What is the most effective (least messy, best) way to remove pre-pasted wall paper?
Answers:
buy a paper tiger to score the wall. it's a round tool that fits in your hand, you move it in circles along the wall, and it has little teeth that cut holes in the paper. if you can peel of the top layer of wallpaper, go ahead and do that to avoid the paper tiger step.
start in a corner, or where you can find the edge of the paper. fill a spray bottle with water and a little dish soap. spray a small section of wall at a time to moisten the paper. if you used a paper tiger on the wall, the holes will allow the water to penetrate to glue layer, the soap helps to losen the glue.
start to peel back the corner. peel as much off as you can. if it doesn't peel, get something to srape it off. you can also lightly scrub the wall with rag or brush to losen the glue, then scrap off.
if they used a lot of glue on installation, it will be more difficult to scrape off.
Other answers:
First peel off the patterned part. That should come away easily, leaving the backing still attached to the wall. (It's difficult to get the adhesive part damp with the top layer still on, even when you score it as recommended.) Then use a damp sponge or a mister to moisten the backing, and peel it off. Don't SOAK it, or you could damage the plaster or wallboard underneath. If it isn't working, then try steam. I'd avoid the chemicals if possible. Get a large spatula/scraper tool with a wide blade--that will help.
First peel off the patterned part. That should come away easily, leaving the backing still attached to the wall. (It's difficult to get the adhesive part damp with the top layer still on, even when you score it as recommended.) Then use a damp sponge or a mister to moisten the backing, and peel it off. Don't SOAK it, or you could damage the plaster or wallboard underneath. If it isn't working, then try steam. I'd avoid the chemicals if possible. Get a large spatula/scraper tool with a wide blade--that will help.
get it wet first
i used fabric softener in a spray bottle diluted with water. worked great and smelled good too !!!
Vinigar and water, with a squirt bottle.
you score the wall paper and mist with a water bottle. small areas at a time. It will just peel off. use a razor to get the most difficult parts off.
Steam is a safer way to go, because there are no Chemicals involved besides H2O, most people I know say this works well.
use hot water in a spray bottle with about 1/4 to 1/3 downy mixed, apply to the wall and let the water stand for 15-30 seconds and peel or scrape gently with a wide putty knife, have a towel to catch excess water that runs down the wall.
Good Luck
I had the best results when I scored the paper, and then sprayed the wall with hot water in a spray bottle with 1 capful of fabric softner added. This seemed to work even better than the chemical removers that you can buy - and a lot less harsh on my hands!
I just removed FOUR layers of wallpaper from my kitchen. We tried the chemicals and they didn't work. So we rented a steamer from Home Depot. That thing took the wallpaper right off. Minimal mess and really easy. Make sure you get a scorer to poke holes in the wallpaper first. Otherwise the steam won't get under the paper.
Rent a "Steamer" for wallpaper removal from your local hardware store. Once you steam it, it will come off easily. Otherwise it will tear apart when you try to remove it, and it will make more work and a bigger mess.
Same thing for the border.
Smear fabric softener, any brand, on the wallpaper and let it soak in for a few minutes. Working in sections is best. You can then scrape it off using a little specialty tool available at Home Depot, or probably any hardware.
We used a steamer to remove wallpaper off a huge bedroom and dining room once, and I thought I would die before we were finished.
We just used the above method on another bedroom and it works great. Saw the suggestion on one of those fix-it-up shows on TV.
All you need to do is:
1) Peel off the paper so that only the glue is left. Use a scraper if necessary.
2) They make a gel that you can apply to the glue. Buy it at your local hardware store. Follow the directions on the container to remove the glue.
I did this method and removed a border around my daughter's room, only to find that I had actually removed TWO borders because the previous owner just laid a new border on top of an ancient one! Ha! But it worked like a charm!
score it first. get some liquid dish-washing soap (I use Dawn) and put in a spray bottle. Add warm water to the bottle, then spray the scored wallpaper. Let it sit for a few minutes, then scrape and peel the "skin" of the paper off. Spray again, let it sit, then scrape the remaining layer away. This has worked for me almost every time. All those other chemicals and techniques just aren't as effective.
The baest way is with steam
a steam wallpaper stripper just be careful if yuor hair is dyed
Try steaming it off with an iron. The glue will soften as it moistens and the paper will almost fall off by itself.
take laundry detergent and a buckket of warm/ hot water soak a mop in it and soak down ur wall this will allow the wall paper to peel off easily just keep it wet and keep peeling.
have fun
STEAM------USE A KETTLE
AB