When you’re decorating your space with new wallpaper, you will be glad to have a strong adhesive wallpaper paste. Unfortunately, that strong wallpaper adhesive can be a nightmare to remove from walls. Take the hard work out of wallpaper removal by using our helpful guide.
You Will Need
- Rubber gloves
- Safety goggles/glasses
- A face mask
- Clothes you can get messy
- Drop cloths or plastic sheets
- A good wallpaper glue remover/cleaning product
- A spray bottle
- Cleaning cloths or towels
- Sponges
- A paint scraper or putty knife
- A utility knife
- Lots of rubbish bags
- A bucket of clean water
- A ladder or stepladder (if needed)
The Ultimate Guide to Removing Wallpaper Glue:
1. Prepare the room
- Use painter’s tape to cover any wall switches, light switches and power points before starting the wallpaper stripping process
- Protect floors and furniture by covering them with drop sheets/plastic sheets
2. Ensure there is good air circulation
- Opening windows and doors, or running your fans
3. Gather all the cleaning products you need
- Collect all the tools and items you need to remove wallpaper glue from the walls
- Prepare your homemade cleaning solution or commercial wallpaper remover
- Put on your rubber gloves and other protective gear
- If you have long hair, tie it up to keep it away from sticky wallpaper glue
4. Strip off as much wallpaper as you can by hand
- Take care if you are on a ladder
- Start from the top and gently peel down large strips of wallpaper
- Use your scraper or putty knife to help lift up the paper in larger sections
- Throw any scraps into your waiting rubbish bags
5. Prepare the walls for your liquid cleaning solution
- Using the utility knife, cut shallow lines into the wallpaper
- Cut crisscrossing lines into the wallpaper so the cleaning solution can soak in better
- Be careful not to exert too much pressure and only cut into the layer of wallpaper, not the wall beneath
6. Apply the cleaning solution to the walls
- Focus on small areas and work section-by-section
- Start from the top and work your way down the wall
- Pour your cleaning solution into a spray bottle and apply it to the wallpaper
7. Leave the wallpaper remover solution for at least 15 mins
- Give the cleaning solution time to soak in and break down the wallpaper glue
8. Use your scraper/putty knife to pull up paper and remove wallpaper glue from walls
- Target tough glue-covered areas
- Apply gentle pressure and work downwards to pull off larger sections at once
- Toss any paper strips and sticky glue residue straight into your bin bags
9. Repeat the process until the wallpaper is gone
- Apply extra cleaning product as needed
- Work until the entire wall is free of adhesive
10. Wipe down your walls with clean water using a damp microfibre cloth or sponge
- Don’t use too much water, or you might cause water damage
- Squeeze excess water from your cleaning cloth or sponge
- Wipe the wall from top-to-bottom to get rid of excess wallpaper glue and cleaning product residue
11. Dry the walls with a clean cloth
- Dry your wet walls with a clean towel or dry cloth to help speed up the drying process
12. Let your walls dry completely
- Wait at least 24 hours before painting the walls or applying new wallpaper
4 Effective Wallpaper Adhesive Removers
You can try a combination of products when mixing together a DIY solution. Let us break down a few of the best cleaning solutions for getting rid of wallpaper glue.
Method 1: Fabric softener and warm water
Pour 1 cup of water and 1 cup of fabric softener into a spray bottle.
Did you know liquid fabric softener can help remove wallpaper glue from walls? Fabric conditioners and similar cleaning products can loosen the grip of leftover wallpaper paste and break down the adhesive. Use hot water or warm water for the mixture, to help soften the glue and wallpaper.
Method 2: White vinegar and water
Add 1 cup of vinegar to 1 cup of water.
If you choose the vinegar method, consider adding 1 teaspoon of lemon juice as well. Lemon juice is disinfectant and will help the vinegar cleaning solution smell better.
Method 3: Baking soda and water
Stir 1 teaspoon of dry baking soda into 2 cups of water.
Baking soda paste is a powerful cleaning solution, but liquid solutions are easier to apply for wallpaper glue removal.
Method 4: Commercial wallpaper remover
If you’d prefer to buy a commercial wallpaper stripper instead of a homemade solution, then there are plenty of products available on the market. Remember to read the safety information and follow the step-by-step instructions (if provided) for your wallpaper paste remover.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why do you need to remove wallpaper glue before painting?
A bit of wallpaper glue can cause big problems for a fresh paint job. Glue-covered areas are hard to paint over and the paint may not adhere properly. If you do end up coating over paper, there will be obvious lumps and bumps left on the finish. You might need a dozen layers of paint to cover the imperfections, which means you are creating more work for yourself. Starting with a clean surface will make a smooth and beautiful paint job much easier. And, with our helpful guide, you know how to remove wallpaper glue before painting already.
How many rubbish bags do you need for wallpaper removal?
Consider the quantities of wallpaper you need to remove, and remember you will also have glue underneath to scrape off and throw away. Even for a wall with a single wallpaper mural, it is better to have more rubbish bags than you need than stopping to grab more halfway through the job. Grab as many as you think you will need, then add an extra two rubbish bags for good measure.
Do you need to clean the drywall after wallpaper removal?
Yes, because this will fully remove the last residue of cleaning products and any leftover wallpaper glue. You also want to be thorough with your cleaning and give the wet wall time to dry before the next phase of your home improvement project. Whether you are planning to apply a fresh coat of paint, new wallpaper, a decorative wall mural, or some other decoration, ensure that your damp wall has dried completely. Then you will have blank walls and a fresh surface to start from.
Can you sand off wallpaper glue?
Yes, sanding is another good method for removing wallpaper glue from walls. You will need fine-grit sandpaper and a sanding block (or sanding sponge). Start with a light sanding; work at the glue-covered wall using circular motions. This should be an effective method on the majority of wallpaper glues, but heavy-duty sanding may be necessary to clear away decades-old paper and adhesive on walls.
Can you use fabric softener to remove wallpaper glue?
Yes, mixing fabric softener into a cleaning solution is one of the most popular wallpaper glue removal hacks. Use equal amounts of fabric softener and warm/hot water if you choose this method. Then, follow our how-to guide to remove wallpaper glue using fabric softener.
Items You Need (Explained)
Want to know more about the equipment you should have for the wallpaper removal process? Here is all the information you need about our favourite tools for getting the job done.
Protective gear for wallpaper glue removal
Start with rubber gloves, safety goggles/glasses, and a face mask. Nasty surprises like mould and mildew could be waiting underneath the wallpaper, and you shouldn’t be touching that or breathing it in. Safety gear will also keep you safe from wallpaper residue and the cleaning products you use. Removing wallpaper glue from walls is a messy job, so wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
Drop cloths or plastic sheets (to protect flooring from drips)
Remember to cover floors before you start the wallpaper removal process. Covering the surfaces below your walls is the easiest way to protect flooring from glue drips. Since you will be using wet cleaning solutions and water to clean walls afterwards, putting down plastic/drop sheets will also shield floors from water damage and excess liquid.
Remove any furniture in the area too. If you can’t take the furniture out of the room, then cover it with a drop sheet or plastic sheet to provide a layer of protection. You don’t want sticky strips of wallpaper or paste residue getting stuck on your furniture either.
A spray bottle
Putting your cleaning solution into a spray bottle will make it easy to apply to wallpaper glue residue evenly and completely. It doesn’t have to be a large or industrial spray bottle; use whatever you have available and refill it as needed.
A plastic paint scraper or putty knife
You don’t need exotic tools or specialised equipment to get wallpaper glue adhesive off walls. A paint scraper or putty knife can help you pry off excess material without scratching or damaging the walls. Apply gentle pressure and don’t rush while you use a wallpaper scraper.
A utility knife
If you have tough patches of wallpaper glue to contend with or stubborn pieces of wallpaper that need more persuasion, then consider using a utility knife. But take care not to scratch up your walls in the process. Work slowly and watch what you’re doing, or you might need to patch sections up afterwards.
Lots of rubbish bags
You’ll be surprised by how quickly these will fill up, so make sure you have a collection of rubbish/trash bags open and ready to go. Dispose of any wallpaper or large clumps of glue straight into the rubbish bags to keep them from getting stuck onto anything else in the vicinity. The wallpaper removal process is sticky business, so have your rubbish bags open and ready to go before you begin.
A bucket of clean water
Depending on the size of the job ahead, you might need a lot of fresh water on hand. Keep a good-sized bucket of water nearby, and replace the dirty water as needed.
Final Thoughts
Are you ready to refresh your space? Start your home restoration or decoration project the right way. Remove wallpaper glue from walls completely by following the handy steps in our ultimate guide. Try one of our DIY cleaning solutions to soften wallpaper adhesive easily and make the job easier on yourself. If you have patience and are prepared to get a bit messy, you can’t go wrong. Good luck!
