I wanted a clean start to renovate my house, so I decided to remove all the wallpaper and as much of the glue as possible. The paper has yellowed and I wanted to freshen the interior up with more modern, cohesive papers. That glue really held up over the years—it was not an easy task! Here’s a recap of three methods I tried, in case you have a similar project.
Heat Gun:
The idea was to melt the glue with a heat gun before scraping. It worked okay, but it sometimes burned the paper—and even the wall. It didn’t melt the glue as much as I was hoping, so I still had to do a lot of scraping. The one upside: it wasn’t wet or messy. The paper stayed dry, which made cleanup easier and not as messy.
Vinegar and Water:
Next I tried using equal parts water and vinegar to soften the paper. Before applying it, I used a rotary tool to poke tiny holes in the wallpaper so the solution could soak underneath (you could also use a pin to make holes). The solution loosened the paper a bit, but it didn’t do much to dissolve the glue. Scraping was still tough, especially in tight spaces.
Wallpaper Stripper (Chemical):
This method worked the best. I was trying to avoid chemicals, but in the end, the stripper helped break down the glue more effectively. It was messy and goopy, and I had to wear gloves, but it did a better job than the other two methods. After removing as much of the paper as I could, I scrubbed the walls with a sponge to get rid of the remaining glue. Again—messy, but effective.
After trying all three methods, I finished with a power sander to smooth the walls, get rid of any extra glue and prep them for primer. I'm amazed how well the 40 year old glue held up...hopefully the new paper will last just as long!