How to Remove Wallpaper Glue – Yes, it’s true. Wallpaper glue is a tough old monster to remove from your walls. You not only have to scrape off the paper, but then you have to deal with this horrible mess of glue residue left behind, and no one wants that. But don’t be discouraged! There are ways to get rid of this glue without it taking over your life. In this guide, you learn about how to remove wallpaper glue easily with vinegar.
Removing wallpaper glue can be a nuisance, but saving the work by doing it correctly is important. So this article will help you saving time and money how to remove wallpaper glue in your home and look like a professional.
Table of Contents
1. Preparing for Removing Wallpaper Glue from Walls
Gather Tools and Materials
- Trash bags
- Drop cloths
- Screwdriver
- Painters tape
- Plastic to cover electrical outlets, light switch sockets, and vents
- Putty knife
- Eye protection
- PIRANHA™ Scoring Tool
- PIRANHA™ Wallpaper Scraper
- PIRANHA™ Removal Sponge
- ROMAN wallpaper remover
Prepare the Room
Before removing wallpaper from the walls, use this checklist for preparing the room.
1. Avoid getting remover or old wallpaper on unwanted spaces.
- Remove the room’s furniture or move to the center of the room and cover it with a drop cloth.
- Cover the floor with a drop cloth.
- Remove items from all the room’s walls.
- Use wide painter’s tape to cover the baseboards.
- Disconnect the power at the electrical panel and remove the electrical outlet and light switch socket covers, then cover with plastic, sealed with painter’s tape.
2. Turn off room fans.
3. Close and use plastic to cover the AC/heating vents in the room to reduce airflow, which can more quickly dry out the remover.
4. Keep lots of trash bags on hand for the messy job of cleaning wallpaper glue off the walls.
2. Determine the Wall Surface and Wallpaper Type
The best way to remove the wallpaper and paste depends on the wall surface and the wallcovering type.
- Most homes have either drywall or plaster. To determine the wall surface type in your home, remove an outlet cover, which exposes the wall.
- To determine the wallpaper type, lift a corner of the paper with a putty knife, preferably at a seam. Slowly peel it back at a low angle. Do not pull the wallpaper straight out because this can damage the underlying surface, especially if it’s drywall. A dry-strippable wallpaper will easily peel back. If the wallpaper isn’t dry-strippable, you will need to conduct a test on a small area to verify the wallpaper remover solution will work.
3. Test Remover on Small Area
If the wallpaper isn’t dry-strippable, determine on a small test area of the wallpaper (2-inch by 2-inch) if your wallpaper remover will work, applying the same procedure you will for the entire project.
For both porous and non-porous wallpapers, ROMAN recommends applying a scoring tool with even-light pressure in circular motions over the test area. This creates light perforations that allow the remover to penetrate the wallpaper to the adhesive, efficiently.
Next, apply the wallpaper remover to the test area, saturating the entire space. Wait 15 minutes before attempting to peel off the paper. If it easily peels off, you can begin the project.
4. Score the Wallpaper
Using a PIRANHA™ Scoring Tool, you can easily make tiny holes, allowing the remover solution to penetrate the wallpaper. The PIRANHA™ Wallpaper Scoring Tool features an exclusive oval, no-slip, soft-grip handle. The tool has four hardened, dull-resistant steel blades to avoid damaging the drywall. For plaster walls, its strength protects it from damage when removing wallpaper, unlike drywall, which you can easily damage when scoring or scraping, creating more work when you get ready to prep the walls for new paint or wallpaper. Also, drywall can become water damaged if you overwet the wallpaper.
5. Spray Removal Solution on the Wallpaper
After putting on eye protection, soak the wallpaper with the ROMAN PIRANHA™ wallpaper remover, which effectively and efficiently breaks down wallpaper paste, releasing the wallpaper from the wall. Non-toxic and non-staining PIRANHA™ formulas are a safe product with no offensive odors.
A vital tip for removing wallpaper glue, only wet an area you can scrape off within 15 minutes ﹘ about a three-foot-wide, floor-to-ceiling section at a time. You don’t want the paste to dry out. If the remover soaks into the drywall for longer than 15 minutes, it can damage the drywall.
6. Scraping the Wallpaper
After the remover solution breaks down the wallpaper paste, use a PIRANHA™ Wallpaper Scraper to scrape clean the walls.
The PIRANHA™ Wallpaper and Paste Removal Scraper has a perfectly honed blade, preset at the optimum angle for removing wallpaper adhesive residue without damaging walls. The wide blade prevents you from gouging the walls, while the roller, with an ergonomic-soft textured handle, lessens resistance and minimizes fatigue.
Starting at the seam, start scraping the wallpaper from the wall. If some old paste still adheres to the wall, apply more PIRANHA™ remover, wait 15 minutes, then attempt to remove the sticky wallpaper residue.
7. Clean Up
After removing the wallpaper and old paste, use a PIRANHA™ Removal Sponge and removal solution to wipe down the walls of any residual paste.
Tips for Cleaning Glue from Wallpaper
When hanging wallpaper, excess glue or adhesive may seep through the seams, or you may accidentally get glue drips on the front of the paper. Removing unsightly glue streaks can be easy if handled properly.
Because there are so many different finishes and wallpaper materials, test these cleaning methods on a scrap of wallpaper or in a hidden area first to test for damage.
- Use a damp microfiber cloth. If the glue is still damp, try wiping it off with a microfiber cloth that has been dipped in warm, clean water and wrung until only slightly damp. Start at the top of the glue area and wipe down in gentle strokes. Always use a clean area of the cloth as the glue is transferred from the paper to the cloth.
- Use a plastic paint scraper. If the adhesive has dried in a distinct streak or droplet, try using a plastic paint scraper to chip away the glue. As you get closer to the wallpaper’s surface, soften the glue with a warm, damp microfiber towel so it can then be wiped away.
- Use rubbing alcohol. If water doesn’t work, dip cotton swabs in isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol and carefully saturate the glue with alcohol. Do not allow the alcohol to run down the wallpaper because it may cause discoloration. Wait about 10 minutes, then use the paint scraper to chip away at the glue and finish the removal with a damp microfiber cloth.
Conclusion
Removing wallpaper glue residue from a wall using vinegar may seem like an impossibly difficult task, but it’s actually quite simple. Wallpaper glue is made to be incredibly strong and waterproof. Removing this residue can be tricky and even dangerous if the wrong tools and materials are used.