How to Remove Wallpaper Paste From a Wall Board

Remove all traces of wallpaper glue before painting walls.

Removing old wallpaper is a chore, but removing the old wallpaper paste left behind on the wall can be even more challenging. The sticky wallpaper glue left on the wall will make the job of painting difficult, as the paste will not allow proper adhesion between the wall and paint. Many people choose to apply commercial wallpaper paste removal products, while many have the option of using common household products already available in the home. Depending upon the severity and amount of wallpaper paste stuck to the wall, different methods of removal may be necessary.

Things You'll Need

• Drop cloth
• Fabric softener
• Sponge
• Clothes iron
• Tinfoil
• Spray bottle
• Dish washing detergent
• Tri-sodium phosphate
• Large putty knife
• Vinegar
• Two large buckets
• Rubber gloves

Instructions

1. Lay down a drop cloth under the area where you will be removing the wallpaper paste. Fill the spray bottle full with equal amounts of water and liquid fabric softener. Spray the wall with the solution liberally.

2. Scrape the wall using a putty knife and dispose of the clumps. Wet a sponge with the fabric softener solution and wipe the wall down to remove any leftover residue.

3. Place a large portion of tinfoil on a glued area of the wall. Place a hot clothes iron over the tinfoil. When the glue begins to melt and drip, wipe it off with a rag. Use this method if your wall has particularly tough dried-on paste areas that cannot be cured using the other chemical removal processes.

4. Spray down the wall with a solution of liquid dishwashing detergent and hot water. Once the wallpaper paste begins to soften, scrap off the clumps using the putty knife.

5. Wet a sponge with a bucket of one cup of vinegar and one gallon of hot water. Wipe the wall thoroughly with the wet sponge and scrape off the wallpaper paste. Sand stubborn areas with light sandpaper if needed.

6. Use tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) when all other methods have failed. Fill one bucket with water and a second bucket with a mixture of TSP and water according to the product's instructions. Use rubber gloves when sponging on the TSP solution to the wall.

7. Rinse the sponge frequently and resoak it in the TSP solution. Keep submerging the sponge in the TSP solution, wiping the wall down and rinsing the sponge in the clean water until all of the wallpaper paste has been completely removed from the wall.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash the wall down with tri-sodium phosphate before painting the walls. This chemical will ensure all the traces of wallpaper paste will be removed, allowing proper adhesion for the paint.

• Make sure your work area is well ventilated when using harsh chemical removers.

References

• Online Tips: Remove Wallpaper Glue