So, you’ve broken a mirror, and your first thought is, “I’m going to have 7 years of bad luck!” But why is that? Why do so many people believe that breaking a mirror brings bad luck? Well, it all comes down to superstitious beliefs dating back to ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Thanks to tales of mirrors being reflections of the soul, it’s strongly believed that breaking a mirror is a curse. In this article, we’ll explain where the popular superstition came from and why you may believe it. Plus, we’ll even tell you what to do if you break a mirror.
Steps
How to Dispose of a Broken Mirror
-
Tape up the remainder of the mirror. You can easily clean up a broken mirror. If there’s any glass left on the mirror, use painter’s or parcel tape to tape it in place so it doesn’t fall out.
-
Pick up larger fragments of glass first. Put on a pair of gloves and sort through the glass, picking up any large pieces. [6] X Research source Dump these larger fragments in a cardboard box to dispose of later. [7] X Research source
- Avoid using a plastic or trash bag, as the glass could pierce through it and cause an injury.
- Wear hard-bottomed closed-toe shoes while cleaning up the glass to protect your feet. [8] X Research source
EXPERT TIPGlassblowing ExpertDouglass Brown is a Glassblowing Expert based in Half Moon Bay, California. He has over 25 years of experience as a glass artist, and is the owner and operator of 2 glass blowing studios in the San Francisco Bay Area, Half Moon Bay Art Glass and Mare Island Art Glass. Douglass believes in sharing hot glass experiences with anyone who wants to learn about the processes of blowing and sculpting glass. When not teaching, Douglass creates glass art that is a mix of his takes on nature and functional glassware. He has also created the Glass Troubadours, which is a mobile glass blowing studio that hosts parties, events, and visits craft shows.Wear gloves when handling cut glass. Protect yourself from injury when handling cut glass. Industrial or gauntlet gloves provide better protection than disposable gloves.
-
Use a broom to sweep up smaller fragments. Carefully collect the glass in a dustpan, dumping the contents into your cardboard box. [9] X Research source
- Place the cardboard box in a large trash can once all the broken glass is cleaned up.
-
Dab the area with a wet paper towel. After you’ve disposed of the broken glass , use a wet paper towel to sponge up any tiny shard of glass. There could be minuscule fragments of glass left that you can’t see with the naked eye. [10] X Research source
- Only use a vacuum cleaner after all the glass has been removed. Otherwise, you could spread the fragments and/or ruin your machine. [11] X Research source
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ https://iep.utm.edu/ancient-greek-philosophy/
- ↑ https://folklorethursday.com/folklife/seven-years-bad-luck/
- ↑ https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/PerLtdiAKx0C?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA281&dq=romans+life+renews+itself+every+seven+years
- ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/patternicity-finding-meaningful-patterns/
- ↑ https://education.onehowto.com/article/what-to-do-when-a-mirror-breaks-10149.html
- ↑ https://ehs.research.uiowa.edu/glass-and-other-sharps-injury-and-illness-prevention-labs
- ↑ https://www.ncesd.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/4-30-2019-Cleaning-Up-Broken-Glass-web.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ncesd.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/4-30-2019-Cleaning-Up-Broken-Glass-web.pdf
- ↑ https://ehs.research.uiowa.edu/glass-and-other-sharps-injury-and-illness-prevention-labs