How To Remove Wallpaper: 3 Easy Methods To Get Rid of It for Good
These methods will give your home a decor refresh.
Want to get rid of your old wallpaper? Unlike paint that can simply be painted over, wallpaper is quite a challenge to remove. But not to worry—as long as you prep with materials and instructions, it should be a smooth process.
The most important thing to remember is to be patient. Removing wallpaper takes time, and if you go too fast, you'll have an even more challenging mess on your hands. Once your wallpaper is safely down, you'll have fresh walls again that are ready for a decor refresh.
Before you jump into your wallpaper refresh, check if your wallpaper is strippable. This can save you a lot of time! Try peeling your wallpaper from the bottom corner, using a putty knife or scraper. If it lifts up easily and you can start to peel it, then you're in luck. If not, read on for step-by-step methods to get that wallpaper off.
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How To Remove Wallpaper
Here are the best three ways to remove wallpaper, complete with materials, directions and pro tips.
1. Steam the wallpaper
BLACK+DECKER 2400 W Wallpaper Steamer Stripper with Pad, Removes Vinyl, Multi-Layered, Painted and Textured coatings, KX3300T-GB
Materials
Instructions
1. Prepare your space by removing all furniture and laying down drop cloths, or dust sheets, on the floor. Water can sometimes spill from the steamer, so you want to protect your floors from any water damage. You should also remove everything from the walls, including nails, command strips and hooks.
2. Cover all electric outlets with masking tape, including light switches and sockets. This is a must-do safety measure to protect you and your home!
3. Fill the steamer with water and let it heat up until you see steam and a light that indicates it's ready to use. Starting at the top of your wallpaper, hold the steamer plate on a section for 15 to 30 seconds. Then use your scraper to remove the wallpaper. If it's not coming off, then you'll need to hold the steamer plate there for longer to loosen it up.
Pro tip: Start on the lower end (15 seconds) to test how strong your wallpaper is. Holding the steamer here for too long can cause damage to your walls, so the less time the better!
4. Once the wallpaper is all gone, don't forget to clean your walls—especially if that wallpaper was there for a long time. Use soap and water to sponge the surface, then dry with a rag.
Pro tip: You can clean your walls at the end, but don't wait to clean your floors. As soon as that wallpaper comes off, stuff it in a trash bag. Trust us, you'll be thanking us when you have a small clean-up job to do at the end.
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2. Use fabric softener
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Materials
Instructions
1. Prep your space by removing all furniture and laying down drop cloths on the floor. Cover any outlets or light switches with masking tape as a safety precaution.
2. Mix fabric softener with warm water in a spray bottle. You should have an even ratio of softener to water.
Pro tip: You can do this same process with vinegar instead of fabric softener. Vinegar can sometimes be more effective for removing wallpaper, but it will leave behind a smell, unlike fabric softener's clean scent.
3. Score the wallpaper with your tool so the fabric softener can work its magic more quickly.
Pro tip: If you don't have a scoring tool on hand, not to fear—you can use a fork or butter knife! There's no professional technique to scoring– you just want to make sure the solvent (fabric softener) can get underneath the wallpaper. Try using a fork to create little holes in the paper.
4. Spray the mixture all over the wallpaper, and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. If you think the wallpaper might be ready to come off, test out a section with your scraper. If it peels off easily, it's ready. If not, wait longer or add a bit more fabric softener.
5. Once ready, start at the bottom and scrape your way up the wallpaper. Stuff the wallpaper into trash bags as you go to avoid a big cleanup at the end.
6. Clean your walls using warm water and soap. You might have a bit of fabric softener residue left behind, alongside any stickiness from the wallpaper, so be sure to wipe down your walls with a sponge.
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3. Spray a liquid stripper
iStock
Materials
Instructions
1. Prep your space by removing all furniture and laying down drop cloths on the floor. Cover any outlets or light switches with masking tape as a safety precaution.
2. Score the wallpaper using your tool to remove the facing layer of the wallpaper (the decorative part you see). Once the layer beneath it is revealed, you're ready to spray the stripper.
Pro tip: If you're struggling to get the first layer up, do your best and then mix the liquid stripper with warm water. The mixture should be enough to soak through any parts you missed.
3. Spray a liquid stripper, like WP Chomps Wallpaper Stripped, directly onto the backing layer. Let the solution sit for about five minutes.
Pro tip: Many liquid strippers are paired with other tools made by the company, like scrapers and scorers. While you don't have to purchase their tools, sometimes they work really well together. When browsing wallpaper removal materials, check out their full Amazon shop to see what else might be handy.
4. Scrape the wallpaper off using your tool, and stuff any fallen wallpaper into trash bags.
5. Clean off your walls with soap and water, then dry with a rag.
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Can you start decorating right away?
The hard part is over—yay! But that doesn't mean you should jump right into the fun part quite yet. Especially if your wallpaper was old, let it sit for 24 hours before doing anything else to your walls. You want to give your walls time to dry and recover before painting, adding new wallpaper, or hanging any frames. In the meantime, start planning for your refreshed decor!
