What is the best way to remove wallpaper from plaster walls?
Fortunately for me, the top layer of the wallpaper (the initial covering) removed completely with just a few pulls. However, the back of the paper with the glue remains. I’ve heard of using vinegar and water and also water and cheap fabric softener. I’m concerned about the plaster walls – they are 65 years old. Has anyone some advice on what works best? Thanks!
You have plaster walls and it makes it much easier. Stick with the white vinegar and water and a 5 inch flexible putty knife for the open areas and a 1 1/2 or 2 inch one for the narrow areas and close to windows. If you use stiff putty knives it will be too easy to gouge the walls. Soak the heck out of it with warm water and a cup of white vinegar per one gallon of very warm water. Do that 2 or 3 times or until you see it bubble and you can start. Be patient. It will not take long. It will peel right off for you and then you will need to do it again to remove the glue. If painting, use Kilz or Bin to be certain the glue residue you didn’t see doesn’t bleed through. Be patient and it will go fine. Allow it to dry for a 2 or 3 days before doing any painting or papering over it. Be very certain it is dry.
the best you can do is "use the wet piece of cloth and rub on the paper which is still on the wall….it will come out…." it is bit of hard work but still it will really work….
try it out and let me know…..
Rent a wallpaper steamer it works like magic, just wear long sleeves when you use it. Your local wallpaper store might have them to rent, or local hardware store.
They make a wallpaper glue release – you can usually get it from Home Depot/Lowes type stores or a local paint store. That is what we used on our plaster walls.
btw, the walls we removed the wallpaper from were never finished. . .they were Meant to have wallpaper on them.
If your walls were not painted or sized prior to the wall paper installation, you’re going to need alot of patience. Buy the product DIF from your local hardware or Home Depot/ Lowe’s. THere is a spray on gel type. Maybe $6 Soak a small area with the DIF to test. The paper will look darker. You may need to LIGHTLY score it. The paper should peel off. If it does not, you will need to steam the remaining wall paper. Before purchasing a steamer, test a small area by applying HOT water to it. Don’t burn yourself. If it works, invest the $40 bucks in the steamer. THe key to save your walls is not apply too much steam and don’t gouge the walls. Use a plastic putty knife. It sounds like you had vinyl wallpaper. If these don’t work, break out the sander or do a faux finish!
Buy or rent a "Wallpaper Steamer", Home Depot or Lowe’s will have some. It will remove the paper from the walls with out damaging the plaster.
Get something to score the wallpaper and then use a steamer.
Unfortunately it is good old fashion hard work, water, 3" scrapper and a little waiting time. I use a water bottle sprayer and spray a large area and wait about 5 mins. for it to absorb and then start scrapping it off. Some areas may need more then one squirt. And keep going until it is all gone. Be sure to wipe down all the wet spots and really scrub with soap and water when all done to be sure all the glue is gone. The cracks and pictures holes have to be touched up with some mud ding. Then you are into the real fun. Be sure to sand down to be flat with the wall to have a nice flat wall and not too much mud just enough to fill the holes. Have fun.
Been there and done lots of this.
We just bought a house with the same situation – we used cheap fabric softener and it worked like a charm!! This house is also quite old (built in the 50’s)!
Good luck!
Nearly all houses that are built in the 50s and 60s (Unless they were papered later) were papered using Wheat paste if you have the top layer of paper off then use a spray bottle and wait then using a 6′ mudding knife to scrape off the brown backing paper and glue. You need to lay some old towels or rags down at the base to absorb any water that might go to the floor then take warm water and a rag and remove any remaining glue Good Luck