How To Remove Wallpaper? Full Guide

How To Remove Wallpaper: Remove a small section of the wallpaper in an inconspicuous corner first, using a scraper (if you’re lucky, there won’t be too many layers). This will give you a better idea of how much time removing wallpaper is going to take and if necessary, you can change your plans.

When it comes to wallpaper, what goes up, must come down. If you’re ready to give your walls a fresh start, the first step is learning how to remove wallpaper. Whether you’ll be painting or re-papering, experts agree that taking down the old wallpaper is essential.

Fortunately, you don’t need to hire a pro—it’s a DIY project you can handle in a day. Read on to find out what you need to do to strip your wall coverings without damaging your walls. No matter what type of wallpaper you’re dealing with, we’ll show you how to remove it as painlessly as possible.

How To Remove Wallpaper Border

Heat Method:

• Turn the hairdryer on the low setting with high heat. If the only setting for high heat is high airflow, use that.
• Hold the dryer 8-10 inches from the surface of the wallpaper.
• Allow the warm air to blow onto the surface until the glue becomes heated and begins to soften.
• Gently peel away the border or wallpaper.
• Use a plastic scraper if necessary to help loosens the bond.
• If using a steamer, work in small sections for the best results.
• Start steaming at the bottom and work towards the top. One the border begins to loosen, use a plastic scraper to remove it from the wall.

Most orders that are glued onto existing wallpaper are easy to remove with a little moisture. If the border has a vinyl covering, the water will not be able to penetrate the surface to reach the glue. In these cases, perforate the surface with a perforating tool and then spray with water.

How To Remove Wallpaper Glue

1. Mix equal amounts of vinegar and water into a bottle.
2. Spray the mixture onto the affected wall area.
3. After just a few minutes, the acidity of the vinegar will break apart the sticky glue residue.
4. Wipe up with a sponge or a rag.

How to Remove Wallpaper Glue with Heavy-Duty Sponging

1. In a large bucket, mix together hot water and a large spoonful of dish detergent until it is frothed up and soapy.
2. Soak a heavy-duty sponge into the mixture. Choose a sponge that has one rough side and one smooth side. You can stick with the smooth side for most of the project, but utilize the rough side if necessary.
3. Simply use the sponge and the soap mixture to clean the walls. This approach takes some elbow grease, but it doesn’t require much in the way of expensive materials.
4. Once the residue is off the walls, wipe them down with a clean rag to ensure that no excess water soaks into the wall.

How To Remove Wallpaper From Drywall

Prepare the Room

Before you start to remove the actual wallpaper, make sure you remove all artwork, curtains, and outlet covers. Clear the wall of any decoration or hardware that will interfere with the process. Empty the room of furniture, or at least push it away from the walls. Once that’s done, cover the floor and any furniture in the middle of the room with plastic or drop cloth to protect it.

Score the Wallpaper

Once you’ve prepared the room by covering the floor and remaining furniture with plastic, you can begin removing the wallpaper by first using a scoring tool to perforate the paper. Using a scoring tool is helpful because it will create little holes that allow the liquid wallpaper remover to go through the wallpaper and actually reach the glue.

Apply the Remover

The best way to apply remover solution is to fill a sprayer with equal amounts of liquid remover and hot water. In fact, it might be best to even use boiled water from a kettle—just be careful not to burn yourself.

Remove the Wallpaper

Wait for about 15 minutes for the remover solution to soak in before you start to remove the wallpaper. You’ll know it’s working when the wallpaper starts to bubble. When it does, you can start to remove the paper.

How To Remove Wallpaper With Fabric Softener

Removing old wallpaper is one of the more irritating DIY tasks. Depending on the age, glue, and type of wallpaper, getting it off your walls can be an exercise in frustration. But it doesn’t have to be.

User hip2thrift over at Instructables shows us an easier way. Just mix equal parts warm water and fabric softener in a spray bottle. Spray the wallpaper in sections, wait a minute or so, and peel off.

How To Remove Wallpaper With A Steamer

Perforate The Old Wallpaper

Use a wallpaper-perforating tool such as the “Paper Tiger,” which is a roller with small spikes that will perforate the paper. This will allow the steam to penetrate the glue more readily. Be careful not to press too hard so you don’t perforate the wall surface. If it happens accidentally, you’ll need to fill the nicks with spackling compound.

Apply Steam

Wallpaper steamers tend to drip hot water, so you’ll want to wear rubber gloves. Place the steamer on the surface of the wallpaper and hold while the steam penetrates and softens the glue. The more time you dedicate to steaming, the less time you’ll have to spend scraping.

Scrape With a Wallpaper Scraping Tool

Once the steam has softened the glue, begin working at a seam or the edge of perforation to remove the paper by scraping with the wallpaper scraping tool, a plastic putty knife or a drywall knife. Apply more steam as needed and continue scraping until the wallpaper is removed.

What Is The Easiest Way To Remove Old Wallpaper?

To remove older non-treated wallpaper, you can take a garden sprayer filled with water and wallpaper removal solution and apply it liberally to the wallpaper. Let the wallpaper soak for 15-20 minutes and then use a scraper or dull putty knife to start peeling away the paper.

What Is The Best Way To Remove Wallpaper?

Use a scoring tool to create holes in the wallpaper. Use a spray bottle to soak the paper. Spray water into the slits so it can work its way behind the covering. Wait about 10 minutes and then scrape off the paper with a putty knife.

What Is The Best Homemade Wallpaper Remover?

Next, mix equal parts vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle or bucket and apply the mixture to the wallpaper liberally. Allow it to soak in for 15 minutes. Then use a scraper to remove the wallpaper. It should come off easily if you’ve used enough of your remover.

Is It Hard To Remove Wallpaper?

Some wallpapers can be stripped dry, while others will need a removal solution. For example, if the wall wasn’t sealed with a primer before the wallpaper was put up, removing the wallpaper can cause some damage to the wall’s texture or the drywall. Using a steamer to remove wallpaper isn’t as popular as it once was.