Best way to remove wallpaper

Question

What is the best way to remove wallpaper?

Janet Pizaro · Answer

I would recommend a product from Zinsser (DIF gel wallpaper stripper spray. It is a non drip product which will aid in the glue removal. This is also odorless and you can find it in the paint Department at Home Depot.

Becky · Answer

I'd go with Zinzer as well. I helped my mom take paper down in a bathroom years ago and it was pretty easy. They make a scoring tool after you have soaked the paper that makes removing it even easier.

Fran · Answer

Most wallpaper can be removed with water. Just wet--wait 'till it's soft--use a scraper to remove. If there's some still sticking--wet and scrape. I've used this method several times.

Pjakin61 · Answer

you can use fabric softener mixed with warm water in a spray bottle

The Garden Frog with C Renee · Answer

Hot water in a spray bottle- I always start out with free. spray and soak and peel and repeat. Have a clean small metal putty knife to help scrape at about a 45 degree angle and carefully slide it under wallpaper. You do not need to buy anything at the store or chemicals. If the wallpaper gets tough, try water and white vinegar mix (which you use to get the residue glue off walls) or as pjakins suggested a small amount of fabric softner in a warm/hot spray bottle and soak the wallpaper. Put towels underneath along the bottom of wall for drips. You will make a mess but it so much better than painting over.

Betulove · Answer

Thank you so much Betty

Janet Pizaro · Answer

Depending on the type of wall paper it is some remedies my not work. So I would start at hopefully the easiest way. Good Luck

Gail · Answer

Truly tedious work.  I'm doing it now in my kitchen.  Peel off any that is loose.  Using a scraper with a straight edge razor blade remove the top layer, being careful to not gouge the wall.  Then spray what is left behind with hot water, let it sit for a minute and scrape off the remaining wallpaper.  After the wallpaper is removed wash the wall to remove any reminding wallpaper glue.  If you gouge any of the wall, repair with spackling compound, let dry, and sand until smooth

Marion Nesbitt · Answer

One of the best buys I made was a wallpaper steamer. Goes through layers of paint and wallpaper. Start by scoring the surface. Then spray with hot water and keep spraying til paper is soaked. Then use the steamer and a wide putty knife to peel it off. When finished, use a sponge to wash down the wall with warm water and vinegar to remove any traces of glue. Change the water-vinegar solution often as it can get mucky with left over glue.

Country Design Home · Answer

I saw a trick once on an old DIY show- fabric softener and warm water in a spray bottle. Score the paper, spray it on, wait a bit, then scrape off. Don't make the scores too close together or you'll be peeling off little bits and strips at a time!

Ranger · Answer

Do you plan to paint over it? I recommend sanding the worst of it (ie the joins and any tears/rip) and just paint over the rest.

Jeanette S · Answer

Hire someone or move! HA! I love wallpaper, but once I got it out of my house, I said NEVER ANOTHER PIECE! Some of it came down pretty easily, but the kitchen and dining room paper came off an inch at a time! The only good thing about wallpaper is that you can go a long time with it...with paint, you are continually painting...scuffs and smears!
The only advice is...be prepared to take your time. Careful with scoring because it will puncture the wall board underneath and you will have to patch and sand. The same if you get it too wet. Don't panic if the wall board puckers...give it time to dry. (Are you ready to call a mover?)

Jane · Answer

White vinegar and wine! The wine is for you lol:
Mix white vinegar with equal part water: spray on to saturate. If it's vinyl coated paper,
Use a steak knife to score the wallpaper. Work small areas: score, spray, let soak (the wine will keep,you entertained), then use a decent paint scraper. It's cheap, but does work. A good alternative if you are frugal (or cheap like me and don't want to rent a steamer).

Marsharie M · Answer

I don't know how old your house is but if you plan on going the steaming route check to see if there is lead paint under the wallpaper. If there is and you steam the wallpaper, the lead gets released with the steam vapors.

June · Answer

Buy or hire a wallpaper steamer... Did mine in half the time as previous attempts... I know it can be messy underfoot when it falls but if you prepare the floor first with a cheap or old pair of curtains or even practice sheets from the pound shop.. It can be rolled up together and taken out. Good luck.

Beth Campbell · Answer

Really hot water and DIF in one of those pump sprayers (the kind you use for outside).  I've removed tons of wallpaper and this is the best.  Use a sponge with a scrubby side to scrub off the paper.  Good luck!  You will be happy you took the time to do it right.

Michelle · Answer

I bought an inexpensive clothes steamer, scored the paper, spayed on fabric softener/water mixture, after steamer got hot, I worked in small areas using the steamer and a putty knife ( don't dig in with the putty knife or you'll be patching drywall ) after completly removed, used a hot sponge to wipe away residue. This worked like a charm and was much more affordable than a wallpaper steamer. Just be aware the clothes steamer will cause serious burns to your skin if you are not careful.

Queeniecda · Answer

What worked with me was peel wallpaper or border off. All/some backing remains, IF you have a steamer (either for clothes or cleaning) saturate area, use putty knife
to scrape. It might be a little messy..then wash/prep area to whatever you desire...I've done 4 rooms, with great results!!

Trudy · Answer

I bought a really nice, wide wallpaper scraper at Lowes with a different handle than a regular putty knife. Go look in their wallpaper section, the angle is better. Pick up a tiger wallpaper scorer while you are there. Washing with a white vinegar and water solution will help remove the leftover adhesive.

Patti · Answer

The BEST method I have used, is first score the wall paper and then use the non iron able pellon, (interfacing) using fabric softener soak the pellon in water & slap it on the wallpaper smoothing it out with your hand. Keep it wet for about 20-30 minutes and it will simply fall off the walls. Good luck!

Cindy · Answer

hot water & Downy in a spray bottle worked perfectly for me.....and made the house smell good!

TDL Anna · Answer

I recommend just painting over it unless it is already peeling off in big sheets. I have had pretty good success with mixing a pint of joint compound into a gallon of paint and then just painting right over the wall paper.

Susan · Answer

Cindy in Lincolnton, NC advises Downy (I used generic fabric softener) and this worked best for me as well. I bought a $10 plastic (one gallon) bug/weed sprayer bottle, added three cap fulls of softener, then filled with extremely hot water. Sprayed the walls and waited 5-10 minutes for the mixture to saturate. We have restored an old Victorian home and some rooms had 7-8 layers of wallpaper!

Shari · Answer

In my experience, there is no single 'best' way. It seems to depend a lot on the wallpaper itself, how old it is, how it was applied, the type of surface it was applied to etc. A lot of time it's trial and error. 
 
 I've used different methods to remove wallpaper, depending on how stubborn the paper is but I always start with scoring the paper with a 'paper tiger.' I took some wallpaper down just a month ago that was the easiest job ever! I just pulled off the top layer and then sponged warm water on the paper backing that was left. Came off so easy with a paint scraper, I was done in the blink of an eye! However, other wallpaper removal projects haven't been that quick or easy. I've used liquid fabric softener mixed with hot water applied with a spray bottle. A few times it worked really well for me--the paper came right off effortlessly with a paint scraper. Other times the fabric softener method did nothing but make my house smell good. A couple times I used DIF wallpaper remover--again with mixed results. After fabric softener, DIF and another brand of wallpaper remover failed me on one wallpaper removal effort, I purchased a basic wallpaper steamer from Lowe's for about $50. 
 I have also painted over wallpaper that is stuck really well. However, I would only do that as a last resort--if you just can't get the paper to come off with any other method. In my experience, if you successfully pull the top layer of the wallpaper off and then paint over the 2nd (paper backing) layer, it looks like you have painted over paper, which you have. 
 As you get into this project, you might even find you have to use a combination of products and techniques to get it off. It's definitely not a fun job but oh so rewarding when you get that last bit of wallpaper off! Good luck!

Tor3773467 · Answer

Soak with Downey that works great...also freshens the room nicely...

Shamrockcamper · Answer

Get a 'Paper Tiger' small tool to score the paper surface, do not press hard, purchase a Wagoner Steamer, very reasonable, costs about the same as a one day rental. These are by far the best purchases I have ever made. Friends and family love to borrow them. LOL

Susan Rutter · Answer

You can rent a machine that will remove it real faster. Better than store bought.

Aisling Chalian · Answer

If the paper is more than a few years old, it may not come off. My husband and I tried to remove wallpaper in one of our bathrooms, but it was so old it had basically fused with the wall and some of the wall came off with it. We had to put up new drywall -- which is actually not hard, but can be difficult to sand smooth.

Mary Stanley · Answer

Spray it well with white vinegar. This has worked well for me in the past even old wall paper has come off pretty easy.

Joanna · Answer

Fabric softener is supposed to work well. Just dampen a large sponge and dip it in a bucket of fabric softener and generously coat the wallpaper --it should peel right off! Hope this helps!

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