How To Apply And Remove a Mirror Decal
Whether you want to add a little mantra to your mirror to give you a boost every day, or you have found a gorgeous ornate mirror that you want to use as wedding decor, adhesive vinyl works so well and is super easy to apply.
This is just a super quick tutorial on how to apply them and then how to take them off again if needed.
Check out my how to video here:
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Or take a look at the written instructions below…
What you need:
Mirror
Vinyl Decal (I use Ritrama Permanent Vinyl, but Removable is also suitable - check out my Vinyl Suppliers list for where to buy)
Transfer Tape
Cleaning Spray
Application
Step 1:
So if you haven’t already, cut and weed your decal and apply your transfer tape.
Then make sure your mirror is completely clean and free of any dust and decide where to place your decal. You may want to use masking tape to line it up neatly, especially if you are placing multiple decals or something more complicated like a seating plan.
Step 2:
Flip your decal over, rub the back with your vinyl scraper and then pull away the backing paper so that the vinyl is stuck to the transfer tape.
If the vinyl is still sticking to the paper, go super slow as you pull it away and push down any sections that lift.
Once it is removed from the backing paper, place it on the mirror where you would like it to go.
You can loosely half it to find the center if you want to line it up with the center of the mirror, but once you have your position place it on the mirror and press down. I usually start in the middle and smooth it outwards from there, just being careful not to fold any bits over themselves and that every bit of the vinyl is touching the mirror.
Step 3:
Then using your vinyl scraper again, push down on all of the letters to make sure they have stuck well. Try to only touch the transfer tape at this point rather than the mirror itself, just on the off chance you may scratch it with your scraper.
Once you’re happy it’s stuck, start to peel off the transfer tape, again pushing down any letters that pull up as you go, and taking it super slow. Once the transfer tape is off you may want to just go round the letters once more with your fingers to make sure they are completely stuck, but otherwise your decal is applied!
Removal
Step 1
This is for permanent vinyl only, removable vinyl should come off quickly by just peeling it.
So you can either just peel it off letter by letter, which is a lot easier if it hasn’t been there very long. But if it has, and it has bonded to the mirror, then a good way to remove it is by using a hairdryer because the heat makes the glue go tacky and it makes it easier to pull off.
I put mine on a medium setting so it's not too powerful and I don’t put it too close to the mirror either and I just blow it over the lettering a few times. Then it's just a case of getting an edge and peeling it off. If it’s not coming off very easily, or it starts to become harder again, then go over it again with the hairdryer.
It may take some patience if you have a lot of letters!
You can also use your vinyl scraper to peel up the edges of the letters, but again just be careful not to scratch the mirror if you choose to do it this way.
Step 2
So after I removed my mirror decal there was some leftover sticky residue. So to remove that I just used some Windolene on a cloth, but you can use any kind of glass cleaner or mirror cleaner to give the mirror a rub down. Then I just made sure I paid extra attention to scrub off all the bits where residue was left, being careful not to scratch my mirror or leave fingerprints, and then I dried it with a clean tea towel afterward. And it looked as good as new… ready for my next mirror decal when I decide what it’s going to be!
Let me know in the comments if you have any other tips or tricks for applying and removing mirror decals, or what you think you will be sticking on your own mirror after checking out this tutorial!