Have you grown tired of your old wallpaper? Is it out of date or the wrong color or pattern for your new décor? If you've ever tried stripping wallpaper using a homemade vinegar and water solution-or a heavy commercial steamer-you know what a tedious, unpleasant and time-consuming task it can be.
But wallpaper removal is simple if you use the right tools and learn a few tricks from the professionals. Here's some advice from the home improvement experts at Zinsser that can make removing old wallpaper quicker and easier than you ever dreamed possible- even if you've never stripped wallpaper before:
Step #1: Score the wallpaper. Most wallpaper has a washable, waterproof surface. If the top layer doesn't peel away easily, you will need to perforate the wallpaper with a scoring tool like PaperTiger. Scoring ensures that the wallpaper stripper is able to reach down and loosen the glue underneath.
Step #2: Apply a wallpaper stripper such as DIF Wallpaper Stripper. Available in a liquid concentrate, gel or fast-acting liquid, it is safe, nontoxic and easy to use. Mix the concentrate with water to remove virtually any type of wallpaper and adhesive. Or spray on one of the ready-to-use formulas-the fast-acting liquid is great for removing common vinyl-coated or paper-backed vinyl wallpapers, while the gel handles the toughest removal jobs.
Apply the stripper one wall at a time, starting at the top and working your way down. It's formulated to penetrate and break down wallpaper paste quickly. In 20 minutes or less, the wallpaper will start to turn a dark color or begin to bubble. That means it is ready to be removed.
Step #3: Scrape off the loose wallpaper. PaperScraper helps get the wallpaper off the wall without hard work or surface damage. If any glue remains, simply reapply the stripper to the area, wait 15 to 20 minutes, remove it with PaperScraper or a sponge and rinse with clean water. It's that simple.
