How to remove wallpaper: A quick guide to getting your walls clean

Apr 03, 2023

DIY home décor can seem like an easy and cheap way to put a stylish spin on your space. But what happens when your vibe shifts overnight? Maybe the deep green you plastered on your bedroom walls just a month ago is no longer sparking joy.

Worry not, there may be a solution. If it's wallpaper, you may not need a new paint job. Different types of wallpaper can be removed with a few simple steps and at minimal cost.

Whether it's plaster, painted over, or the newly popular "peel and stick", here's a step-by-step guide to wallpaper removal.

Whether you're removing paper from just one wall or from all four (or more), you'll want to make sure the rest of the room is covered. Put down a plastic covering and cover all exposed electrical outlets with painter's tape, HGTV advises. To get the wallpaper off you'll need to spray it with water as to not risk damaging other parts of your space.

Pro tip: It's best to turn the power outlets off at the breaker box. You'll need to use water to remove the paper and do not want to risk electrocution.

For this you will need a scraper or putty knife, Lowe's advises. Once you locate the edge of the wallpaper, you can use the knife to dislodge it and begin scraping it off. It may come off easily in strips. If you find the drywall is coming up with the wallpaper, stop immediately.

Once the outer layer is removed you are down to the paper itself. To remove this you will need to use a hot water solution to loosen up the adhesive.

Both Lowe's and HGTV recommend a scoring tool or sandpaper to perforate the paper slightly so the water solution has easier access to the adhesive. Be careful not to score the wall too aggressively though, you may accidentally end up shredding some of the actual wall.

For an at-home recipe, HGTV reports the water solution can be either:

Architectural Digest suggests wallpaper stripper instead, which can be combined with hot water for the same effects.

Once the solution is made, put it in a pressure sprayer and apply to the walls waiting two to three minutes after treating each section for it to take effect. Once each section is entirely wet, you should be able to use the scraper to remove it easily.

If any adhesive remains, apply more solution and scrape clean.

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If wallpaper has been painted over, sometimes the water solution treatment or steaming often recommended for removal proves fruitless. The paint will prevent the water or steam from penetrating the wallpaper.

An article for the New York Times archives suggests using course sandpaper to scratch through the layer of paint protecting the wallpaper. Once some of the film has been cut, the water solution or steam will be able to reach the adhesive and the paper will start to come loose.

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Peel-and-stick wallpaper, a dorm-room staple, should be easier to remove than the more permanent variety.

Since it is essentially a fancy sticker, there is only one step for removal. Start at one corner and slowly pull back the wallpaper, if you do so too quickly you may take the paint from the actual wall with you, Southern Living advises.

You can even keep the wallpaper for a second use. Just put the original wax paper backing on the sticky side of the wallpaper once it is fully peeled and store it for your next DIY project.

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