The Super Simple Trick For Applying Contact Paper To A Bathroom Mirror

Looking at the same old home decor gets boring after a while, but change often comes with a steep price tag. In recent years, contact paper has gained popularity as an affordable and renter-friendly design hack for decorating your home. It is super DIY-friendly and is most commonly associated with use on cabinets, countertops, shelves, and similar surfaces. Applying it to glass surfaces like your bathroom mirror can be challenging — but to make your life easier, all you need to do is add a little soapy water. 

Upgrading your bathroom mirror with adhesive products like electrical tape or contact paper to create a decorative frame has become a popular trend. As long as you're working with a smooth, clean surface, it's fine to use contact paper on just about anything. Its adhesive backing can create installation challenges with glass, though, as it will really latch onto the surface. Soapy water allows you to move the contact paper around without it sticking, saving you from any accidental tears or having to completely re-do your installation. Simply clean the glass thoroughly, then spray it with soapy water. It doesn't need to be completely soaked — a nice thin coat of liquid will do. Then install your contact paper like normal by peeling off a small section of its backing, and slowly rolling it out across your surface. As you do so, use a credit card or similar tool to push out any air bubbles or water underneath; the film of soapy water will allow you to make minor adjustments if need be.

Some folks online have found success with this hack using Windex instead of soapy water. All you're trying to do is create a surface that the contact paper can slip and slide on more easily to correct any mistakes. You don't have to worry about either soapy water or Windex reducing the effectiveness of your contact paper's adhesive because you push all the moisture out while removing air bubbles. 

This is also a hack for easily installing peel-and-stick backsplash, which can also be used on glass surfaces as long as they're cleaned beforehand. You can even try transforming your mirror with a wallpaper border. Normally, wallpaper is not recommended for glass surfaces because they're non-porous, so using standard wallpaper primer will not work — you need to purchase one that is designed specifically for glass. Make sure to check the manufacturer's instructions for letting the primer dry. If you choose to try this DIY, be aware that it cannot be completely reversed. While you can swap out the wallpaper, you will not be able to return your glass to its original transparency after using primer on it.

Whenever you decide you want a new look, contact paper is easy to remove from glass surfaces. You'll likely be able to peel it off in one big chunk by lifting up a small corner and pulling. However, some recommend using a hairdryer to warm the surface first. This will soften the vinyl and also loosen the adhesive so you can remove it without issue. When peeling off your contact paper, be sure to work slowly to minimize any risks of it tearing. 

If you notice that some adhesive gets left behind, don't worry — your glass isn't ruined. Leftover residue can easily be removed with a product like Goo-Gone Adhesive Remover Spray Gel. Just spray down the residue, wait a few minutes, and wipe the surface clean. If there are still stubborn patches of residue left behind, you can try scraping it off with a credit card to avoid scratching your glass surface; then, just clean it with glass cleaner.