How to Remove Old Wallpaper (Score Tool + Strip Solution)

Question: I have this ugly outdated wallpaper in my kitchen/dining room that I want removed. It came with the house and it’s horrible. Is this something my husband and I can do or should we hire a professional? It really depends on how much patience you have, and how the wallpaper was originally applied. If your walls were smooth and properly prepped, before the wallpaper was applied to them, then it should easily peel off in long, whole sheets. There will be very little scraping involved. This is a best-case scenario. People tend to skip steps when they’re applying wallpaper, even if they know better. They don’t think about potential problems down the line.  If the walls weren’t prepped correctly before your current wallpaper was applied then it’s time to roll up your sleeves, because you have your work cut out for you. You need to start with the preparation.

What Materials will you Need?

1. Wallpaper Scoring Tool
2. DIF Liquid Concentrate Wallpaper Stripper or equivalent
3. Spray Bottle
4. Bucket
5. Metal Putty Knife
6. Stiff-Chisel Scrapper
7. Sponge Mop
8. Towels or Rags

You’ve got your materials then it’s down to the work.

Step 1: Prepare the Rooms

You need to make sure that any decorations are removed from your walls. You then need to remove furniture to another room until the job is complete. After this is done it’s important to remember to place a drop cloth at the base of the wall to catch falling wallpaper strips, hardened glue or pieces of drywall.

Step 2: Use a Scoring Tool to Perforate old Wallpaper

There is an apparatus called a wallpaper scoring tool. It’s cone shaped and has four rolling stainless-steel blades underneath. Its purpose is to poke small holes into the wallpaper so that the wallpaper remover solution can seep inside when it’s applied. You should use the tool by applying light pressure and moving it around the wall in a circular, scrubbing motion.

Step 3: Decide on a Removal Solution

You have two options for a reliable removal solution to use; commercially made wallpaper remover or fabric softener and hot water. Either of these will do the job just as well. If you decide to use fabric softener, you should mix the detergent and hot water in a 1-to-1 mix concentration. It’s important that you only mix small amounts at one time because you don’t want your solution to get cold. If you prefer to use a commercial pre-mixed solution then we recommend Zinsser’s DIF Liquid Wallpaper Stripper. It’s made from a strong enzyme that breaks down wallpaper paste. As with the fabric softener you’ll need to mix the concentrate with hot water inside a spray bottle. For those people who prefer to use only biodegradable products, Safe and Simple is another good option. Note: When we hung paper over a decade ago, we used the commercial concentrate because it was faster and more potent than fabric softener. 

Step 4: Spray the Walls

Now you’ve got your removal solution you need to apply it to the wall. With your spray bottle, liberally soak the section of wall that you have just used the scoring tool on. Spray the section a couple times until it is fully saturated. After the application you’ll need to let the solution soak into the paper for 15-minutes. See Also: Removing Wallpaper From Unprimed Drywall

Step 5: Peel off the Wallpaper

After 15-minutes, the paste should be loosened up; now comes the fun part! Where the two sheets meet, take a metal putty knife and work it behind the top of the wallpaper. You can then start peeling the paper down the wall. Keep peeling down until the sheet is completely off the wall or you meet resistance. When you come to some resistance, spray the section down with more wallpaper remover to further loosen up the hard glue behind it. You need to repeat these steps until all of the wallpaper is removed in the room.

Step 6: Remove Leftover Residue

After you have removed all of the wallpaper you need to make sure that all of the leftover adhesive residue is removed from the wall. If you don’t do this it can interfere with your new wallpaper or show through your new paint. You’ll need to spray down the wall again, with wallpaper remover (or detergent solution), and scrape off the old residue with your putty knife. Some people like to use a sponge to wipe off the leftover adhesive but there might be some stubborn spots that need to be scraped.

Step 7: Wash the Wall

You’re almost there! There’s one final step before you can call it a day. You need to rinse off the wallpaper remover and dry the wall. To do this you’ll first need to mix some soap and hot water in a bucket. You then need to apply the hot, soapy water to the wall, after which you need to rinse the wall with just water. Finally dry the wall with a towel, a piece of cloth or an old rag. Note: The final step is easier with a sponge mop.