Removing wallpaper from your drywall can seem like an easy task, until you start the process and only tiny pieces of the paper are coming off. Not to worry, we will show you the best ways to remove wallpaper from your drywall so that you can make your walls look good as new. From the best ways to remove wallpaper borders to the best way to remove wallpaper without a steamer, we will show you tips that will make this process so much easier for you!
When we bought our home, every single room had wallpaper! We thought that it was be an easy task to remove it all and we were wrong! The wallpaper removal was actually one of the most time consuming parts of our home remodel until we found the fastest method and technique. So we are here to share with you some of our mistakes, tips, and advice to help get that stubborn wallpaper off of your walls.
In this blog post, we will show you the best ways to remove wallpaper like a pro. Whether there is glue on your walls or someone painted over the wallpaper, with hard work and our advice you should be able to remove it efficiently. So get ready to tackle this project and transform your walls!
This blog post is all about the best ways to remove wallpaper.
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How do professionals remove wallpaper?
Here are the three methods that professionals typically use to remove wallpaper:
- Wallpaper Steamer
- Vinegar Solution
- Chemical solution
Professionals also typically use a putty knife and or scorer to help the removal process. The professionals make sure your outlets, flooring, and furniture is protected during the removal.
Shop the Best Way To Remove Wallpaper Glue
How to Remove Wallpaper From Drywall
Now, let’s explore some methods that you should consider to remove wallpaper from your drywall. We will share with you our pros and cons of each method and the most effective method we found to work.
Preparation to Remove the Wallpaper
Before you dive into removing the wallpaper, here are some things you must prepare to ensure the process goes nice and smooth:
- Prep the space: Cover any furniture near the walls with plastic and tape off any electrical outlets that can potentially get wet using a strong painters tape.
- Get your supplies ready: In addition to your method of choice, you may want a pair of gloves, a scraper, a scorer and some towels to make this process cleaner and quicker.
- Do a test spot: It is worth it to do a small test spot using your method to see if it works effectively.
Wallpaper Steamer Method
How to remove wallpaper with a steamer:
- Be sure to fill your steamer with water before you start according to the steamer’s instructions.
- Once your steamer is hot enough to use, hold the steamer on your wallpaper, steaming in a circular motion about 30 seconds per spot. You may want to start a seam of the wallpaper or a corner because it is the easiest spot to peel.
- Let the wallpaper cool for another minute or so and then try to peel from a corner or seam. If it doesn’t peel easily, apply steam again for another 30 seconds. Try to peel the wallpaper again if you need to and use a putty knife to help loosen the area.
- Lastly, you may notice the wall is wet and may drip after the wallpaper is removed so be sure to wipe down the walls to pick up any dripping water.
BUY THE WALLPAPER STEAMER:
We bought this wallpaper steamer that was highly recommended from a sales associate at our local hardware store to remove the wallpaper and the glue.
PROS
- Loosens a majority of the wallpaper and its glue with ease
- Affordable way to remove the wallpaper
- Chemical free
- This is a great tool to have in your home and can serve for multiple purposes like removing glue from flooring!
CONS
- It did not remove everything 100%. We had to use other methods to remove residual glue.
- The water got EVERYWHERE, so it can get messy.
- The really stubborn wallpaper that is older did not come off easily.
TIP: Make sure not to wet your walls too much with steam because it can lead to irreversible damage on your walls. To prevent water damage don’t stay in one spot for too long and test out the steamer on a small spot of your walls before you begin.
Vinegar Solution Method
*Be sure to use gloves to protect your hands.
How to remove wallpaper with vinegar:
- Mix equal parts water and vinegar and pour it into a spray bottle to spray your wallpaper.
- Spray your walls, working with small sections at a time and let the vinegar sit for about 15-20 minutes.
- Once the vinegar has soaked into the walls, try to peel from a corner or seam. If it doesn’t peel easily, use a putty knife to help loosen the area.
- Lastly, you may notice the wall is wet and may drip after the wallpaper is removed so be sure to wipe down the walls to pick up any dripping water.
BUY THE VINEGAR CONCENTRATE:
Another method to remove wallpaper that we tried was with vinegar. We bought this vinegar solution from Lowes and mixed half warm water and half vinegar.
PROS
- Cost effective method.
- You can reuse the vinegar to clean other parts of your home like your patio, driveway or to eliminate odors in the home.
- No harsh chemicals or dyes involved.
CONS
- It just wasn’t strong enough on it’s own for some of the more stubborn spots of wallpaper.
- Vinegar left a lot of residue that needs to be wiped off the walls.
- The smell from the vinegar is very strong.
TIPS
- Make sure to allow the mixture to soak into the wall before removing the paper.
- If the vinegar isn’t working, you can mix fabric softener (about 1/4 cup per gallon of water) with the vinegar solution to help break down the stubborn glue.
Chemical Solutions
How to remove wallpaper using a chemical spray:
*Be sure to use gloves to protect your hands.
- First, using a scoring tool to loosen the wallpaper and create small holes in it to help the spray to seep in. To do this, simply just rub the tool onto your wallpaper in small circular motions.
- Once the entire area is scored, it is time to spray the wallpaper with the chemical solution. Allow the spray to sit on the wall for at least 15 minutes.
- After the spray has sat for awhile, use a scraper to slowly scrape the wallpaper off the walls. If you have stubborn areas, you may want to respray the area and try again.
- Once the wallpaper and glue is off, you can take a wet towel and wipe down the walls to remove any gel that may still be on your walls.
If you want to know the secret contractors use to remove wallpaper from drywall, it is in this bottle. In our opinion, this is one of the most effective ways to remove stubborn and old wallpaper. If we ever need to remove wallpaper removal again we would definitely use this method. This is the best way to remove wallpaper without a steamer!
PROS:
- Removed the wallpaper quickly with no mess or much hassle.
CONS:
- The downside to this spray is that it can be on the pricier side and have some harsh ingredients that the other methods don’t.
TIP: Buy a wall scorer and scraper to help remove the wallpaper along with your spray or water solutions. Also, make sure to let whatever product or water that you are using soak in to help loosen glue.
Buy The Best Wall Scorer on Amazon
This blog post was all about the best ways to remove wallpaper.
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