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Let's get real. Does bathroom wall get grungy around mirror?

5 years ago

I love the look of hanging mirrors over the vanity in the bathroom, instead of filling the entire wall with a mirror, corner to corner. But if you don't have a tiled backsplash -- if it's just wall -- are you constantly scrubbing the walls around the mirror? From a practical viewpoint, is it a bad idea? Thanks!

Comments (17)

  • 5 years ago

    It depends on your “splashing”. From my experience, bad idea.

  • 5 years ago

    As Jim just stated, take a look at your current corner-to-corner mirror. Do you have to clean the area that's the size of the hanging mirror you would put there in its place, or do you have to clean a wider, larger area? I think if you have a large enough hanging mirror, you'll be ok.

  • 5 years ago

    The backsplash can be stone and as tall as you like.



  • 5 years ago

    We have a 4 inch backsplash and about 4 inches of painted wall under the mirror. I do have to wipe that down every now and then but it's not bad when you're cleaning anyway. I wouldn't call it grungy. It only needs wiping under the mirror right behind the sink not around the outside edges of the mirror.

  • 5 years ago

    Thank you! We have a 4" backsplash, too. I need to think about whether the paint would hold up. Do love the look!

  • 5 years ago

    I recently remodeled and installed a higher height vanity. I find that I have significant less splashing and flooding because the hands bringing rinse water up to my face have less distance to go and my face doesn't have to stoop so low. I now have almost no water after I rinse - sometimes a few drops around the taps where my hands might have dropped a bit.


    It took me a bit to get used to the higher height especially since I am not that tall (about 5'4") but at this point I really like it.


    I also think vessel sinks might splash a bit more but I don't have much experience with those except in other people's powder rooms or in public rest rooms.


    I did go with a wall to wall mirror and there are absolutely no drips or splashes anywhere on the mirror at all. I did install a 6" splash matching my marble counter on the side of the sink because I have wallpaper on that side running to the counter and I was concerned about moisture from wiping/cleaning the counter hitting the bottom of the wallpaper.

  • 5 years ago

    Agree with higher height vanity. That along with a great undermount sink, I e never splashed the wall, and I do a heavy beauty routine/face wash etc every single night.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    @KR - I agree about the sink influencing splash as well. Mine is under mount and is a rectangle with a flattish bottom. My old oval "bowl" sink splashed like hell especially combined with the lower heigh of my old vanity.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Wow, I learn so much posting/reading here.

    I have never in my life had a problem with the wall getting grungy, at any place in the bathroom. The mirror gets some occasional toothpaste blow-back. That's it.

    I don't have children so maybe that's why? But we have 2 adults using our bathroom (me and the spouse), and my spouse is not careful in doing ANYTHING in life (LOL) - and I have zero issues. We have the typical 4 inch splash, pretty hanging mirrors, and a matte/satin paint.

  • 5 years ago

    We have 4 inch backsplash and some wall space before the mirror. It doesn't get grungy. Maybe few water or soap spots. No scrubbing needed. I simply use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe the area.

  • 5 years ago


    No problem here!



  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I have never in my life had a problem with the wall getting grungy, at any place in the bathroom. The mirror gets some occasional toothpaste blow-back. That's it.
    I don't have children so maybe that's why?

    Toothpaste is our biggest offender, here, too. Nowhere near "grungy," though, and we have 6 kids. :-) It could very well be, however, one of those small graces God has granted me, given some of the other challenges the kiddos have! lol

  • 5 years ago

    We have a 4" backsplash with drywall above - have never had to clean the drywall. Mirror doesn't get grungy either.

  • 5 years ago

    LOL ODD. You crack me up. :)

  • 5 years ago

    This post is timely for me because we've been talking about updating the kids' bathroom. We have a full length builder grade mirror now and that thing is always a mess! I don't know exactly what my kids do in there, but there are always splash marks and dried toothpaste on it. They have electric toothbrushes and those spray more than the standard/manual ones, but I think my teenagers are just messy.


    Good thing to know about the vanity height as well. My kids are 5'6" and 5'9" so they have to bend over quite a bit to wash their faces and we have the builder grade round bowl. I was considering just having the original vanity painted but will now get a new one so I can add some height.

  • 5 years ago

    No, my wall has never gotten dirty around the mirror. I have a painted wall with a gold framed mirror above my sink. I have had this set up in many houses and never had a problem with dirt on the walls. What are people doing in their bathrooms that would cause that?