When we purchased our house last year, one small area had wallpaper. I am not opposed to wallpaper, but it wasn’t my style and I didn’t want to apply a different wallpaper on top of it. My previous house had wallpaper in several of the rooms, but it had been so long since I had removed wallpaper I had honestly forgotten some of the steps.
I researched a little on the internet and found a couple of places with useful information. One site suggested the use of fabric softener and another suggested vinegar. I didn’t have fabric softener so I opted for the vinegar. The one common ingredient that both sites agreed on, was the use hot water in combination with the fabric softener or vinegar.
The key to starting any project is having the right tools. Our prior house required some renovation before we were able to sale the house and we were able to acquire some tools that could be used later. A list of the tools I used:
- Some type of wall paper scoring tool (didn’t have one, but used a grout removal tool)
- Spray bottle
- Putty knife
- Old rag
Wallpaper can also be removed using a steamer which can be rented from your local hardware store. If the wallpaper was applied directly to the sheetrock it may be quite difficult to remove. If the wallpaper was applied after a coat of paint or primer was applied to the sheetrock it will prove to be much easier. There is really no way of knowing how it was applied until you start the removal process.
I wanted to save some money and remove the wallpaper myself without the cost of a rented steamer. I was fortunate because the wallpaper had been applied to a coat of primer first. After a couple of errors I quickly found a routine that worked well. The process is messy no matter how it is done, and mistakes will be made (gouged drywall or torn paper on the drywall) that can all be fixed later.
I found that time was my best friend as far as removing the wallpaper, and quickly found a routine that worked well for me. I started out using vinegar in my hot water, but decided that it was just as effective without the vinegar and I didn’t miss the smell of the vinegar either. My routine was quick and methodical once I figured out what to do. I lightly scored the wallpaper a bit with the grout removal tool, sprayed with the hot water, and waited somewhere between five and ten minutes.
Once the hot water was able to penetrate through the scoring marks made by the grout removal tool, it would begin to loosen the glue on the back of the wallpaper. I would then be able to use the edge of the putty knife to pry up a piece of the wallpaper and start the removal process. This process can take hours, but was well worth the effort for me to remove it myself without paying for the cost of a steam rental.
