Wallpaper may be trending again, but many of us still deal with dingy, dated, or downright ugly old wallpaper we didn’t pick. Our old home has wallpaper in 5 different rooms, which gave us a chance to test several different wallpaper removal methods. Today we’ll share what worked, what didn’t, and what we recommend you try.
Removing wallpaper doesn’t require special tools or lots of money, but it can take elbow grease and some patience. But here’s a before-and-after of our wallpapered bathroom to give you some motivation to stick with it!
And if you’re looking to add wallpaper to your home, be sure to check out our tutorial for installing removable wallpaper. The good news is that type of wallpaper won’t be as difficult to remove if you ever tire of it!
How Wallpaper Works
Most wallpapers are made of two layers. The top, decorative layer can be made from vinyl, bamboo, paper, or textiles. The underlayer is typically an adhesive paper or layer of glue. Most wallpaper removal methods rely on heating or dissolving this glue layer so the paper can be peeled away. Depending on the age and make of the wallpaper, these two layers may come off together or separately. Each layer may require a different removal technique.
Again, this is different than newer removable wallpaper, which acts like a giant sticker. Most of these can be removed without much trouble, but still take it slow because they can sometimes peel away the wall paint behind them.
Wallpaper Removal Supplies
Before you remove any wallpaper, we recommend having the following supplies on hand:
- Large sponge
- Putty knife
- Utility knife
- Painter’s tape
- Plastic drop cloth
- Trash bags
- Paper towels
- Steamer (recommended)
- Stripping solution (optional)
- Wallpaper scoring tool (optional)
- Wallpaper scraper (optional)
The “optional” supplies are the only ones you may not already have around the house. Scoring and scraping tools are inexpensive, but we didn’t find them helpful. You can read why below.
Premixed stripping solutions are fine, but you can make your own with ingredients you probably already have around the house (we’ve included recipes further down in this post).
Four Ways to Remove Wallpaper
We crowd-sourced our followers for methods to test out, and here are the 4 that we tried:
- Dry Removal
- Warm Water
- Stripping Solutions
- Steamer
Some worked better than others, and different wallpapers responded better to some methods than others. And sometimes we combined two methods to finish the job!
Wallpaper Removal Tutorial
Based on our tests, here is step-by-step process we suggest you follow. Keep reading for more details about each step.
- Prepare Your Room
- Start With Dry Removal
- Try Steaming
- Finish With Warm Water or Stripping Solution
- Repair Walls (If Needed)
A Note About Scoring
Many tutorials recommend using a scoring tool before spraying or steaming your wallpaper. It’s a simple, handheld device that you rub over your wall, creating small perforations in the paper. This allows your stripping liquid to reach the glue layer better.
However, in our experience, scoring wallpaper is time-consuming, tiresome, and makes the project harder. We found that scoring made our wallpaper come down in small, choppy bits, rather than large pieces. So we don’t personally recommend a scoring tool, but feel free to pick one up if you’d like to test it in your space
Step 1: Prepare Your Room
Wallpaper removal can be messy – water drips, paper trash, and glue bits that might restick to your floors. So take a few moments to protect and prepare your space:
Move items away from the walls
Much like when painting a room, remove furniture or push it to the center of the room to clear a workspace in front of each wall. Remove any art or decor from the walls too.
Remove switch plates and outlet covers
Unscrew electrical covers to access any wallpaper behind them. Our outlet covers were wallpapered themselves, so we had to take them off anyway!
Protect floors, furniture, and outlets from moisture
Your walls will be getting wet, so use plastic drop cloths to protect surfaces like floors or furniture. Use painter’s tape to seal outlets and light switches as well.
Step 2: Start With Dry Removal
Before you break out any special supplies or spray, try peeling down a piece or two by hand. You may be surprised how easily it comes down, even if it’s only the top layer of wallpaper.
To do this, find a peeling corner or use a putty knife to pry up a seam. Once you’ve got a firm hold of the paper, pull slowly to see if any comes off. This may not work, but it’s worth a shot! Our wallpaper usually tore off in small strips, but in some spots, we got several full sheets to come down! It’s extremely satisfying.
The success of this depends on the age of your wallpaper, how well it was installed, and where it is in your home. For instance, this worked especially well in our bathroom. Years of humidity had caused several areas to peel up. Sherry even removed several panels while showering one day!
This technique is unlikely to finish the job, but it’s a great starting point. It may get you further along than you expect! But in most cases, you will need the next steps to remove the glue layer.
Read our full post about using dry stripping to remove wallpaper.
Step 3: Try Steaming
An electric steamer was the most reliable method we tested, so we suggest trying this next. We borrowed an upright clothing steamer from my sister, but you can purchase a handheld fabric steamer or a dedicated wallpaper steamer for less than $60. If steaming is a no-go for you, skip to Step 4.
With an electric steamer, you blast hot steam right onto your wallpaper, which will reactivate the glue layer and loosen it from your walls. It’s cleaner and more efficient than some other methods we tried because you can cover areas quickly.
We found that the best method was a “peel as we steamed” technique, where we pulled on the paper as we moved the steamer down the wall.
Steaming still takes time and patience, and depending on the steamer you’re using, you may spend time refilling the tank and waiting for the water to heat up. That’s one drawback to handheld fabric steamers, since they have smaller water reservoirs.
The large water tank and long hose on my sister’s steamer helped our project go fairly quickly. However, it wasn’t quite long enough to reach the upper areas of our room. This meant I had to hoist it in the air at some points, which got pretty tiring when the tank was full.
Overall, we found the steamer to be the fastest method – especially because it often took the paper and glue off together in one step. But if you don’t have easy access to a steamer, there is still hope!
Read our full post about using a steamer to remove wallpaper.
You can see in the photos above that this was especially good at removing the glue layer (see it bubbling above the sponge?) under the paper. Trust me, you do not want to peel the top part of your wallpaper and paint over the glue layer under it – it will never look right. You have to strip that off the wall too. Just be sure the sponge is damp, not soaking wet, and your floors and outlets are protected. The area will get wet!
Read our full post about using hot water to remove wallpaper.
Step 4: Finish With Warm Water or Stripping Solution
If you don’t have a steamer OR still have stubborn glue spots after steaming, there are 2 DIY options to help finish the job.
The first is a sponge (or rag) with very warm water. Some people recommend a spray bottle , but after our first attempt, we found it easier to apply with a large, damp sponge. Just wring it out pretty well! Like the steamer, the warm water will reactivate the glue and loosen the paper.
While we found warm water very effective, you can also try a store-bought or homemade wallpaper stripper. Popular mixturess include:
- Fabric softener + hot water
- Laundry detergent + hot water
- White vinegar + hot water
- Dish soap + hot water
For each solution, mix the two ingredients about 50/50 – maybe a little heavier on the water for the last two. The hot water helps reactivate the glue, while the detergents help dissolve it.
Whether you’re using just water or a homemade mixture, follow these steps to finish removing your last bits of wallpaper or glue. If you are using a store-bought chemical stripper, follow the label instructions for how to apply.
- Dampen your sponge (you don’t want it dripping)
- Wet a section of wallpaper
- Let it sit for 2-3 minutes
- Peel off by hand or with a putty knife
This works on both the paper and glue layers. We recommend working in small sections so you can peel before each area dries or cools.
Your paper may come off separately from the glue, so you may need to make a second pass. For small sections of glue, try rubbing it with the rough side of a small, damp sponge. They also sell wallpaper scrapers to help with this task, but we didn’t use one.
Read the full post about using homemade stripper to remove wallpaper.
Other Wallpaper Removal Tips
No matter which method you choose to try, here are some general tips to keep in mind:
Take your time
We know you’re eager to banish this wallpaper from your entire room, but slow and steady wins this race. Give your hot water solution time to soak into the glue. Move carefully with your putty knife so you don’t stab the drywall. Peel your panels slowly so they don’t rip into a thousand annoying little pieces. Think of it almost like peeling a label or sticker off a bottle.
Work in small sections
Focus on one or two panels at a time. You might think you’re being efficient steaming or spraying a whole wall, but some areas will begin to cool and dry by the time you get around to peeling them. You’ll end up wasting more time re-steaming or re-spraying them.
Manage your mess
You may find your floor quickly covered in wallpaper scraps and glue strips. Keep trash bags handy and clean up often so the glue doesn’t dry onto your floor.
Keep a utility knife nearby
Builders and DIYers sometimes hang wallpaper before adding trim, baseboard, wainscoting, or built-ins. If you find areas where your wallpaper goes under any molding, use a sharp utility knife to cut along the edge. We also found that a pair of tweezers can help remove small leftover bits.
Step 5: Repair Your Wall (If Needed)
Even the most successful wallpaper removals can cause damage to your wall. The paint can peel off with the glue. Putty knives can gouge the sheetrock. Sometimes bits of drywall paper tear off too. Sometimes it’s very minor. Sometimes it’s a bloodbath, like what we were left with in one of our bathrooms (below). Don’t panic!
To fix these areas, use your putty knife to fill any dings, holes, or peeled patches with a thin layer of drywall spackle. Most of our wall damage felt like a shallow orange-peel texture, so spackle easily filled them for a smoother finish. Large areas of damage may require a thicker application of drywall mud or a full wall skimcoat.
Once your spackle has dried, use a high-grit sanding block or palm sander to smooth these areas. You also may be able to skip spackle and simply sand your rough spots smooth. However you do it, we do recommend priming your walls before painting. Glue residue can cause paint to flash (appear shinier or duller in a few spots) if it’s not fully removed, so primer helps you achieve a more even paint finish.
You Removed Wallpaper. Now What?
You’ve successfully removed your wallpaper. Congrats! Here are some posts that might help you with what to do next. And yes, we really are suggesting putting wallpaper back up in one of them:
- How to Hang Peel & Stick Wallpaper
- How To Hang A Removable Wall Mural
- How To Paint A Wall Mural
- How To Add “Wallpaper” Using Fabric
- How To Install A Gradient Planked Wall
- How To Add Box Panel Board & Batten
- Paint It Our Favorite Greige or Favorite White
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