Prepare your space
Before jumping into wallpaper removal, you must prepare the surrounding space. Start by removing any items that are on the walls and moving furniture to the center of the room (or out of it if that is possible). Any other surfaces, such as the floor, can be protected by drop cloths; electrical outlets should be covered by painter’s tape so it can’t get wet.
Following this, you’ll need to determine the type of wall you have (plaster or drywall) and the type of wallpaper that is currently on it. If the wall is drywall, make sure to not over soak it during the process so it does not become damaged. To figure out what type of wallpaper you have, loosen and tear off a corner of it. Wallpaper that comes right off is strippable, wallpaper that peels but leaves behind a paper residue is peelable, and wallpaper that doesn’t come off at all is referred to as traditional.
How To Remove Traditional Wallpaper
Start by making a solution that includes hot water and wallpaper stripper (follow the specifications of the manufacturer for the amount). The solution can be added to a garden sprayer or regular spray bottle to make the process easier.
Apply the solution to a small section of the wall and let it set for a few minutes to be absorbed.
After some time has passed, use a putty knife to peel the wallpaper, being careful to not mess up the existing drywall. If the wallpaper is not coming up easily, score the wall with a scoring tool before applying the solution.
Clean any remaining residue up with soap and water. Holes can be filled with spackling paste while protrusions can be sanded down before adding the new paint or wallpaper to the surface.
How To Remove Strippable Wallpaper
Loosen a corner of the wallpaper using a putty knife. Peel the paper with your hand, making sure to stay close to the wall so as to not rip the paper (if it rips simply lift a new portion up and continue).
Any remaining residue from the wallpaper can be removed using a combination of soap and warm water after all the paper has been removed. Make sure to wait before the area has dried before painting or repapering.
How To Remove Peel-able Wallpaper
Loosen the corner of the paper with a putty knife and peel the material from its paper backing. Continue this all around the room until completed.
There will be a paper backing that remains on the wall, this will have to be removed using the process utilized for traditional wallpaper (steps for this procedure can be found above).
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