3 Tried and true simple methods for removing wallpaper fast and inexpensively!
Remodeling is out of the question for many families in this economy, but painting is an excellent way to give various rooms in your home new life. If your current walls are donned in wallpaper or borders, here is the easiest way to remove it and prepare the wall for painting without harmful chemicals.
Method #1
If you’re doing a large room with extensive papering, this is the method we recommend above all others. If you’re going to be removing a wall border or just a small area, try method #2 or #3 towards the bottom of this page.
You’ll Need:
- Steamer- I highly recommend the Wagner Steamer, it works like a charm
- Score Tool
- Putty Knife (Scraper)
- Patience
Step 1: Score the wall- in order to make it easier for the steam to penetrate the wallpaper, it is necessary to gently score the wall using a score tool. This essentially makes little tiny holes in the paper, allowing the steam to penetrate and soften the glue.
Step 2: Hold the steamer over a section of paper you wish to remove, hold for 20-30 seconds and then slide it along the wall.
Step 3: Using the putty knife gently scrape away the offending wallpaper.
Step 4: Repeat until all the paper is gone!
Step 5: Wash remaining glue residue off the walls. I recommend hot water with a dab of dawn dish soap, it works great. If you’ve used a steamer, most of the residue is already gone.
Step 6: Apply Drywall Mud (joint compound) to any knicks or gouges to fill the holes and make the surface smooth. Allow it to dry (may take several hours depending on how thickly it was applied). Smooth the surface with a dampened sponge (much easier than sanding, I promise!)
Step 7: Paint!
Method #2
Just stir 1 cap-full of your favorite brand of liquid fabric softener into 1 quart (1 liter) warm water and liberally sponge the solution onto the wallpaper. Allow it soak in for 20 minutes, then gently scrape the paper from the wall. If the wallpaper is heavy duty or has a water-resistant coating, score it with a score tool or a wire-bristle brush before treating with the fabric softener solution.
Method #3
If you don’t have access to a steamer or liquid fabric softener you can fill a squirt bottle with a 50/50 mix of Vinegar and hot water. Score the wall, spray liberally and wait 10-15 minutes. Unfortunately, this method takes twice as long and requires repeated applications.
hi, found these tips useful, i try to use the steam stripper as it make the job much easier. it very satisfying when its complete knowing you have done it yourself.
thanks for posting, need to strip bedroom, now i know how, thanks again
really simple way to remove wallpaper – an ironer and spray bottle filled with water. heat ironer on the hottest setting. spray a 2 – 3 foot area with the water and run the ironer over the area, steaming the wallpaper.
Start peeling the paper off, spray, iron, and continue pulling the wallpaper off. I was amazed at how easy it came off.
i love the idea of using the iron instead of steamer. that would be so much easier. trying it this weekend.
thank you!
seven years ago we bought a house that was 100 years old and had sat empty for three years. Since I’m on disability and my husband got laid off shortly after signing the papers on the house we had limited funds to remodel. We ended up scrapping off over seven layers of wall paper in what is now our computer room.
Then we painted it. After spending all of that time on that room we decided to panel the kitchen which is on the opposite end of the computer. Was so much easier then taking the wallpaper off.
hot water and fabric softner works great too. i use the cheapest i can find.
i’ve always used cheap liquid fabric softener too, and i have removed a lot of paper. i wouldn’t recommend using a regular iron that you use for clothing, safety should be your first concern and a steamer is designed to do the job of removing wall paper. scoring the paper and saturating it is the key, take your time as you don’t want to scrap into the drywall.
my daughter is removing wallpaper in just about every room in her newly purchased home. i just emailed this info over to her. thank you.
This looks pretty easy. Wallpaper can be a bear