How to Remove Wallpaper Glue From Sheetrock

Before you begin removing the glue place a drop cloth down to avoid a big mess.

Take a wallpaper scrapper and go over the surface. This is available in the wallpaper section of hardware stores. It is a tool that makes perforations in the paper and/or glue so it is easy to remove. This might not be necessary for easier jobs so the area can be test for difficulty ahead of time.

Once all the top layer of paper is off and there is only glue remaining mix a solution of hot water and Dawn dish liquid soap. Mix about a 4 or 5 tablespoons of soap per gallon of water.

Take a hand towel and saturate it with the dawn and hot water and wipe down all the glue. Make sure that all the glue gets wet.

Now take the hand towel and dampen a smaller section again. Using a putty scrapper to gently scrap away the glue layer. As you scrap and it comes off in sections pull in an angle with one hand as you scrap with the other. A metal scrapper works best however you do have to use caution not to get carried away and damage the wall.

Once the worst is taken care of there will be some areas that require more effort. For the larger areas dampen again and repeat the process.

For the smaller bits of residue use a medium corse sandpaper or one of those green scouring pads to sand the glue away. Be careful not to damage the Sheetrock.

Once the glue is all removed rinse the wall well by using a clean wet towel. Inspect the walls for any imperfections. It might be necessary to spackle or do some minor repair to the finish before painting or recovering.