How to Remove a Bathroom Mirror

Co-authored by Ryaan Tuttle

Last Updated: March 13, 2023

Mirrors are deceptively heavy. Bathroom mirrors are designed to be quite large, sometimes taking up entire walls. The mirrors are installed on the wall using brackets or heavy duty glue. Use these steps to remove a mirror in your bathroom.

Steps

1
Protect the sink area. Lay down cardboard or plastic on any surface surrounding the mirror.^{[1]
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2
Cover the mirror with duct tape.^{[2]
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- The duct tape will limit the amount of glass that drops if the mirror shatters during removal.
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3
Use a blow dryer to soften the glue. You can also use a small heat lamp.^{[3]
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- Blow-dry each area of the glass evenly. Focus the heat on the heavily glued areas if you know where the glue is.
4
Instruct a second person to act as a spotter for the mirror.^{[4]
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- Because you will be working on removing the mirror from the wall, it's important to have a helper there to catch the mirror in case it slips down rapidly. This is especially important for larger mirrors.
5
Pry the mirror from the wall at its edges. Use a long putty knife.
6
Hold piano wire or guitar string with 2 hands. Make a sawing motion with your hands. This separates the glue on the mirror from the wall.^{[5]
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7
Repeat the process of prying the mirror from the wall and heating the glue if necessary.
8
Pry the mirror from the wall. Use a pry bar once most of the glue has been sawed through.
9
Lower the mirror from the wall.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I remove a spotted mirror with silicon from thin plywood?

Samuel Mace

Community Answer

Normally, a hammer works really well. If you just hit it hard enough, it should break right off.
Question

How do you remove the brackets that hold the mirror in place?

Community Answer

The type of bracket that wraps around the side or over the top of plate glass mirrors are spring loaded. Push the bracket away from the glass, taking care not to chip the mirror. Sometimes they can be a little rusty, but some careful prying and pushing will usually free them. After this, the mirror can then be lifted from the bottom brackets with ease.
Question

How can I resolve a problem of a mirror being wider than a granite counter top vanity if it is already glued together?

Community Answer

Glue remover should do the trick, see the bottle for instructions on how to use it.

Warnings

Do not attempt to remove a mirror with bare skin. Cover your body with a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. Wear protective gloves and goggles.

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Do not remove a mirror by yourself. Arrange for a partner to help you lower the mirror from the wall.

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