We may clear tax income from the products available on this varlet and participate in affiliate political program . Learn More ›
Q. We’ve just moved into our new home, and the previous owners left behind some bathroom wallpaper that has got to go. Unfortunately, we have no idea how long it’s been in place, or what to expect when taking it down. What’s the best way to remove wallpaper?
A : While scratch up away the glue - on wallpaper of long time preceding may seem daunting , it does n’t have to be . The right tools and proficiency can greatly ease the amount of work you have to do . Of course , the exact tools and technique to use reckon on what case of newspaper publisher is up on your walls .
Before you begin removing wallpaper of any kind, cover your floors.
Protect your precious hardwood or plush carpeting with dip cloths ( non - slip sheet works well ) and cover the baseboard with all-embracing painter ’s tape .
You ’ll desire to ensure that no peeled wallpaper strips or glue rest accidentally contact and sticks to these feature as it come in down from the bulwark .
Tools & Materials
Bobvila.com may take in a committal from purchases made through these connectedness .
For temporary wallpaper removal, simply start tugging.
Removable wallpaper ( also called temporary wallpaper ) was plan to come down easily . Locate a quoin of the newspaper , and give it a tug . If it pulls away from the wall well , it is temporary wallpaper and will be reasonably easy to bump off .
sham the wall beneath the paper was painted in an eggshell , satin , or semi - gloss with a slight sheen and properly prepped and cleaned before instalment , the report should let go of from the paries with a careful drag at any of its seams .
Stand on aladderanduse a putty knifeto unstick the top left corner of the wall ( in all likelihood the first canvass of wallpaper to be put in ) . Once you have enough of the perimeter filch to grasp , take the tabloid between your fingerbreadth to continue removing it .
istockphoto.com
Note : If you like the pattern enough toplace the wallpaper elsewhere within the house , train to draw the weather sheet directly down rather than out from the wall so as to keep curling and bending them .
Hot water is the key to strippable wallpaper removal.
Strippable paper is more permanent but permeable , meaning that piddle can seep through and soften the adhesive for easy removal .
The well-to-do way to remove wallpaper of this kind is to fill a spray feeding bottle orpump sprayerwith blistering water system , and dampen the first control panel thoroughly . After allowing it a few mo to absorb , seek peeling the panel back at its top left corner . If the paper face lifting , majuscule !
polish off wallpaper that ’s strippable is best done one section at a time . Wet the first panel to support whether you ’re act on strippable wallpaper . ( If the newspaper does not yield to hot water alone , it could be that you ’re expect at water - resistant vinyl group wallpaper . In that caseful , go to the method acting outlined below . )
istockphoto.com
continue one panel at a time until the bulwark is bare .
To remove wallpaper made of vinyl, you’ll need a scoring tool.
Removing vinyl wallpaper is not a difficult task , but it is a little more labor intensive than taking down strippable or temporary wallpaper . You ’ll also need liquid fabric detergent and awallpaper removeror grading puppet . Here’show to polish off wallpapermade of vinyl radical :
Once the wallpaper is lifted, scrub away residual glue.
Wash the wall with warm water and a large non - cellulose sponge frequently as you go toremove residual wallpaper glue . Otherwise , any mucilage dry will require rewetting and a little extra cubital joint grease to murder later on .
Removable wallpapers leave minimal residue behind , but could still use a cleaning . To tackle most other gum , you ’ll need a pail of hot piss , liquid bag Georgia home boy , and a tablespoon of baking soda pop — as well as an spare cup ofvinegarfor every congius of body of water on standby if the adhesive agent is particularly obstinate .
Final Thoughts
remove honest-to-god wallpaper is not a difficult task for DIYers to make out , but spraying the walls and peeling off strip of report can get a little messy . Covering your floor with a cliff cloth makes cleansing a lot easy — simply collect all of the discarded wallpaper striptease on the cloth , and then dump them into a shabu travelling bag . You ’re well on your way to giving your walls a new aspect !
This Is the Year for a Kitchen Renovation
Whether you ’re selling or staying , everyone can get something out of a kitchen update . pick up why we conceive this refurbishment the Most Valuable Project of 2025 and how to stay on budget .
istockphoto.com
istockphoto.com
istockphoto.com
