How to Remove Wallpaper with Fabric Softener

Try to remove the old wallpaper simply by grasping a corner and peeling. If the vinyl comes off in strips, leaving only the paper backing behind, then you have strippable wallpaper which will make your job a lot easier. Continue to peel the wallpaper off until all that remains on the walls is the paper backing.

Prime the wallpaper to be stripped if it isn't strippable. Take a utility knife and score the wallpaper, making criss-cross cuts in the top layer of the paper. Then, wipe the walls down with a sponge (or rags) and very hot water to let the adhesive soften.

Let the wallpaper sit until it bubbles or peels away from the wall. You may need to repeat the hot water application a few times. The older the wallpaper, the more water it will absorb before loosening.

Remove as much of the wallpaper as possible. Use a paint spatula or putty knife to aid you. Stick the tool beneath the areas of the paper that are lifting up and use it to unstick as much of the paper as you can.

Mix warm water and fabric softener in a bucket, using a 1:1 ratio.

Fill your spray bottle with the solution and saturate the walls, using your rags or sponge to distribute it evenly. Alternatively, you can use a paint roller to paint the fabric softener solution on the walls.

Let the solution sit for approximately 15 minutes. Then, use the putty knife to scrape off the remaining paper and adhesive.

Clean the walls with a neutralizing solution before applying new wallpaper.