How to Remove Old Wallpaper

Removing wallpaper is a hard job, but knowing what to do will save you time and trouble. Here are the three most practical solutions for dealing with old wallpaper. Think about which one you want to do, as this can be a daunting task. Removing the paper is not always the smartest choice.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric softener
• Large putty knife (3" is best)
• Clean spray bottle
• Fabric softener(use the cheap stuff-it works fine)
• Heavy towel
• Lined garbage can
• Newspapers or tarp for floors
• Steamer (you can rent these at home improvement and paint stores)

Instructions

1. Check out the wallpaper carefully. If it's hanging on there like a second skin, you can save a whole lot of really intensive labor and time by priming it (if it's a shiny finish or a dark color or just not as smooth as you'd like) and painting over it. Use really good paint if you do this for the best coverage. Old paper that is intact can actually pull bits of the walls off with it and it can sometimes create a lot of expense as well as time and trouble.

2. Remove or cover everything that isn't nailed down really well. Place newspapers or tarp over your floors, as this is really messy work. Put a large garbage can in the room with you. Make sure to line it and overlap the top lip of the can because the wet paper can dry hard on anything and be difficult to take off.

3. Mix equal parts of fabric softener and warm to hot water. Pour it into a clean spray bottle. Use one that's sturdy as it will take a lot of hard use during your project. Some folks like vinegar and warm water in equal parts but the fabric softener seems to often do better.

4. Begin at a seam near the corner at the top of the wall. Spray a 4 x 4' section and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Wet it enough so that it won't dry out.

5. Lift up a corner of the paper with your putty knife. Try to lift about a 2" section. Now use your hands to gently tear it. Take it off in strips.

6. Scrape any missed pieces with the putty knife when you've finished the section. Wet it more if necessary at that point. Spray the bottom section now, letting it stand while you finish this one.

7. Wipe the wall section with the dry thick towel after you've scraped off any remaining paper. This will remove any traces of the old paste. Continue on through the room, working from the ceiling to the floor one area at a time.

8. Rent a steamer if you discover that you have several layers of paper. Sometimes they will all come off at once with a steamer. Sometimes they take a few at a time but the layers will come off a whole lot faster than the spray technique. Wallpaper is made to be sturdy and you can't get more than one layer wet enough to take it off with a sprayer.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a steamer for multiple layers of wallpaper.

• Paint over old paper that is intact and seems to be welded on. It will save you time, money and sometimes even costly wall repairs.

• This is a messy job. Wear comfortable old clothes and tie your hair up out of the way. Even with caution, bits of paper and traces of paste seem to end up everywhere.