DIY home decorating can seem like an easy and inexpensive way to put a stylish spin on your space. But what happens when your mood changes overnight? Maybe the deep green you plastered on your bedroom walls a month ago no longer brings joy.
Don’t worry, there may be a solution. If it is wallpaper, you may not need a new paint job. Various types of wallpaper can be removed with a few simple steps and at minimal cost.
Whether it’s plaster, repainting or the new popular ‘peel and stick’, here’s a step-by-step guide to removing wallpaper.
How to remove wallpaper: a step-by-step guide
Step 1: Protect your space.
Whether you’re removing paper from just one wall or from all four (or more), you need to make sure the rest of the room is covered. Install a plastic cover 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 to avoid damaging other parts of your space.
Pro tip: it is best to switch off the sockets at the fuse box. You will need to use water to remove the paper and you don’t want to risk electrocution.
Step 2: Begin the peeling process.
You’ll need a scraper or putty knife for this, Lowe’s recommends. Once you find the edge of the wallpaper, you can use the knife to loosen it and scrape it off. It can easily come off in strips. If you notice the drywall coming up with the wallpaper, stop immediately.
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Step 3: Prepare your wall for a water solution
Once the outer layer is removed, you are left with the paper itself. To remove this, you will need to use a hot water solution to loosen the adhesive.
Both Lowe’s and HGTV recommend a scoring tool or sandpaper to slightly perforate the paper so that the water solution can more easily access the adhesive. However, be careful not to scratch the wall too aggressively. You may accidentally chip some of the wall itself.
Step 4: Make the water solution
For a home recipe, HGTV reports that the water solution can be any of the following:
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1/4 fabric softener, 3/4 hot water
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1/3 vinegar, 2/3 hot water
Architectural Digest suggests a wallpaper stripper instead, which can be combined with warm water for the same effects.
Once the solution is made, place it in a pressure sprayer and apply it to the walls, waiting two to three minutes after treating each section for it to take effect. Once each section is completely wet, you should be able to use the scraper to remove it easily.
If any glue remains, apply more solution and scrape clean.
How to remove overpainted wallpaper:
If wallpaper has been painted over, treatment with water solution or steaming, which is often recommended for removal, turns out to be fruitless. The paint prevents water or steam from penetrating the wallpaper.
An article for the New York Times archives suggests using coarse sandpaper to scratch through the layer of paint that protects the wallpaper. Once part of the film is cut, the water solution or steam can reach the adhesive and the paper begins to peel off.
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How do you remove peel-and-stick wallpaper?
Peel-and-stick wallpaper, a dorm room staple, should be easier to remove than the more permanent variety.
Since it is essentially a beautiful sticker, there is only one step to remove it. Start in a corner and slowly peel back the wallpaper. If you do this too quickly, you can take the paint from the wall itself, Southern Living advises.
You can even save the wallpaper for a second time. Simply place the original wax paper backing on the sticky side of the wallpaper once it has completely peeled off and save it for your next DIY project.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to Remove Wallpaper: The Best Way to Make Your Walls New Again
