2007-02-10 00:43:44 · 6 answers · asked by medical1 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Cleaning & Laundry
There is a product called DIF, you can get from your home center. Also, find a scratcher. It's only $8 and helps immensely. It perforates the paper so the DIF can get to the glue. Follow the directions, and it'll come off. I had to sponge the stuff on, wait, sponge more on, wait, then the paper came right off. You'll want to use the plastic scraper that comes with the scratcher. A metal one will gouge the wall and you'll have to fill in with spackling, so, more time, more energy.
2007-02-10 00:51:24 · answer #1 · answered by dwilmoth822 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some times, you can find the loose seams and start peeling by hand. But at some point you are going to need a wall paper stripper solution. You can get it from any paint store. If the paper is really stuck you may need to get a tool that rolls over the wall and cuts small holes in the paper. This lets the stripper soak in and dissolve the glue. Once the paper is off, you will need to make sure all the glue is off the wall to. I have better luck using a sponge dampened with stripper less messy than a roller, and safer if you have any electrical boxes in the wall you are working on. And don't be surprised if you find that the wall is a mess behind the paper, and require some extensive repair before you can paint it.
2007-02-10 08:56:41 · answer #2 · answered by bugs280 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, I can't believe how many times this gets asked. I ought to set up a web site detailing this and helping everyone out.
There are basically two kinds of paper determined mostly by whether it is older or newer. The newer paper actually has vinyl on the outside to make it more durable and scrubable.
You will need to purchase a tank sprayer (like you use to kill weeds or bugs), a wallpaper scraper, a roll of plastic sheeting (3 mil for covering windows is best), and what I call a wallpaper bug. The bug is a devise that perforates the paper to allow moisture to get to the paste and dissolve it. You may or may not need the bug though; it is good to have it just in case.
Spread the plastic on the floor, wall to wall. This gets messy and you want to be sure nothing gets on your floor or carpet. Not that you can't clean it, you can, it is just easier to keep it clean to begin with. You may want to tape it to the baseboard to keep it in place.
Now fill the tank sprayer with a solution of warm water and soap. I've used ammonia. Laundry detergent works too. Most any soap, but you don't want a bunch of suds what ever you use. They make something for paper removal, but all it or the soap is, is a wetting agent to cause the paper to absorb the water.
Now get a stepladder and climb to the top of the wall searching for a corner or a loose spot. If you don't find one, use the bug to perforate along the top. If you do find one gently, peel it back. Take your tank sprayer and soak it down, top to bottom.
If you were able to find a loose spot, spray behind it so the soap mixture gets behind the paper and at the paste.
Keep soaking it down. Don't get in a hurry. It should take about 2 hours to do a wall depending on size. I've done it in less, but I've done it before.
Don't let it dry, just wet everything down top to bottom and let it soak. Sit down read a book for a few minutes, go back, and soak it down again.
If you do it correctly, the paper should almost fall off the wall in one piece. Just don't get in a hurry. Soak and read. Soak and read. LOL
You will need the bug and the scraper, because there is always one stubborn part that doesn't want to come loose.
You may actually have to use more than one tank of water/soap mixture too.
If there is drywall and not plaster behind it, keep it wet, but don't over wet it. If there is plaster lath, then soak away. The brown coat below the plaster is usually a thin set mortar, i.e. cement.
You should be able to do a wall an evening, and generally clean up at the end. Just fold the plastic on the floor over on itself, if you need to use the room some.
Good Luck
2007-02-10 09:07:42 · answer #3 · answered by A_Kansan 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
wet the wall with a sponge the wipe on sunlight dish soap and leave 4 15 minutes paper should come right off. worked well at my house
2007-02-10 09:30:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have used all the commercial products, a garden sprayer, hot water and they all worked.
But recently, on a HGTV show, they said to mix liquid fabric softener with water and use that solution, either spray on or sponge on.
2007-02-10 22:18:49 · answer #5 · answered by CAT 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
rent a steamer. i have seen people use these on home improvement shows with successful results.
2007-02-10 09:53:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋