at a home improvement store. Double bag the glass for disposal. Wack it with a hammer, and pry off what you can. Cut the tape and put the pieces in a bucket as you go. You will need to cut the tape as you do this. You might also want to get a glass cutter. And score it first. In about 3”x 3” pieces. That should help ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/4 "2008-04-05T03:26:50Z")
We had a problem similar to this in another home some years ago. Our bathroom mirror was discoloring/desilvering along the lower edge. We found that we could have the bottom inch of the mirror removed. I wasn’t there when it was done, but apparently the glass guy used a long straight edge and a glass cutter to cut off an inch without removing it. We painted the exposed strip to match the wall and no more problem. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/5 "2008-04-05T03:31:50Z")
Thinking about this a little more. I don’t think I would use duct tape. Use masking tape. Much easier to cut. Duct tape is going to be a bitch. You can buy 2 inch wide masking tape at any paint store or probably places like Home Depot. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/6 "2008-04-05T15:08:21Z")
Having someone remore the bottom inch would be a great idea, except that my wife is going to redo the entire sink area, put in a vessel sink on a chunk of granite, and wants a decorative mirror instead of the big plate we have now. We have read about using a heat gun to soften the glue and then a wire (like piano wire) to saw through the glue. Looking at the mirror, I am not so sure there is even room to effectively work the wire. There is maybe 1/4" clearance between the edge of the mirror and the walls. We figure we will have to replace the drywall regardless. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/7 "2008-04-05T15:13:16Z")
[QUOTE=Rhubarb] We had a problem similar to this in another home some years ago. Our bathroom mirror was discoloring/desilvering along the lower edge. We found that we could have the bottom inch of the mirror removed. I wasn’t there when it was done, but apparently the glass guy used a long straight edge and a glass cutter to cut off an inch without removing it. We painted the exposed strip to match the wall and no more problem. [/QUOTE] There is an even easier solution for the lazy handiman. You can buy a 1 inch strip of decorative edging specifically for jazzing up big rectangular bathroom mirrors. (You get 4 edges and 4 corners to do a fancy “frame”) Anyway, I fixed a similar problem by purchasing one reflective mirror edge strip and trimming it to length and putting it on. It covered the discoloring quite well. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/8 "2008-04-05T17:41:42Z")
I have two recent mirror stories: We are remodeling our living room, and there was a built-in that had a very large (6’x8’) mirror that we wanted to save, so we could re-purpose it. It was glued to the wall with mastic, and the construction guys were able to remove it without breaking it (!). I was able to cut it for re-use (!!). We did the bathroom awhile back. There was a pretty big mirror (5’ x 3’ or so) that we wanted to remove. It was held at the bottom by clips, and at the top by a piece of molding. My wife removed the molding, and tried to remove it, but it was too much for her to handle, so she waited for me to do it. In the meantime, she propped a trash can up against it to counteract it’s tendency to fall away from the wall. When I got home, she asked me to take it down. She mentioned something about the trash can supporting the mirror, but I sort of spaced it. I went into the bathroom, grabbed the trash can, left through the door, and set the trash can down. I sensed something amiss, and covered my head just in time to hear the most **TREMENDOUS** crash as the mirror fell forward and broke on the faucet into a trillion pieces. I was uninjured, but it was amazing how far glass was thrown - we had to go over every square inch of the bathroom and bedroom with my shopvac. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/9 "2008-04-05T21:59:09Z")
[QUOTE=dauerbach] We figure we will have to replace the drywall regardless. [/QUOTE] In that case, the simplest (& cleanest) method would be to just saw thru the drywall above & below the mirror, and remove that whole piece of drywall, with the mirror still attached. That way, you have no worry about pieces of broken glass all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/10 "2008-04-05T22:53:12Z")
Have you tried sliding it upwards? It might be on hooked fasteners. ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/11 "2008-04-06T00:55:36Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] In that case, the simplest (& cleanest) method would be to just saw thru the drywall above & below the mirror, and remove that whole piece of drywall, with the mirror still attached. That way, you have no worry about pieces of broken glass all over the place. [/QUOTE] Nice thought, but the drywall will still be attached to the wall studs behind the mirror. If you are determined to remove the mirror and you’re not planning to reuse it, I’d go with the above suggestions to cover the surface for protection and then try to pull it off in one piece if possible. As far as covering the surface, duct tape and masking tape are available in 3" widths. I’ve also thought about using carpet protector film. It’s a plastic sheeting with sticky backing used to cover carpets to protect them during construction work. It might be a lot easier than using tape. Be careful and good luck. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/12 "2008-04-19T23:20:21Z")
Well, here is what my wife ended up doing. She took two 4 1/2 inch suction cups and sort of bounced back and forth, and the mirror came off intack, and barely damaged the drywall behind it. It was amazing. Dave ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bathroom-mirror/444022/13 "2008-04-19T23:28:12Z")
[QUOTE=dauerbach] Well, here is what my wife ended up doing. She took two 4 1/2 inch suction cups and sort of bounced back and forth, and the mirror came off intack, and barely damaged the drywall behind it. It was amazing. Dave [/QUOTE] Smart lady!