How to remove wallpaper
Before you start stripping wallpaper, you need to decide the best method for your home. Your two main choices are chemical wallpaper strippers or steam wallpaper strippers. If you already know what you're going to use, skip to:
Preparing for wallpaper removal
Chemical wallpaper stripper
Chemical solutions help to dissolve the adhesive and actively release the wallpaper, doing more of the hard work for you. Chemical wallpaper strippers are ideal for one or two layers of wallpaper in one room, or if you're removing the wallpaper from a small area, like a feature wall.
Chemical stripping solutions are available as a ready-to-use mixture, while some may need diluting with water. It can come in a bottle or as a spray for easy application.
Wallpaper steamers
A wallpaper steamer consists of a tank with a hose connected to a steam plate. The tank is filled with water, which is heated until it boils. Hot steam comes out of the steam plate, which is held against the wall. The steam penetrates through the perforated wallpaper to the old adhesive underneath, moistening it enough to loosen the paper from the wall.
Electric wallpaper steamers are perfect for large or stubborn areas of wallpaper. They make stripping wallpaper much easier and faster, and are a great investment if you’re likely to want to remove wallpaper again in the future.
Preparing for wallpaper removal
Before removing the wallpaper with either method, clear the room and protect the floors with dust sheets. Turn off the electricity for the room, in case of water or steam getting into electrical sockets or switches. You may also need to loosen light switches to remove wallpaper from behind them, so ensure the power is off. Apply masking tape and plastic sheeting to sockets and switches.
Keep chemicals and adhesives out of reach of children. Always use a suitable ladder when working at height. Safety goggles should be worn when stripping paper to protect eyes from falling paper, debris and hot water.
Score the wallpaper
Scoring allows the steam or solution to penetrate the wallpaper. It loosens the adhesive against the wall and makes the job of removing wallpaper a lot easier.
Use the tool to score evenly and consistently over the wallpaper without damaging the plaster underneath. You don’t need to press too hard, just enough to allow the teeth to cut into the surface of the paper. Don't use a knife or scissors to perforate the paper, as it’s very hard to score evenly without damaging the wall.
How to remove wallpaper with a chemical stripper
If you're removing your wallpaper with a chemical stripper, wear protective gloves, safety goggles and follow the specific instructions on the packaging.
- Apply solution to walls
- Remove using stripping knife
- Apply more solution
- Clean the wall
1. Apply solution to walls
Spray the solution onto the walls as instructed and allow time for it to do its work. Some solutions spray a non-staining yellow formula, allowing you to see where you’ve sprayed so you don't miss any patches.
2. Remove using a stripping knife
Use short sharp movements with the stripping knife to remove the paper once it’s loose enough, but be careful not to damage the wall as you work. Keep the knife as flat as possible and try not to let the corners dig into the surface.
Remove stripped paper from the dust sheets regularly. Once the paper dries it can stick to the sheets making it difficult to remove.
3. Apply more solution
If areas begin to dry out, apply more of the solution as per the instructions.
4. Clean the wall
Once you've finished removing the wallpaper, read the cleaning walls section to remove any smaller pieces of wallpaper that are still on the wall.
How to remove wallpaper with a wallpaper steamer
Here, we outline how you can remove wallpaper with a wallpaper steamer. Remember to always follow the instructions on your chosen steamer.
- Fill the wallpaper steamer
- Hold against the wall
- Remove the wallpaper
- Work across the room
- Work around awkward areas
- Remove waste
Safety
When using a wallpaper steamer, open doors and windows to ventilate the room. Keep the boiler on a level surface and don’t allow the steamer to boil dry. Never leave the steamer unattended when switched on and turn off the power and allow it to cool for two minutes before refilling the tank. Never move the steamer by pulling the hose and don’t detach the hose while it’s switched on. When using your steamer, wear heat resistant gloves, protective clothing and safety goggles.
1. Fill the steamer
Fill the wallpaper steamer with tap water using a jug. Filling the tank with warm water will bring it to the boil faster. Once you see steam starting to be released from the steam plate then it is ready to use and it can be applied to the wall.
2. Hold against the wall
Hold the steam plate at the bottom of a wallpaper length for 10 seconds at first, until the paper around it appears damp. The hot steam will have penetrated through the wallpaper to the old adhesive underneath softening it enough to loosen the paper from the wall.
It’s worth experimenting to see how long you need to keep the pad on the wall for. Too quickly and the paper won't come off, too long and the steam will penetrate the plaster and cause damage (you’ll hear a popping noise, a sign that the plaster is cracking).
3. Remove the wallpaper
Move the pad up onto the next section, while pulling off the damp paper below. Loosen stubborn areas with a stripping knife.
Use short sharp movements with the stripping knife to remove the paper, but be careful not to damage the wall as you work. Keep the knife as flat as possible and try not to let the corners dig into the surface.
4. Work across the room
Continue working up the wall, stripping each length of wallpaper from bottom to top. Working from the bottom is best as the steam rises, making it more efficient and allowing for bigger pieces of wallpaper to be removed by pulling them upwards.
5. Work around awkward areas
For small or awkward areas, for example above door frames, around radiators or around sockets, some wallpaper steamers are supplied with an additional smaller plate. Unscrew the larger steam plate from the hose and screw on the small plate.
6. Remove waste
Remove stripped paper from the dust sheets regularly. Once the paper dries it can stick to the sheets making it difficult to remove. Once you've finished removing the wallpaper, move on to the cleaning walls section.
How to clean walls after removing wallpaper
When you’ve finished removing the larger strips of wallpaper, you’re likely to be left with some small pieces and residue. Remove these to ensure that your wall is smooth, making it ready for decorating.
First, brush the wall down with a stiff broom. Then scrape off any small leftover pieces of wallpaper with a stripping knife. You may need to use a chemical wallpaper solution to remove any stubborn wallpaper paste.
When all the wallpaper has been removed, rinse clean the wall with a sponge and water. You can then dry the wall with a clean cloth or rag, then let it dry out completely. Once you're satisfied that the walls are completely dry, you can turn the power back on.