Renovating your bathroom will almost always entail working with mirrors, and one of the trickier bathroom renovation tasks is removing an existing mirror. The level of difficulty involved will depend on two factors – the size of the mirror and how the mirror has been applied.

With some mirrors spanning entire wall spaces, it is very much a case of the larger the mirror, the trickier the job. As for application, if brackets have been used, the job should be straightforward. However many bathroom mirrors, particularly larger models, will be attached to using glue, or mastic, which can make the mirror more difficult to remove.

Removing a mirror safely, without damage to the mirror or your bathroom wall, will require a deft hand, or four! Getting a friend to help you out is a must, particularly with large mirrors. You’ll also need the right tools. You’ll need a five-in-one painter’s tool – these are widely available from home improvement stores and are inexpensive. If you can’t get hold of a five-in-one painter’s tool, then a simple putty knife should suffice.

You’ll also need one or two flat pry bars depending on the size of the mirror. Other items to have at hand are some towels, stainless steel wire, a blow dryer and some duct tape. To protect yourself whilst working, you should also wear eye goggles and heavy duty gloves, and wear long sleeves, thick jeans and closed-toe shoes too.

With your tools in place, you now need to prepare the mirror. Apply duct tape to the entire mirror surface – in the event of breakage, this will help to hold the mirror together and stop dangerous pieces of glass from shattering all over your bathroom. Duct tape can also be used to attach the mirror to the wall, preventing it from falling unexpectedly.

If mastic has been used to attach the mirror, use your blow dryer to heat the entire mirror surface – this will help to soften the mastic. Then get to work with your painter’s tool or putty knife. Work along the mirror edge, gently separating the mirror from the wall. Once you have a separated section, have your friend hold the mirror in place while you work the stainless steel wire behind the mirror and bring it down in a sawing motion.

The wire will cut through the mastic, which will usually have been applied in dabs or sections rather than coating the entire back of the mirror, so work your way through these sections of mastic and your mirror should come away freely.

If not, use your pry bars. With your friend there to support the mirror, place two pry bars along each side of the mirror and pry gently. Once a big enough gap emerges, try to work your putty knife or painter’s tool behind the mirror again, working away at any remaining areas of mastic, until the mirror is free, and then be sure to wrap your mirror carefully in your soft towels for protection.

Before carrying out any home renovations, in your bathroom or otherwise, you’ll need to let your home insurer know. Altering your home can affect the value of your home and your home insurance policy too. If you think your planned renovations will be likely to increase the cost of your home policy, a good tip for keeping costs down is to combine your buildings and contents cover. Insurers often offer combination discounts, with Kwik Fit Insurance currently offer customers a 15% discount for doing so (check their website for more info on home insurance). Money saved here will help to balance out any increase in overall home insurance costs due to renovation work.