How to Remove Wallpaper: A Step-by-Step Guide for DIYers

Are you bushed of outdated wallpaper ruining the aesthetic of your Los Angeles apartment oregon Tucson house? Don’t fret, with a small spot of elbow grease and immoderate adjuvant tips, removing that pesky wallpaper tin beryllium a manageable DIY project. 

If you’re looking to update the look of a country successful your home, Redfin has got you covered. In this article, we’ll locomotion you done the step-by-step process of removing wallpaper, truthful you tin make a fresh, caller look successful your space.

Step 1: Gather your tools

Removing wallpaper tin beryllium a daunting task, but having the close tools astatine your disposal tin marque the process overmuch smoother. To start, stitchery each the indispensable tools, which should see a wallpaper stripper solution, wallpaper scraper, stepladder, sponge, bucket, integrative sheeting oregon driblet cloth, protective cogwheel similar gloves oregon goggles, and a mask. Make definite to person each of these items useful earlier opening the removal process. Having the due tools tin not lone prevention you time, but besides guarantee that the occupation is done efficaciously and with minimal messiness oregon harm to your walls.

Step 2: Prepare the room

To get started, hole the country by covering the level and immoderate furnishings with integrative sheeting oregon a driblet cloth. This volition assistance support your surfaces from immoderate wallpaper paste oregon solution that whitethorn drip during the removal process. It’s besides a bully thought to region immoderate power covers oregon outlet plates from the partition and usage masking portion to screen immoderate exposed electrical outlets.

Expert tip: According to The Trusty Handyman, a location betterment expert, preparing the country beforehand is important for a creaseless and hassle-free wallpaper removal process. “Covering the level and adjacent furnishings with integrative oregon driblet cloths is simply a indispensable to support them from imaginable moisture and debris, making the cleanup process overmuch easier,” helium advises.

Step 3: Test a tiny conception of the wallpaper

Testing the wallpaper earlier opening the removal process tin prevention you clip and frustration. It’s important to cognize however hard it volition beryllium to region the wallpaper and what benignant of adhesive was utilized earlier you start. This volition assistance you find the champion method for removing the wallpaper and whether you request to use much wallpaper stripper solution oregon prosecute a professional.

To trial the wallpaper, commencement successful an inconspicuous area, specified arsenic down a portion of furnishings oregon successful a corner. Use a scraper to mildly assistance a country of the wallpaper, being cautious not to harm the partition oregon teardrop the wallpaper. If the wallpaper comes disconnected easily, you tin proceed with the removal process. However, if the wallpaper is hard to region oregon if it tears easily, you whitethorn request to use much wallpaper stripper solution oregon usage a antithetic method to region the wallpaper.

It’s important to enactment that the benignant of wallpaper and adhesive utilized tin greatly interaction however hard it is to remove. Older wallpapers whitethorn person aggregate layers of wallpaper, making it much hard to remove, portion newer wallpapers whitethorn beryllium easier to remove. Additionally, definite adhesives tin beryllium much stubborn and necessitate much effort to remove.

If you find that the wallpaper is hard to remove, don’t beryllium discouraged. Applying much wallpaper stripper solution and allowing it to soak for a longer play of clip tin often marque the removal process easier. However, if you inactive brushwood difficulties oregon are uncomfortable with the process, it whitethorn beryllium champion to prosecute a nonrecreational to region the wallpaper for you. 

Step 4: Apply the wallpaper stripper solution

After prepping the country and investigating a tiny section, it’s clip to use the wallpaper stripper solution. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for diluting the solution, and beryllium definite to deterioration protective gloves, goggles, and a disguise to debar tegument and oculus irritation.

Using a sponge oregon spray bottle, use the solution to the wallpaper, ensuring that you bedewed lone arsenic overmuch arsenic you tin portion successful 15 minutes. Allow the solution to penetrate the wallpaper for the recommended magnitude of time, which is usually astir 15-20 minutes.

It’s indispensable to enactment that determination are respective methods to portion wallpaper, and each country whitethorn necessitate a antithetic approach. Dry stripping is the archetypal method to try, but if it doesn’t work, you tin determination connected to solvent oregon steam stripping.

For solvent stripping, lightly people the wallpaper and use a substance to loosen the adhesive. Homemade mixtures see blistery h2o and cloth softener oregon blistery h2o and achromatic vinegar. Alternatively, store-bought solutions are available.

Steam stripping requires renting a wallpaper steamer that emits steam onto the wallpaper. Be definite to travel the instructions cautiously and bedewed lone arsenic overmuch arsenic you tin portion successful 15 minutes.

Expert tip: Handyman work Seattle Handyman says, “we highly urge utilizing a steamer to region wallpaper. This method is not lone accelerated and efficient, but besides eliminates the request for immoderate chemicals that whitethorn emit unpleasant odors. The steam volition loosen the wallpaper adhesive, making it easier to remove, portion besides reducing the hazard of damaging the partition surface. Using a steamer is simply a harmless and effectual mode to region wallpaper, without compromising the indoor aerial prime of your home.”

Step 5: Scrape disconnected the wallpaper

Once the wallpaper has soaked for the recommended magnitude of time, it’s clip to scrape it disconnected the wall. Using a wallpaper scraper, commencement astatine the bottommost of the partition and enactment your mode up, mildly lifting the wallpaper from the wall. Be cautious not to gouge oregon harm the partition during the process.

If you brushwood stubborn areas of wallpaper that won’t travel off, reapply the wallpaper stripper solution and hold a fewer much minutes earlier scraping again. This other soaking clip volition assistance to loosen the adhesive, making it easier to region the wallpaper.

Be definite to support your scraper crisp and alteration the leaf arsenic needed to debar damaging the wall. As you scrape disconnected the wallpaper, spot it successful a garbage container oregon different instrumentality to dispose of it properly.

It’s important to enactment that immoderate wallpapers person aggregate layers, and you whitethorn request to repetition the soaking and scraping process for each layer. Additionally, immoderate wallpaper adhesives whitethorn beryllium peculiarly stubborn, requiring much than 1 exertion of the wallpaper stripper solution.

Step 6: Clean up

Cleaning up aft removing wallpaper is an important last measurement to guarantee a creaseless and polished decorativeness for your walls. Once you person removed each of the wallpaper, it’s indispensable to region immoderate remaining wallpaper paste oregon solution from the walls to make a cleanable aboveground for your caller decor. Using a sponge and cleanable water, mildly lavation the walls and hitch distant immoderate excess paste oregon solution. Be definite to alteration the h2o often to debar spreading residue crossed the walls.

After cleaning the walls, let them to adust wholly earlier coating oregon applying caller wallpaper. This measurement is important due to the fact that immoderate remaining moisture connected the walls tin interfere with the caller wallpaper oregon overgarment adherence to the wall. Use a instrumentality oregon dehumidifier to velocity up the drying process, if necessary. Once the walls are dry, you tin determination guardant with your caller decor and bask the updated look of your space.

The station How to Remove Wallpaper: A Step-by-Step Guide for DIYers appeared archetypal connected Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling & More.