One of the most difficult things to do around the house is remove old wallpaper, especially if it has been there for a while. You can sit there for days on end trying to get it off the wall piece-by-piece, or you can do it right. Save yourself some money and remove that old wallpaper yourself using some of the tips below. If done right, removing wallpaper does not have to be that awful experience you are used to.
Step 1
Clear a space to work. Make sure you have plenty of room to work and get around. You most likely have furniture and pictures around or on the walls. Take everything down and move all the furniture to the center of the room. This will allow you to move around easily and get any tools or ladders you need for help. Also, to ensure that you do not damage anything, throw some drop clothes over any furniture or valuables near by. This should help protect them from possible debris.
Step 2
Start working. Now that you are ready to start peeling, you will want to find the beginning of the strip or the corner of the wallpaper. This is usually the easiest place to start and get a good tear. You may get lucky and have wallpaper that is designed to pull off in one strip. Once you get a good tear going, use a scraper to get behind the wallpaper and push it down. This will help it from tearing into different pieces and insure that nothing is left behind.
Step 3
Mix water and soap to create a removal compound. If you are having trouble taking down the wallpaper with just your hands and a scraper, then you may want to try a household remedy. Get a spray bottle and fill it will warm water and soap. Mix the two together and this will be your wall removal compound. You will want to spray the remaining wallpaper generously and let it soak for a minute. This mix will loosen up the wallpaper and make it come of the walls a little easier. The only down side is you won't be able to pull it off in long strips as easily. However, using your scraper should allow you to remove most of the wallpaper.
No one likes to remove wallpaper, but it is necessary to repaint that living room or nursery. Instead of hiring someone to come out and do it, use these steps to remove your wallpaper.
