How to remove wallpaper

Wallpaper first appeared in China around 200 BC in the form of rice paper which people glued to the wall. In 105 BC, Ts'ai Lun invented rag paper from textile waste. By the 10th century AD, Chinese prisoners in Arabia shared the secret of the paper and it spread around the world and through time. You may wish to remove the wallpaper on your walls to replace it with something else. This is something that you can do yourself. Read this article to get a guide on how to remove wallpaper.

Collect your supplies

To remove the wallpaper from the wall, you will need to collect the necessary supplies. Collect a drop cloth, a perforator, a remover for the wallpaper glue, and a scraper. Lay down your drop cloth on the floor to protect it. Cover the baseboard if it is exposed.

Work on the wallpaper

Begin the removal process by running the perforator all over the wallpaper. This will separate it from the wall. Next, spray glue dissolver onto the paper. Allow it to sit for a while to soak in. This could take half an hour or a little more. You can make glue dissolver by mixing together a cup of vinegar with a bucket of warm water.

Pull away

Grasp a bit of the paper and pull it from the wall very gently. This will prevent the wall paper from ripping. If the paper does not come away, spray glue dissolver on the walls and try again. If that does not work, gently scrape the walls with a rubber scraper. Do not press too hard to prevent damaging the drywall or plaster beneath. If this does not work, you may need to steam the wallpaper. Wall paper steamers are available for rent and therefore, you don't necessarily have to buy one. You can rent it for the day or by the hour. Fill the reservoir of the steamer with water. Allow the water to heat up. Hold the hotplate of the steamer against the wall. Let the steam soften the paper and move the hot plate to another section. Scrape the wallpaper from the walls with a scraper. Do this gently so as not to damage the wall beneath. When you use the steamer, make sure that you stand on a stool or a step stool so that the steam from the machine does not go down your arm and burn you.