The Easiest Way to Get Rid of Old Wallpapers
The wallpapers on the market today are very different from what you could find in stores a few decades ago. While a number of improvements have been made over the years, the most important of these is that modern wallpaper is significantly easier to remove than its predecessors.
And we’re not just talking about peel-and-stick types: the more traditional types of wallpaper have been designed in such a way that the task of removing them is not something people tend to avoid at all costs.
But what if you need to get rid of old wallpapers—the ones that made wallpaper removal infamous in the first place? Of course, you can hire a professional or rent specialized wallpaper removal equipment, but not everyone has the means to do so. In such a case, here is the easiest way to remove old wallpaper.
How to remove old wallpaper
To be clear: Removing old wallpapers will take time and effort no matter how you do it, but some methods (like this one) make the job easier than others. Let’s start.
Prepare the room
Start by moving as much furniture and other items out of the room as you can, and then cover the rest, as well as the floors, with rags. Remove all switches and sockets from the wall, and cover the remaining switches and sockets with adhesive tape so that moisture does not get inside. Some people turn off the electricity in the room as an extra precaution.
Wallpaper rating
Wallpaper glue is water soluble , so to make it easier for water to penetrate the wallpaper, it first needs to be scored (i.e. made many shallow tiny holes).
There are dedicated wallpaper grading tools available at most hardware stores for less than $10. They were designed to get the job done quickly, but if you don’t want another tool lying around your house, you can use a fork (which you don’t want to eat anymore) or a pastry wheel instead.
Be careful, especially if your walls are made of drywall rather than stucco, as it is easier to damage.
saturate wallpaper
Mix a concentrated liquid wallpaper remover with hot water and apply it to the walls with a pump sprayer (like the one you use in the garden). The goal is for the wallpaper and its backing to be sufficiently saturated for the water and grout to soak into the adhesive.
If you prefer not to use chemicals in your home, you can simply spray hot water on the walls instead. It will take a little longer for the glue to dissolve, but it will get the job done.
Let it soak in
Wait about 15-30 minutes to allow water to penetrate the wallpaper, backing and adhesive. You’ll know it’s done when you can scrape off the pieces with your fingernail .
Start Parsing
At this stage, the wallpaper should be relatively easy to remove with a scraper or a dull trowel . Walk around the room, scratching the walls from top to bottom until the wallpaper is removed.
Cleanse the walls
Finally, wipe down the walls to remove any remaining adhesive. If there is little left, a solution of warm water and liquid dish soap should help. If not, TSP or another wallpaper remover should exit.