How to Remove Wallpaper Glue From Plaster Walls
When you remove wallpaper, it's important that you use a quality wallpaper stripper. It will make the task easier. Wallpaper stripper will remove most of the glue underneath as well. But, because the glue is ultra-sticky, there's often some leftover adhesive stuck to the walls. This must be removed from the plaster so you have a clean, smooth surface to work with. No matter what you use to re-cover the walls--paper, paint, paneling--it will adhere better to a clean wall. To remove the leftover glue, you need the same tools you used to remove the wallpaper. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Pump sprayer
- Wallpaper stripper
- 3 - to 4-inch scraper blade
- Wet sponge
- Paper towels
- Bucket
Instructions
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1
Pour a gallon of water into a pump sprayer. Pour in 5 oz. of a quality wallpaper stripper.
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2
Spray the wallpaper liberally with the watered-down wallpaper stripper. Allow it to set a few minutes, according to the manufacturer's directions, so the glue softens. Lift and pull up the wallpaper at a few seams to see if it's loosened. If it's not, reapply the spray and allow a few more minutes for the adhesive to let go.
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3
Scrape the wallpaper off the plaster wall once the paper is loose. Apply gentle pressure to the wide blade and hold it at a slight angle so you don't gouge the plaster underneath. Spray more wallpaper stripper as needed to keep the paper moistened.
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4
Spray the bare plaster walls again with a light spray of stripper, once all the wallpaper has been removed. Scrape the leftover glue off with the wide blade. Wipe the blade clean with paper towels as it becomes soiled.
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5
Fill a bucket with clean, warm water. Dip a sponge in the water, wring it out well, then wipe down the walls until they're clean. Rinse and wring the sponge out often.
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Tips & Warnings
After you have removed all the glue, let the plaster walls dry 24 to 48 hours.
References
- Photo Credit Green wallpaper image by Tasha from Fotolia.com
