Things You'll Need:
- Putty knife
- Spray bottle with water
- Box cutter
- Heat-resistant work gloves
- Protective eye goggles
- Steamer
- Trash can
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Step 1
Remove all the pictures, nails or items hanging on the wall. You may think you've removed everything, but look again. There may be a picture hanger that you overlooked, or switch plates with edges covering the wallpaper.
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Step 2
Loosen a corner along a seam at the bottom of one strip of wallpaper. Use a flat putty knife to loosen the edge. If it is a newer paper that is strippable, you can grab hold of the edge and gently pull up and out to remove the paper.
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Step 3
Separate the plastic outer coating of the wallpaper from the paper side attached to the wall. If the paper you are trying to remove is washable, you will need to score the paper, and then dampen the bottom paper lining, using a spray bottle. After the water soaks into the backing for about 10 minutes, the paper can be scraped off with a putty knife.
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Step 4
Dampen the residue that does not pull off the wall. Allow it to sit several minutes before scraping off the paper with a putty knife.
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Step 5
Rent a steamer from the hardware store. This will provide quicker results than manually removing the paper and will be necessary for stubborn wallpaper. A steamer is especially useful for removing multiple layers of wallpaper.
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Step 6
Follow the instructions of the steamer. Typically this will involve filling its reservoir with the power off. Turn the power on and allow the steamer to come to a boil.
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Step 7
Put on heat-resistant work gloves and goggles.
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Step 8
Place the steam pad on the wallpaper and hold for about 30 seconds. If the paper is a vinyl or water resistant, you will first need to score the outer surface with a box cutter so the steam can permeate the paper. Do not cut the board beneath the paper.
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Step 9
Scrape the loose paper off the wall after you move the steamer. Use a putty knife or other wide straight edge. The paper should peel off easily.
