Advice for Wallpaper Removal

Removing Borders

• Spritz border edges with warm water. Give the water some time to saturate the adhesive. Then peel the edges back with a plastic scraper. Use white vinegar or a clothes steamer for resistant sections.

Plaster Walls

• According to This Old House, painting contractor John Dee suggests filling a pump sprayer with about a 1:12 ratio of wallpaper stripper and water. Spray the wall thoroughly and scrape the paper with a several-inch-wide scraper blade. A rental wallpaper steamer weakens the adhesive on tough-to-loosen sections. Spray the walls one more time after all the paper has been removed and scrape off any remaining paste. After a warm water rise to remove paste residue, allow the walls to dry for a day or two before painting or repapering.

Drywall

• Drywall requires special care so that the top paper layer doesn't peel away. Use a wallpaper-perforating tool to make tiny holes that penetrate the wallpaper but don't damage the drywall. Apply an enzyme-based wallpaper adhesive remover and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes. The paper should strip easily, although some spots might require a scraping blade. Wash the walls with water to rinse away adhesive residue.