A disinfecting vanity mirror includes a mirror panel having a top end, a bottom end and lateral edges when mounted on a wall. The mirror is moveably mounted on a hinge along one lateral edge mounted to space the panel from the wall to create a plenum space behind the mirror panel to allow air to enter through the bottom end to rise and exit through the top end. A source of UV light is provided in proximity to the plenum space to sanitize the air moving upwardly through the plenum space. A controller is programmed to interrupt or discontinue the generation of UV light when a motion detector senses motion in proximity to the mirror and/or in accordance with a programmed sequence of on and off times for energizing and de-energizing the source of UV light.