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December 13, 2008
recommended technique for removing stubborn wallpaper???
I am going nuts trying to get some thirty year old wallpaper off the bathroom wall. My grandfather must have used some darn good glue because despite sponging heaps of hot water on it and even scraping with a new sharp glass scraper it still is taking hours to do a few square feet. Can anyone recommend a better tool or chemical to get the stuff off more easily?
Comments
Are you using a wallpaper stripper? You can buy a tool that make little pin marks to let the stripper get behind the paper. You just let it soak and it should come off in an hour.
Posted by: Rick at December 13, 2008 4:09 PM
Make sure your water is very hot. The scoring tool mentioned above helps a great deal (as it allows liquid to penetrate everywhere a pinhole has been created). Also add both white vinegar and some Dawn or other mild dishsoap to your water. If this combination does not work, try fabric softener. It sounds odd, but is usually very effective. You will probably find a putty or tape knife or plastic blade works better than your glass scraper. There is a commercial wallpaper stripper called DIF (which I have never used).
Posted by: vinca at December 13, 2008 4:34 PM
My better half spent a weekend doing this.
Tools:
--The round scoring tool
--spray bottles filled with a hot vinegar solution in a 4 water: 1 vinegar ratio
--knife with metal blade designed for scraping off wallpaper (like this: http://www.mrhardware.com/wallpaper-scraper-pi-120.html?osCsid=ece412f8e9656db77c9688e1bed0ce3d or like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-pc-WALLPAPER-SCRAPER-%2F-STRIPPER-SET_W0QQitemZ370121093095QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20081128?IMSfp=TL081128119004r13448)
--TPS substitute to remove remnants of glue (also in a spray bottle)
The trick appeared to be to score a section of wallpaper, soak it heavily with the vinegar solution, WAIT 20-30 mins, and then peel it off, and go at the remaining paste/paper with the vinegar mix and then with the TPS. (and, as you're cleaning up a section, start the score/vinegar soak on the next one.)
GOOD LUCK! It's backbreaking work.
Posted by: lookin fer stuff at December 13, 2008 5:27 PM
i heard fabric softener works but i don't know how much or if you mix it with water
Posted by: noplacelikehome at December 13, 2008 5:49 PM
I took some stubborn wall paper off with a $50 steamer from Home Depot. It was by far the easiest way.
Posted by: mariano at December 13, 2008 8:58 PM
I used a steamer too & some sections came off easily while others took several bouts. Scoring helps a lot & I, too, found vinegar to work but soap might be better depending on what adhesive is on the backing. I had layers going back nearly 100 years & different rooms responded differently.
Posted by: Arkady at December 14, 2008 3:20 PM
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