How to Remove Wallpaper Paste From Paneling

When you remove wallpaper from drywall, you can scrape off the paper and glue residue and patch any damage you do with the scraper. Removing wallpaper from paneling can damage the paneling if you try to scrape off the old paste. To remove old wallpaper paste, you should use a very strong soap and hot water. While there are many soaps you can use, the strongest one you can buy for this purpose is Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) or a TSP substitute, available at most hardware stores.

Sheet plastic
Two-gallon bucket
Sponge
Vinegar
Window squeegee
Ethylene glycol
Liquid laundry detergent
Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) or TSP substitute
120-grit sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Cover the floor with sheet plastic before you begin.
- 2
  Fill a two-gallon bucket with hot water and mix in 1/2 cup white vinegar. Wearing rubber gloves, wash the wall with solution, re-wetting the sponge frequently. Scrape the wall with a window squeegee to remove the paste.
- 3
  Mix a solution of one part hot water, one part liquid laundry detergent and four parts ethylene glycol (automotive antifreeze). Wash the wall with this solution and squeegee off any paste you could not remove in step 1.
- 4
  Use a solution of TSP and hot water to clean problem areas. Start by mixing 1/4-cup of TSP per gallon of warm or hot water, and graduate to a stronger solution if needed. TSP may dull the finish of the paneling.
- 5
  Sand the paneling with 120-grit sandpaper when it has dried if you plan to re-paint or refinish it. If there are any spots of paste remaining on the wall, you can remove them with the sandpaper.

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