Easy Home Remedies for Wallpaper Removal

Wallpapers give the walls, in fact the entire house, a completely fresh look. A scenic wallpaper will have a positive effect on anyone. If you have a wallpaper of the Eiffel tower on your wall, you will get the feeling of being in France every time you look at it! That's why wallpapers are seen in almost all homes. But, when the wallpaper becomes too old, and it is time to remove it, most of us try to postpone it. It takes almost double the time it took to choose and put the wallpaper than to remove it!

Precautions to Take Before Removing a Wallpaper

Before actually starting with the wallpaper removing procedure, you need to do a few simple, but necessary things to prevent damage to the furniture. Spread sheets of paper on the floor or carpet, as the substances used to remove wallpaper (like vinegar) might spoil the flooring, especially if it is wooden floor. It is also necessary to cover the furniture, or if possible, shift the furniture to another room to avoid any stains. Also, shut the main electricity connection to avoid passing of current through the main switch, as it can cause a short circuit.

Ways to Remove Wallpaper using Home Remedies

Remedy 1: Hot Water

Hot water is used to remove almost all kinds of stains. Similarly, it is also useful for removing a wallpaper. Plus, the hot water doesn't cause any harm to the walls, as the water is not to be splashed, but just sprayed.

Things Needed: Boiling water, spray bottle, scraper, sponge.

Procedure: Tear up the first layer of wallpaper, so that the water can seep inside. Put the water in a spray bottle. A garden sprayer or a wallpaper removal steamer can be used for this. Spray the hot water on the wallpaper. Wet the entire wallpaper, but do not spray excessively, otherwise the water may drip on the floor, and you will have double work mopping the floor! When the wallpaper is soaking in water, wait for at least thirty minutes, and then start scraping off the paper. It will be easy if you scrape the wallpaper part by part rather than the entire wallpaper at a time.

Remedy 2: Fabric Softener

Fabric softener works well on very old as well as new wallpapers. Fabric softener loosens the glue and softens the paper which makes it very easy to remove.

Things Needed: Fabric softener, sprayer, scraper, drop cloth.

Procedure: Add about twenty percent of fabric softener to water in a sprayer. Spray only on a small portion, because if the solution dries up, all the efforts go down the drain. Leave the solution for more than twenty minutes to penetrate through the paper. For very old wallpapers, leave the fabric softener for about thirty minutes. After the water soaks in the wallpaper, start scraping. Use a drop cloth for the remaining shreds. It will take you hardly fifteen minutes to remove the entire wallpaper using a fabric softener.

Remedy 3: Vinegar

Vinegar is an acid which helps the adhesive to soften, making the procedure of removing wallpaper easier.

Things Needed: Vinegar, water, spray bottle, scraper, sponge.

Procedure: Take equal amounts of vinegar and water, and put the solution in a spray bottle. Leave the solution on the wall for minimum twenty minutes, and then start scraping. Wipe away the left over pieces with the help of a mop. It will be easy if you pull out the first layer of wallpaper before spraying the solution. This remedy is said to work the fastest.

All the above remedies are sure to work, but if they don't, try ammonia with hot water, followed by the same procedure as vinegar, as this is also an effective wallpaper removal home remedy. So now you can start searching for a brand new wallpaper!