Although it returns to the decorators’ good graces, the wallpaper can still become unpleasant to the eye for anyone who gets tired of its pattern and its colors. Wanting to get rid of them quickly to make room for a new setting, some will employ ineffective techniques that will considerably lengthen the time normally required to achieve it.
In order to save you time and frustration, here is an overview of the best techniques for removing wallpaper along with some general recommendations.
The Art of Removing Wallpaper
Some precautions to take before removing your wallpaper:
- It is imperative to disconnect the electrical circuit that supplies the plugs and switches of the room where you are working in order to avoid any unfortunate accident. You will need to disassemble the sockets in order to connect the cables temporarily to dominoes.
- Also remove the decorative plates from the switches and electrical outlets and cover them tightly to prevent moisture from entering these areas.
- Remove all furniture from the room to avoid being damaged or obstructed by their presence.
- Apply a plastic sheeting to the floor to protect it. To prevent movement, be sure to attach it to the edges of the wall using an adhesive.
- As the wallpaper removed will tend to be wet and sticky, place it directly in a trash. Thus, you can work by avoiding being unnecessarily encumbered by residues that will stick to your feet.
Recommended techniques for removing wallpaper
The first technique is to wet the surface of the wallpaper with a mixture of hot water and liquid detergent. To allow wallpaper to fully absorb this mixture, add a small handful of pulp (paper pulp) to each mixing bucket needed to complete the job. Another variation of this technique is to use a mixture of water and laundry soap. Regarding the proportions to be respected, count about a soap cap per liter of water. The best time to start removing the wallpaper will be when it starts to curl or when you see small bubbles appear on the surface.
Regardless of the option chosen, prefer to use a paint roller instead of a sponge or spray, this will allow you to work much faster. Also, be sure to use the warmest water possible to maximize the efficiency of the process. Finally, remember that using a plastic scraper (as wide as possible) is preferable to that of metal to avoid damaging your wall.
You can also opt for the use of a steam wallpaper stripper. This powerful tool will allow you to remove your wallpaper in record time. You can then lift a corner of the wallpaper using a scraper as in the techniques mentioned above. However, you will need to allocate a budget for the rental of this unit. As an indication, it will cost between $ 20 and $ 25 to do this.
Simply press the tip of this unit on the wall so that the paper and glue take off in just a few seconds. As the heat produced by this type of device is very high, wear long gloves and sleeves to avoid skin irritation due to this intense heat. Note that using this type of machine is particularly useful if you need to remove a multi-layered or vinyl wallpaper, which is rather resistant.
While taking the precaution of putting on gloves as well as goggles, you can also use a chemical remover to remove the wallpaper. If the wallpaper you are removing is water- or vinyl-resistant, be sure to scrape it off the entire surface with a wire brush before applying the stripper to allow it To penetrate completely. Be careful not to press the brush too hard, otherwise your wall may be damaged.
After work, do not forget to …
- Clean the wall with a mixture of hot water and soap as quickly as possible to remove residues of glue and paper. These will be considerably easier to remove if the wall is still damp.
- Sand the wall to avoid any irregularities that may appear after applying one or more coats of paint.
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