If you’ve landed here trying to figure out how to remove wallpaper – you may have already been intimidated by the rabbit hole of information on the internet. Or perhaps you’ve almost decided it’s impossible after asking for advice from friends? We came close to feeling hopeless before even starting – but I’m here to tell you it just might be easier than you’d think!
Upon starting our (fairly extensive) DIY wallpaper removal project, we did a ton of research. We talked to friends, googled different methods, and questioned our sanity. We learned a lot along the way, and I think the most important takeaway was that you just have to start! So, if that sounds like you, make this the last guide you read. And as soon as you’re done, I dare you to go start peeling a discreet corner of your wallpaper. Future you will be grateful.
Our DIY Wallpaper Removal Project
First, some background. If you haven’t subscribed to our newsletter, you might not know that this is part of our home renovation series I’ve dubbed “The Coop.” Whenever you buy an older home, you know it’s going to come with some quirks. That’s all part of the fun! We’ve nicknamed our new home “The Coop” because the previous owners apparently loved chickens – the wallpaper in the kitchen and dining area is all chickens!! (Head over to our recent post on how to choose a dining room rug to see more of that).
Most of the rooms in the rest of the house have their own, charmingly 90’s wallpaper on the walls – from botanical patterns to the bright yellow patterned stripes we remove from the entryway in this post. Needless to say, it was one of the first things we wanted to change about the place, and we decided to document the journey for anyone else who might find themselves with a DIY wallpaper removal project in the future.
Here’s a quick look at the “Before” photo for this project. I used a couple of pictures from my dining room project as I came back and updated this post, but still don’t have a good “After” photo for you. I’ll be sure to come back and add one when I get our entryway looking pretty enough for a quick photo! Right now, we’re working on renovating the bathroom at the top of the entryway steps, so it’s still all covered up in construction dust and cardboard boxes.
Now, how about we go over the basics of how to remove wallpaper the DIY way?
Step 1: Determine Your Wallpaper Type
As it turns out, there are lots of different types of wallpapers, from traditional to strippable to vinyl-coated. Some tutorials start by saying you need to figure out which type you’re dealing with, but I disagree. I think what really matters is how stuck it is. To find the answer to that, you’ll need to test a small section.
Start by peeling away at a corner of the wallpaper – does it come off at all? Does it tear immediately? Does it leave a horrible sticky mess behind? Once you have a better idea of what you’re dealing with, it’s easier to choose a wallpaper removal method that will work for you. A putty knife or a box cutter is very helpful for getting underneath that first bit of paper for a test run.
How hard is it to remove wallpaper?
Read any Reddit thread on the matter and you’ll see what I mean. Whenever we told anyone we were going to remove our own wallpaper, they looked at us like we were crazy, which soon made us start to feel crazy! But luckily, it came off incredibly easily. I’m assuming this is because the wallpaper is really old, but also because it was installed properly.
Once we started peeling it off, it went really quickly. We only had to use a spray bottle of water in areas with extra glue like some of the seams, and even then we only needed it occasionally! But if your wallpaper is a bit tougher, there are different methods for tackling DIY wallpaper removal.
Step 2: Wallpaper Removal Methods (Pros & Cons)
Once you’ve figured out how stuck your wallpaper is, you’ll have a better idea of the type of method you need to use. In terms of how to remove old wallpaper from drywall, here are your main options.
Dry Stripping
This method involves peeling the wallpaper directly off the wall without the use of water, solutions, or tools. It’s quick and straightforward for strippable wallpapers, and there’s no need for additional supplies or cleanup. However, it only works with strippable wallpaper, and even then, it may leave adhesive residue or paper backing behind.
- Pros: Easy and straightforward; minimal supplies needed
- Cons: May leave adhesive or paper on walls, requiring extra cleanup; If a section is unexpectedly more stuck than others, you can end up damaging the drywall (though some damage seems to be inevitable with wallpaper removal)
Water & Soap Method
A classic solution, the water and soap method involves soaking the wallpaper with warm, soapy water to loosen the adhesive. It’s cheap and effective for breaking down standard wallpaper adhesives, but it takes time for the solution to soak in, and it can get pretty messy.
- Pros: uses supplies you likely already have on hand, non toxic and cheap
- Cons: May not work on heavy duty adhesives, requires patience
Vinegar & Water Solution
This eco-friendly method combines white vinegar and warm water to dissolve adhesive naturally. It’s non-toxic, cheap, and safe, but it does come with quite a strong vinegar smell. It’s also less effective on heavy-duty adhesives or multiple layers of wallpaper.
- Pros: uses basic household supplies; non-toxic and cheap
- Cons: vinegar smell may linger; this method may not be effective on more stubborn wallpaper
Fabric Softener & Water
Some tutorials suggest using fabric softener. Mixing fabric softener with warm water can help break down adhesive and soften glue residue, making it easier to scrape off. It’s gentle on walls and effective for stubborn adhesives, and it leaves a pleasant scent compared to vinegar. That said, it’s slightly more expensive than soap or vinegar methods, and it can leave a slippery residue that needs additional cleanup. However, this is the method “The DIY Mommy” used and it sounds like it worked well for her!
- Pros: simple tools and materials you may already have at home, leaves a pleasant scent
- Cons: More expensive than the soap or vinegar alternatives, may require additional cleanup compared to just water, may not work on thoroughly stuck wallpaper
Steam Removal
This method employs a wallpaper steamer to apply heat and moisture to loosen adhesive, making it easier to remove even the most challenging wallpaper. We’d heard this was the most effective way of removing multiple layers of old, stubborn wallpaper, and didn’t require any chemicals. This was our chosen method, though as you’ll soon see, we didn’t even end up needing it!
- Pros: Known to be a very effective and relatively straightforward method
- Cons: You may have to purchase or rent a new tool, and the time involved in steaming each section can really add up
Here’s a more in depth tutorial, but the basic idea is as follows:
- prep walls
- get your steamer ready
- work slowly and in small sections allowing the steam to work its magic
- use a scraper to lift wallpaper from the wall if necessary
Step 3: How We Chose Our Removal Method
After doing a lot of research and getting advice from friends with experience, we decided to use a wallpaper steamer. One friend recommended renting a large commercial steamer, but we opted for buying a wallpaper steamer from Home Depot since we knew we’d have so many rooms to do.
Renting is pretty reasonable. The price will vary depending on your location, but it’s not too expensive if you just need it for a day or two. But if you have a lot of rooms to do and will be taking on wallpaper removal in phases, it could be worth it to go ahead and buy one. The steamer we originally bought (and ended up returning was about $80… not bad for how much use we’d get out of it! It offered great peace of mind as we got started, but we quickly realized we wouldn’t need it.
I’d say, if you do your wallpaper test and it comes off really easily, the steamer might be overkill and you could probably get away with one of the other (cheaper) methods, but it was nice to have as a backup option, just in case!
Step 4: What Actually Happened & What Worked for Us
We held our breaths and started peeling, but it was 10000x easier than we expected! When we started peeling the wallpaper, it just came right off, probably because of how old it was. This was about how much came off just by peeling- no extra tools or spraying! And some of what was left ended up peeling off very easily too. Only very small sections required scraping in the end.
So, the steamer turned out to be unnecessary! All we ended up using was a spray bottle with water, and we barely even had to use that. We had our entryway wallpaper removed before we knew it. Most of the work was after the fact in terms of prepping the drywall for paint.
Step 5: Cleanup & Wall Prep After Removal
Preparing your walls for paint after removing wallpaper is definitely the hardest part. I may end up writing a whole separate post to go into more detail. For now, here’s a quick rundown of what we did next.
Remove Leftover Wallpaper and Adhesive
Even though the wallpaper came off easily, we were still left with a few tough spots. We used a spray bottle of water to loosen the material and then scraped it away with a putty knife. On our second round of wallpaper removal in the next room, I used a clothing steamer on tough spots. That worked like a charm for softening the leftover adhesive, but it still required a bit of scraping.
Repair and Smooth Drywall
After everything was removed, we filled in or skim-coated areas where we damaged the drywall in the process. We also bought a drywall sander to smooth everything out. You’re bound to have some texture on your walls after removing wallpaper- it’s just a matter of how much you’re willing to deal with. We were told drywall sanding was more than most professionals would bother doing, but I think it was worthwhile
Skim coating can completely smooth your walls back out. However, it’s a bit tedious and we didn’t want to do the entire walls. Instead, the drywall sander just seemed like a good compromise. We filled in the especially rough areas and then sanded everything. It was messy and still left us with some texture but it was still a tremendous improvement.
After that, we cleaned the walls thoroughly. First, we went over the walls with a shop vac attachment. Then we cleaned with a with a duster, and finally a damp flat floor mop. Once they dried, we were finally ready to prime! This photo was taken after we cut in with paint. It still seemed like there was dust on the walls, so I went back again to clean some more! Now is the time to be meticulous- your paint job will turn out much better and last longer if you are.
What We Learned (and What We’d Do Differently)
- Test your wallpaper first. You can do all the research in the world, but at the end of the day, you just have to dive in and see what happens! We heard plenty of horror stories (don’t be put off!) but for us it was easy. It probably helped that we were prepared for the worst!
- Have a steamer on hand just in case! Even though we didn’t end up needing the steamer, it was nice to have. What if we’d run into a patch of wallpaper that really didn’t want to come off? We’d had to drop everything and run out to buy one! But, if you do a test and your wallpaper is coming off easily, you’ll probably be fine without one. I just used my clothing steamer for tough spots on the next room we did and it was perfect!
- Post-removal was the worst part. Preparing the walls to paint afterward was the most difficult part of the process. If you’re wondering whether to hire pros or DIY it- consider removing the wallpaper yourself to save a bit on labor costs. Then you can have professionals come in to do the rest!
Don’t let old, outdated wallpaper put you off. It’s not that hard to remove and you’re left with a clean slate underneath – ready to be transformed by a new coat of paint!
Good Luck with Your DIY Wallpaper Removal Project
Do you feel like you have a good idea how to remove wallpaper now? I hope if anything this has at least given you the confidence to take a stab at it yourself! Remember, you can always call in professionals if you get in over your head, so may as well try it yourself first.
Need some more quick renovation or redecoration projects to take on? Try picking out a brand new dining room rug to transform your space, or check out our tips on how to transform your kitchen without renovating – covering your backsplash with an easy, DIY option is a great way to give your kitchen a new look. Next up in our own home renovation, we’re tackling a quick closet makeover and then making some DIY shoe storage. We also refinished our dining table. I’m working on writing up a tutorial, but for now check out these dining table makeovers to get inspired!