No one is ever going to mistake removing wallpaper for a fun activity. Nonetheless, it is the kind of thing that you are going to need to deal with sometimes. Make sure you have the right equipment, and keep in mind a few simple steps, and you shouldn’t have any problems.
With relative ease, you should be able to learn how to safely and easily remove wallpaper.
Removing Wallpaper Tips
When it comes to removing wallpaper, you don’t need to be a professional handyperson. All you really need is a little time, as well as the right equipment and materials. In terms of equipment, you are going to need wallpaper scraping tools, putty knives, drop cloths, sponges, spray bottles, and stepladders. You are also going to need wallpaper removal solvent and dishwashing detergent.
Once you have all of your tools and equipment, you are ready to get started:
- Get the room ready: Have drop cloths placed at the base of the walls you are planning to strip. Have each switch plate and outlet cover removed from the walls. Eliminate power within the space.
- Scoring wallpaper: Your wallpaper scorer will work at creating smallish holes in your paper. This will make it easier for your solution to work its way into your adhesive base.
- Mixing solution: It’s true that there are several commercial solutions available. However, it is also true that you can make an enormously effective one on your own with hot water and fabric softener. Utilizing a concentrate of one-to-one, have everything combined into a spray bottle. Mixing your solution in smallish batches is a great way to make sure your warm remains as hot as humanly possible.
- Soaking walls: Next, you’re going to use that spray bottle you created to soak down a section of your wallpaper. You only want to spray as much as you know you can strip away within a period of approximately fifteen minutes. Give your solution a few minutes to soak, before you start working.
- Stripping wallpaper: Grabbing pieces of soaked wallpaper at your bottom corner, you’re going to begin to slowly pull upwards. Your wide putty knife should go a long way towards making sure the removal of this paper goes as smoothly as possible. Repeat everything above, until your wallpaper has been removed.
- Clean up your walls: Mixing a tablespoon of dish detergent with really hot water, starting wiping down your walls with a sponge. Afterwards, rinse a final time, and then dry.