While some stickers come off with ease, others can stick around and put up a fight. Usually, it is these stickers that happen to be in the most inconvenient places – such as the middle of a new mirror. So, how do you get stickers off a mirror without damaging it?
There are a few excellent cleaning tips that can help you start decorating with mirrors without ugly residue marks marring your home decor. Whether you use traditional cleaners or regular household hacks, it is essential when it comes to removing stickers and cleaning a mirror without streaks to use the right techniques to avoid irreparable damage.
Here, cleaning experts have explained different methods of removing stickers from mirrors so you can restore their flawless reflection.
Sara San Angelo a.k.a The Cleaning Lady is a professional house cleaner with 20 years of experience cleaning houses.
She also runs a successful blog full of great cleaning tips, product reviews, and hilarious stories about her train wreck clients.
She's been featured frequently on Homes & Gardens and its sister magazine, RealHomes.
How do you get stickers off a mirror?
There are a few techniques you can use to get stickers off a mirror, depending on the strength of the adhesive.
1. Use hot water and soap
Hot water and liquid dish soap is one of the most common ways to remove a sticker from a mirror and is the easiest for restoring your living room mirror ideas or hallway mirror ideas.
Place a sponge or soft cloth soaked in hot, soapy water, on top of the sticker and allow the water to soak in. After allowing the water to saturate the area for a few minutes, the adhesive should loosen, allowing you to gently scrape the sticker away.
You can clean away any remaining residue with more soapy water, or use a window cleaner on a soft cloth, such as these microfiber cloths from Amazon, to gently buff the residue away.
2. Gently use a razor blade
'The best way to get stickers off a mirror is a razor blade tool such as this one on Amazon. This is something I also recommend for cleaning your glass stovetop,' suggests professional cleaner Sara San Angelo, The Cleaning Lady.'This will gently scrape the adhesive off the mirror without scratching it.'
Be careful when using a razor blade to ensure that you do not accidentally cut yourself in the process. You may want to pair this method with soap and hot water or apply heat to make it easier if the sticker is particularly tough.
3. Slowly heat and scrape
Heating up the sticker using a hairdryer on its hottest setting is another way to loosen the adhesive and remove the sticker from a mirror. It is worth noting, however, that this method may require you to use hot soapy water to remove the remaining residue afterward too.
Using the hottest setting on your hairdryer, heat the sticker for one to two minutes before immediately scraping the sticker off using a putty knife or store card.
Repeat the process until the sticker has come away completely, then use hot soapy water or window cleaner on a soft cloth to remove the remaining adhesive.
4. Consider a stronger solvent
Stronger solvents such as nail polish remover (acetone) or rubbing alcohol may be needed if you have a particularly tough sticker on your bedroom mirror ideas or bathroom mirror ideas.
Using a cotton ball or pad soaked in either acetone or rubbing alcohol, gently rub the sticker to saturate it thoroughly. Alternatively, spray them onto the surface and let the liquid sit for a few minutes. These solvents should loosen the sticker and its adhesive so that it slides away easily.
Another option is Goo Gone, which Sara recommends. 'A cleaning product that works very well is Goo Gone adhesive remover. This product was made for situations like this and works very well.'
Wipe or clean the mirror with a cloth to remove the solvents and be sure to not allow any solvent to drip onto other household furniture or clothes.
If you want to avoid harsh solvents, you can also use Skin So Soft to remove stickers from surfaces, using jojoba oil to dissolve the adhesive.
Does vinegar remove stickers from glass?
Vinegar can be used to remove stickers from glass and mirrors in the place of stronger solvents such as acetone and rubbing alcohol.
Soak a cotton ball or pad with white vinegar and allow it to saturate the troublesome sticker. Once soaked gently scrape or peel the sticker from the surface of the mirror and clean with a wet cloth.
Does WD-40 remove glue from glass?
WD-40 (readily available on Amazon) is an excellent, multipurpose lubricant that can be used to remove stickers from glass and mirrors easily. Spray some WD-40 onto the sticker and allow the solution to sit for a few minutes - being careful to not allow it to drip onto any other furniture or surfaces. Gently scrape the sticker away from the surface and clean the mirror with warm soapy water.
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