Wallpaper (wallpaper) tends to be difficult to remove. The length of time the decorative paper remains on the wall and the type of application used will affect how long and effort it will take to remove it. This article provides instructions on how to remove wallpaper from the wall using a hair dryer, spraying it with a special liquid, using a scraper, or using a steamer.
1. Hair Dryer Method
1. Heat the wallpaper.
Turn on the hairdryer and set it to the highest number. Blow hot air into the corners and edges of the wallpaper. Heat the wallpaper for about 30 seconds. The heat from the hairdryer will loosen the adhesive used to attach the wallpaper to the wall.
2. Loosen the edges of the wallpaper.
Use your fingernails or the tip of a knife to lift the edges of the wallpaper and gently peel it off. If the edges of the decorative paper have become loose, continue to peel them off.
3. Continue heating and peeling off the wallpaper.
Keep the hairdryer on the part of the wallpaper that hasn’t peeled off and gently peel it off. Continue all the way to the bottom of the decorative paper, heat it up and peel it off gently until all of it is detached from the wall.
1. Do not tear the wallpaper in small pieces. This method will actually make it difficult to peel in the long run, because it will leave thin strips of wallpaper on the walls.
2. If the wallpaper remains firmly attached to the wall, don’t force it. The hairdryer method doesn’t always react well to all types of adhesives. Therefore, you may need to try another strategy.
2. Spraying and Drying Method
1. Fill a spray bottle with a wallpaper peeling solution.
There are a variety of different materials you can spray on your wallpaper to loosen the adhesive layer. Choose from among the following types:
1. Apple cider vinegar and water. This natural solution reacts well to breaking down the adhesive, although it leaves a pungent smell on the walls. Use this solution only if your wallpaper is coating a painted wall, not as a base coat.
2. Fabric softener and water. These solutions are relatively inexpensive and effective, but you may not want to use chemicals on your walls.
3. Factory-made wallpaper peeler. You can buy wallpaper peeling solutions from hardware stores to use on your walls.
4. Warm water. When all existing materials and methods do not give good results, water can usually be the solution.
2. Use a perforator to cut the wallpaper.
This tool is especially important if the decorative paper you are attaching is made of vinyl. If you don’t cut it, the exfoliating solution won’t be able to seep into it. Scrape with a perforator for a few minutes until the surface of the vinyl sheet is full of small holes.
1. Make sure that the tool you are using is made of plastic, not metal. Metal perforators can damage the underlying wall layer.
2. If you don’t have a perforator, use a plastic knife to make criss-crossing incisions across the decorative paper surface.
3. Saturate the wallpaper with the solution.
Spray the solution on all parts, the corners and also the center. Don’t skimp on the solution you use, as the wallpaper must be completely wet for the adhesive to begin to loosen. Let the solution sit for about 15 minutes before moving on to the next step.
4. Start scraping.
Use a plastic scraper (similar to an ice scraper) to scrape and remove the wallpaper from the wall, starting at the edges. Use one hand to scrape and the other hand to peel. Do the scraping and peeling on the entire surface of the decorative paper.
1. If you come to an area that is difficult to treat, flush the area with the solution. Let it sit for about five minutes before continuing.
2. Do not tear the wallpaper; because it will leave small pieces that are even more difficult to remove.
5. Lift the wallpaper and scrape the bottom.
You may need to saturate some parts with more solutions. Use a scraper to loosen and then gently peel off the decorative paper.