Removing wallpaper?

Question

What is the easiest and safest way to remove wallpaper?

Answer 1

Just because I say this is the easiest way still doesn't mean it is EASY. But the easiest way I have found was a scoring tool you can find at a hardware store and warm water mixed with liquid fabric softener. Score the wallpaper the apply the warm mixture let it set a few minutes then start pulling. Keep a sponge wet with the mixture handy so that you can keep wetting the paper as you pull it. I liked to squeeze the mixture down between the wall and the wallpaper as I pulled it away from the wall. Either way you find to do it it won't be fun. I don't envy you. Hope this helps and good luck to you.

Answer 2

First get a disposable plastic drop cloth (not to thin) 4mm is good. Buy some painters tape (blue masking tape) 11/2"-2'. Tape the plastic to the baseboard (baseboard should be dust free). Smooth the tape down (if water doesn't get under the tape it will hold) leave slack in the plastic so you don't pull it loose. If you have a Hudson sprayer use it, if not you can get a small plastic one at Depot or Lowe's for under $20. Fill it 2/3rds with your hottest tap water then ad 4-5 drops of dish soap, pump it up and spray about 4-5 strips of wallpaper, start at the top and go side to side (keep pressure in the sprayer) you want the hot water to penetrate the paper. wait a few minutes then try to peel back the top corners. Once you get it started you can spray behind the paper. Use a wide putty knife to scrape the wall (cheap, thin putty knives are more flexible and there is less chance of gouging the walls) you should pick up some spackle too. If you have some old cotton throw-away rags throw em' down to absorb excess water (before you begin). When your all done peel your plastic from the corners roll the whole thing up and you'll have no mess left to clean up provided you haven't walked off the plastic with your shoes on.... Good luck

Answer 3

We had some of the worse wallpaper on our walls when we moved in and let me tell you that we tried everything and then we came across the product called Dif you can get it almost at any store. Also one of those things that scrape up the wallpaper so it can soak thru. Try to get the top layer off if you can and then expose the underlayer of paper. It is easier that way. The dumb dumbs that lived here before us put the wallpaper on directly onto the sheetrock. Who in the heck does that? Ok so we had to have a professional come in and do those rooms since it was tearing up the walls and have them then texture the walls afterwards. UGH!! I am sure you will have better luck than us. Good luck!! Dif really works well. It peeled right off.

Answer 4

i remove wallpaper about once a month in my job.

i have found the easiest way is to score the paper with a sharp putty knife, being careful not to dig into the wall.

then fill a spray bottle with a mix of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 HOT water.

spray an area about 3 feet square. let it work it's way into the paper. keep the area wet. start scraping it off after about 5 minutes.

at this point don't worry about the glue that remains.

after you get the paper off, respray the walls with the vinegar and water solution.

use a NYLON NET SCRUBBY and remove the leftover glue, scraping it off with the putty knife.

then rinse the walls with clean hot water.

vinegar works well because it is Acetic Acid which dissolves the glue.

Answer 5

Plain warm water in a apray bottle works very well, and you don't need to worry about the spray getting on something and ruining it. Before you spray the paper, take a small knife and score it every couple inches, making long shallow cuts in the paper. This will allow the warm water to soak in and loosen the glue up on the back of the paper. Spray generously, and wait several minutes for the water to work its magic. Then peel the paper off. For stubborn stuck-on paper, simply spray again and repeat the process. A metal putty knife is handy for removing stubborn pieces of paper. Hope this helps. Happy peeling!

Answer 6

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to remore wallpaper unless it is the type that is strippable. Try getting a hold of a large edge and pull, if it is vinyl, it may just come of! The glue underneath may be another matter. You may need products from home improvement stores or even from fabric store. USE A MASK no matter what. Depending on how old the adhesive it or vinyl,. the resisidue thrown into the air could have some major health issues later. Take THAT one from me. Be careful, ask people who do this for a living and and ar friendly, they may help! Good luck.

Answer 7

Downy laundry softener and warm water (mixed half and half) and a putty knife. I took off 10 layers of wallpaper in almost every room in my 100 yr. old house this way. Good luck! And make sure you get a scent you LIKE, the whole house will smell like it when you're done!

Answer 8

Whatever, you do don't rent the wallpaper/steamer remover from the big box, It's a total waste of time! Use one of the previous stated methods they work fine.

Answer 9

Every time that I have removed wallpaper I have used warm water in a spray bottle and used a putty knife (those scraper things) to get it all off.

Answer 10

Water and fabric softener in a spray bottle.