How to remove wallpaper

One of the best ways to transform your home is by freshening up your walls. But don't rush in – before you can start painting or wallpapering it’s essential you remove any existing wallpaper first.

Stripping wallpaper might sound like a tedious task, but not only will it make redecorating much easier, it’ll also ensure your walls get the smoothest finish possible.

To help you remove wallpaper as effortlessly as possible, here’s our easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to stripping your walls.

There are several ways to remove wallpaper (we’ll talk about these in the next section), but whichever way you go, you’ll need the following:

 Masking tape

 Plastic bags

 Bucket

 Sponge

 Wallpaper scraper

 Broom or dustpan and brush

 Cloth or rag

 Old or protective clothing

 Dust sheets (you may prefer polythene sheets if you have carpeted floors to provide more protection from moisture)

 Tape

Before going to the trouble of preparing yourself and your room, you should know exactly what you’re working with. Using a scraper (or old spatula), scrape away a corner of wallpaper and pull it off the wall. Do this on every wall, as each one may be different. 

This quick test will tell you how difficult it’ll be to strip your walls – and which method you’re going to need:
 

Soapy water/Chemical solution

If your wallpaper comes off easily – even if it’s only the top layer – you should be able to use hot water to remove most of it, before finishing off with a chemical stripping solution for any harder-to-remove bits, including adhesive. For this method, you’ll also need:

• Chemical wallpaper stripper
• Protective gloves

Electric steamer

If the wallpaper doesn’t come off easily, you might want to get hold of an electric steamer. Steamers are useful for removing stubborn wallpaper, but must be used carefully to avoid steam-related injuries or damage to the wall. New steamers start at around £20. For this method, you'll need:

• Electric steamer
• Goggles
• Wooden board (to sit steamer on when not in use)
• Jug (to fill the steamer)

Next up, you need to prepare the room. Use dust sheets to cover the flooring, using tape to safely secure the sheets in place. Move all furniture away from the walls being stripped, placing them in another room or covering them with dust sheets for protection.

Remove all fixtures from the walls – light fittings, vents, picture hooks – and tape up any electrical sockets or openings with plastic.

Before stripping any walls, turn off the power in the room you’re working in to avoid any water getting into electric sockets.

You should also wear protective clothing (including gloves) and safety goggles, particularly if you’re using an electric steamer that could cause scalding and burns.

If the top layer has peeled off easily, use a sponge and bowl of hot water to saturate the backing – the hotter the water, the more effective it will be. Leave the backing to get fully saturated.

Work in sections to ensure the wall doesn’t dry out before you have the chance to scrape.

If the top layer doesn’t peel off easily, apply a liberal coat of wallpaper stripping solution, leaving for 15-20 minutes to soak in.

If scraping still proves fruitless, you’ll need to use a steam cleaner. Be sure to follow all safety instructions and wear protective gloves throughout.

If using a steamer...

Once you've removed the paper, some glue (adhesive) may remain on the wall. It’s important you don’t simply leave this, as it will  cause problems when you re-wallpaper or paint.

Use a chemical spray on any remaining problem areas, leaving for the instructed time before carefully scraping off.

Once the paper is removed, use a damp cloth to clean the walls before leaving them to dry. This will also let you know if you’ve missed any bits of paper, or if there’s any damage to the wall that needs fixing.

Make sure the walls are completely dry before turning the room’s power points back on.

Apply filler to any areas of damage on the wall – like holes or cracks – before leaving to dry and sanding smooth. Filler and sandpaper should cost just a few pounds each.

Once you’ve repaired and smoothed the walls down, you’ll be ready to start thinking about what to do next.

Now you've got your walls looking good, gain peace of mind by making sure your home is insured.

Insure your home with John Lewis Home Insurance by calling us on 0345 608 9001 or get a quote online.