7 years bad luck? We'll see about that!
Here are some handy tips on disposing of mirror shards and the ways people have gone about preventing bad luck.
Reversing bad luck caused by a broken mirror
Superstition tells us that if we break a mirror we are automatically in for 7 years of bad luck. If you are keen to avoid this, try:
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Throwing salt over your left shoulder (straight onto the devil)
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Grind all the pieces into dust (no reflection, no problem!) or..
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Reuse the larger mirror fragments in a craft project (please handle the pieces with care)
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Another option is to bury all the fragments under a tree at full moon (which is said to release bad luck)
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Alternatively, you could do as the Africans did and wash away the bad luck by putting the broken mirror into a southward flowing stream!
The origin of the superstition
The glass mirror was first invented by the Romans, who along with the Greek, Chinese, African, and Indian cultures, believed that looking in a mirror revealed not just your reflection, but your soul. And if you ever broke a mirror... it would become trapped.
How to dispose of a broken mirror
If you do break your mirror, here are some tips on how to clean up broken glass and dispose of broken mirrors safely:
Firstly, make sure you are wearing the appropriate clothing. Wear hard sole shoes and gloves. It’s advised to also have your body covered with as much clothing as possible to prevent shards from getting on your skin.
If there is any glass left on the mirror use wide tape to tape this up, parcel tape works best!
With gloves on, start picking up the larger fragments and placing them in a cardboard box, not a plastic bag, as the pieces may pierce the thin plastic. Do this slowly, as the pieces may continue to shatter.
If you have hard floors you can use a brush to sweep up the smaller fragments of the mirror into your dustpan and then into the cardboard box. If your mirror has smashed onto a carpet we recommend using the hoover. Then empty the content of the hoover into the cardboard box.
After you have cleaned up your mirror we recommend doing another sweep of the whole room to be sure you haven't missed any small fragments.
Top tips after the mirror fragments are cleaned up
Everyone in the household should wear shoes for the next few days just in case. If you have a glass recycling bin you can put all the mirror pieces into this bin. If you do not have a glass recycling bin it is best to take it to your local recycling centre where it can be properly disposed.
How to avoid breaking a bathroom mirror
Mirrors need to be handled with the utmost care, and have adequate wall support.
All our mirrors come with fixings to install onto a solid wall, but for plasterboard we recommend Gripits or if hanging on a wall with tiles, spring toggles. This gives you that extra room for the tile depth. Please note the weight of all our mirrors on each product page. If you are unsure of how much weight your wall can bear, contact our UK support team.
Check the wall is suitable for hanging a mirror
You can check out our guide on how to hang a bathroom mirror for more in-depth instructions. Each one of our products comes with its own installation guide and recommendations on how and where it should be hung.
