Ways to remove old wallpaper. Quick procedure for removing old wallpaper

When re-gluing, you should very carefully remove old layer wallpaper without leaving even small fragments. It is this clean surface that will allow you to stick a new layer without bulges or bumps.

In 90% of cases it is enough to use the most in a simple way removing wallpaper, and we will talk about it further, but if you are among the 10% of the “lucky” ones and the sweat is already flowing in a stream, and your nerves have begun to fray - scroll down the article, there we will talk about emergency situations.

The easiest and fastest way

Empty the room of all furniture or arrange it in the center of the room and cover it with cellophane or newspapers.
For safety reasons, turn off the electricity in the apartment. Tape up sockets and switches masking tape so that dirt does not get into them. And the dirt will appear now, believe me.
Prepare the following tools and materials:

a bucket of hot or warm water;
wide roller (can be old);
narrow and wide spatulas;
stopwatch.

Using a wet roller, moisten 2-3 strips of wallpaper from top to bottom. Please do not flood your neighbors - there is no need to pour water excessively.
Time it for 20 minutes. During this time, the material and glue will absorb enough moisture.
Using a spatula, pry up a corner of the wallpaper and separate it from the wall. Scrape off small pieces with a spatula.

Return to step 4 and say goodbye to all remaining canvases.

To clean the walls of a room with an area of 20 square meters it may take two hours. More time may be needed in cases where old paper wallpaper glued in good faith, and even worse, with PVA glue. It will also take longer to process materials with a water-repellent layer, such as vinyl wallpaper.

Tip: Cleaned walls must dry. At least a couple of hours. Only then proceed with the new finishing.

Life hacks and folk remedies

To make the process of removing wallpaper even faster and even more effective, read what additional magical tools you have at hand. It's time for them to bring real benefit to humanity.

Difficult cases at work

What to do if you get vinyl or non-woven wallpaper

We proceed as we described above, using the method of exposure to moisture, but before water treatments take a walk sharp knife or using a wallpaper tiger (most importantly, something sharp) on old wallpaper and make cuts. Water will penetrate under the vinyl film into the paper and you will not have any difficulty finishing your work on time.

What to do if old wallpaper is glued to drywall

Drywall consists (attention!) of gypsum and cardboard. For obvious reasons, the last of the components cannot be wetted with water. Therefore, in this case, it is best to either carefully use a spatula, or, as a last resort, buy a special solution for removing wallpaper.

What to do if the wallpaper is glued with PVA glue

Be strong. This is the most difficult case. Jewelry work. Water, even mixed with diamonds, will not help you. Take a sharp spatula and, forgetting about your plans for the whole evening, clean off centimeter by centimeter. Or ask your neighbors for a grinder (grinder) and buy an attachment with stiff bristles - the process will go faster.

Watch this video - the need for invention is cunning:

If the old wallpaper is still on the wall

Guys, let's be honest, if you have read the article up to this point and the old floral wallpaper is still intact on your wall - either you are doing something wrong and it is better to read the article slowly from the very beginning, or - you know what - leave this idea . If, with such inhuman efforts, you still failed to separate the paper and the stone now, then, believe me, they will never separate again, and under no circumstances.

If a person decides to change old wallpaper for new ones, this is great solution. Having replaced color scheme, texture and pattern on the walls of the apartment - the interior has changed and the mood has improved. Sometimes it can be difficult to remove old wallpaper from walls, but there are ways to help you do this without investing special material resources or wasting your nerves.
However, to fulfill the plan, as well as to ensure that the new wallpaper adheres well to the wall, does not bubble or peel, careful and proper preparation wall surfaces.

Removing old wallpaper from the wall

Preparation for removing old wallpaper consists of the following operations:

Removing old wallpaper from walls;
Crack putty;
Wall surface primers.

Before updating your wallpaper, you must first remove the old wallpaper from your walls. If the walls are plastered with a cement solution, puttied and primed, and ordinary wallpaper glue was used to apply the wallpaper, your wallpaper, which has lost its original appearance, but has not lost its strength (it is difficult to remove with bare hands), you will not have to spend much time removing such wallpaper.

But it may turn out that the wallpaper is very thin - it will tear easily, and if it was glued with PVA glue, then covering the walls will be easier plasterboard sheets than getting rid of old wallpaper that has become embedded in the walls. However, for skillful hands There are no impossible things. It turns out that you can remove wallpaper stuck on forever.

There is a huge variety of wallpaper types, but it is most difficult to cope with the removal of old paper wallpaper, which was made back in Soviet times, for two reasons:

The first reason lies in the characteristics of the wallpaper itself.

The second is in the quality characteristics of the adhesives used at that time (it is better if it was CMC glue, and much worse if the old wallpaper was glued with buslate, PVA or wood glue).

The process of removing old wallpaper from the wall with your own hands.

Soviet wallpaper does not come off in whole sheets, so any novice builder is wondering if there are ways to rid the walls of the remnants of this coating. Usually they are scraped off with great effort, small area it takes a lot of time. It's very tiring.

But it turns out that there are ways, and even more than one, that will help you get rid of old wallpaper relatively easily and quickly.

IN Soviet time Before wallpapering the walls, they were first covered with newspapers. The walls, which previously had a layer of wallpaper on them, were not cleared of them, but simply pasted new wallpaper onto the old ones. Therefore, over several repairs, more than one layer of wallpaper accumulated on the walls, which was tightly glued to one another. Leaving this disgrace on the walls is contrary to hygiene: multi-layer wallpaper provokes the growth of mold and various insects. Because of this, unpleasant odors arise in the apartment.

This is most dangerous in cases where small children live in such apartments, because mold and fungi that affect the walls are main reason the occurrence of allergic manifestations, which most quickly affect the fragile infant body.

In order to free the walls of your home from a relic of the past, you can use one of several methods that are given below.

Preparing the necessary tools and materials

Before performing work, stock up on the following tools and materials:

Bucket with warm water with the addition of dishwashing detergent;
Paint roller;
Foam sponge or sprayer;
Metal spatula or scraper;
Stepladder;
Masking tape;
Polyethylene film;
Chemical wallpaper remover;
Wire brush;
With a knife;
Iron;
A piece of cotton fabric.

For convenience, the wallpaper is removed from top to bottom. First, pry up their upper edge with a spatula and pull down, continuing to pry off the places that are poorly lagged. If the wallpaper was glued with regular glue, this will be enough. If the wallpaper does not want to come off, it is necessary to moisten it additionally - this will soften the old glue.

In what order should the work be performed?

Exists certain order removing old wallpaper, which is best observed.

Due to the presence on the walls electrical outlets and switches, before removing wallpaper, follow basic rules technical safety. This work is carried out using water or other conductive liquids. Therefore, before removing wallpaper, turn off the electricity. Then you need to seal the sockets, wires and switches with masking tape.

Using the same masking tape, attach one side to the baseboards polyethylene film, having a width of more than 50 cm. The second side of the film is attached to the floor. This procedure facilitates subsequent garbage collection.

Then thoroughly soak the old wallpaper using warm water, adding dishwashing detergent or liquid soap. After 10-15 minutes, wet the wall with wallpaper again. Do not treat large areas at the same time, because if you scrape the wall in one place, you will not notice how the old wallpaper has dried in another.

In order for the wetting liquid to penetrate better into the wallpaper, it is recommended to scratch its surface with a knife or scraper. When the old wallpaper paper swells, clean the walls using a spatula.

We remove old wallpaper from the wall ourselves.

It is possible to use special chemical wallpaper removers. Following the instructions, prepare a solution and apply it to old wallpaper using a sponge or sprayer. Such washing solutions have high permeability. They destroy the old layer of glue well, so after treating the surface with them, the wallpaper can be removed easily and quickly.

What to do if the wallpaper cannot be removed using the usual methods

In cases where the expected result does not appear after soaking (if the old wallpaper was pasted over with PVA glue or bustilate), steam the wallpaper using a piece of wet cotton cloth and an iron. Scraping must be done while the wallpaper is still warm after ironing.

Residues of glue remaining on the wall after using all methods to remove them can be used with sandpaper and a sanding machine. After this, the uneven areas remaining on the wall are puttied.

Non-standard methods for removing old wallpaper.

In practice, it becomes clear that old wallpaper is much more difficult to remove than modern wallpaper. This happens for two reasons:

First - modern wallpaper, basically, they come in two layers - this involves their delamination. This means that you can remove only one top decorative layer, which does not have its original appearance. In this case, you can stick new wallpaper onto the backing remaining on the wall, as if it were a base.

The second one is about modern species Wallpaper adhesives have excellent adhesive properties, but these adhesives dissolve quickly if warm water or special removers are used. This makes removing wallpaper much easier.

There are types of wallpaper that can be:

Paper - single and multi-layer, textured or smooth;
Moisture-resistant, having a non-woven base;
Glass wallpaper.

Removing moisture-resistant wallpaper from plastered surfaces is not particularly difficult if you use a spatula for this. This wallpaper is durable compared to paper wallpaper and almost does not tear. The removal method is selected taking into account the type of wallpaper and the nature of the surface on which it was glued. The walls may have a durable, moisture-resistant surface, or they may be made of plasterboard.

Secrets for quickly removing vinyl wallpaper from walls

Double-layer washable wallpaper is called vinyl. Their first layer is the base, glued to the surface of the walls. It can be paper or non-woven. The second layer is vinyl (polyvinyl chloride). It is thanks to him that these wallpapers have increased moisture resistance and decorative properties.

You should not try too hard to completely remove washable wallpaper from the walls, since they are specially designed to remove only the outer polyvinyl chloride layer. If the base (first layer) has been securely glued, then you can leave it on the wall.

The base material gives the name to varieties of washable wallpaper. They can be:

Vinyl;
Paper;
Non-woven.

If there is a need to remove completely paper vinyl wallpaper, first their outer layer is easily torn off, and the base is soaked with water and cleaned off using a metal spatula.

Removing old non-woven lining from walls

If it is necessary to remove old interlining from the walls, then it is recommended to remove only the outer layer, since the second layer - the interlining itself, strengthens the wall and is an excellent base on which new wallpaper can be glued.

How to remove flezilin from walls yourself.

If there is a need to completely remove the interlining, it is easier to remove the base because it has greater strength than the paper of the second layer. The base is pryed with the edge of a metal spatula and smoothly torn off the wall, doing this from top to bottom. At the same time, using the same spatula, tear off the wallpaper in places where it is difficult to come off. If inner layer is difficult to clean off the wall, first moisten it with warm soapy water using a spray bottle or sponge.

When removing wallpaper from plastered surfaces cement plaster, puttied and primed before pasting the previous wallpaper, do not be afraid to remove it - you will not damage the wall if the moisture is strong, since such walls have a durable surface that is not afraid of moisture.

Removing wallpaper from a plasterboard surface

Excessive moistening of the surface is not recommended, since moisture can adversely affect the drywall - you can remove the wallpaper along with the cardboard. And if the drywall is not primed before gluing the wallpaper onto it, then it is generally impossible to carefully remove the old wallpaper from it without damaging the cardboard.

Therefore, in this case it is better to use special washes. To increase the removal efficiency, scratch or cut the surface of the old wallpaper. This can be done using a knife, spatula, toothed roller or special wallpaper tiger.

We should not exclude particularly severe cases that may arise if the old wallpaper was glued to wallpaper glue and PVA glue - they will be removed with cardboard. As you know, cardboard is a material that consists of thin sheets of paper glued together. therefore, it won’t be a big deal if, instead of the old wallpaper, a thin outer leaf comes off.

You just need to work diligently and carefully, carefully peeling it off with a sharp paint knife. When removing wallpaper from drywall in this way, before gluing new wallpaper, be sure to putty and prime the surface of the walls.

Removing liquid wallpaper from walls

Liquid wallpaper is a decorative finishing coating applied to walls and ceilings. They consist of cellulose or cotton flakes, dyes and other components. Wallpaper adheres firmly to surfaces thanks to water-soluble glue, which is also included in its composition.

Liquid wallpaper is a relatively new coating that is simply applied and removed. The glue can be easily dissolved with water even after it has completely dried.

To remove liquid wallpaper You need to thoroughly moisten them with warm water in advance. Use a spray bottle, foam sponge or rag. It is better to wet the surface generously and several times. After the wallpaper swells, it can be easily removed from the surface of the walls or ceiling using a metal scraper or spatula.

Do not rush to throw away the mass removed from the surfaces - it can be used again.

There are some methods that can be useful if you need to remove old wallpaper as soon as possible. For this purpose they use special professional tools, for example, a steam stripper. This tool is very convenient because it simultaneously heats and moisturizes the surface of the wallpaper. Superheated steam will help you quickly and easily remove not only old wallpaper, but also dried glue from the walls. And this is with minimal impact on the surface of the walls.

Creative solutions often come as a result of hard work. Repairs usually start with preparatory work, which are carried out quite long time, but necessary. As it turns out, removing old wallpaper from walls is not an impossible procedure, given individual characteristics each material used.

On paper based The wallpaper is periodically changed to new ones. Removing old coating is a rather difficult process that requires both strength and time. The speed of cleaning the wall surface from them depends on several factors, the main ones being the type of material and the glue to which the sheets were glued. The article suggests learning how to remove old paper wallpaper from a wall with your own hands.

The oldest known material for wall decoration is paper wallpaper. If previously the canvases were glued overlapping, then with a significant improvement in the quality of wallpaper paper, a decrease in their thickness, more saturated and varied patterns, the method of gluing them has also changed - the seams have become butt, which is especially difficult to do and requires more careful preparation of the walls, due to the thinness material.

If modern paper wallpaper is glued to a wall with old wallpaper without removing it, then after drying:

All wallpapers are very stretched. In this case, any unevenness or roughness becomes the reason why the material will begin to lag behind the wall.
Old coatings may have dust or stains. There is no chance that they will not appear on the new wallpaper, especially if it is white paper wallpaper, and will not “decorate” the room after renovation.
New canvases may simply not stick well over old ones.
The glue used for gluing new wallpaper contains water, which will soften the old layer unevenly. This will cause bubbles to form in one place and the material to stick firmly in another.

Tip: To prevent such troubles, you should play it safe and thoroughly clean the wall of old finishing material.

There are several types of paper wallpaper:

Simplex or single-layer.
Duplex or two-layer paper wallpaper.
Triplex or three-layer. This type of material is thicker, which allows it to hide some unevenness on the walls when glued correctly and, accordingly, they have a higher price.
Paper wallpaper with acrylic. Otherwise they are called embossed with acrylic coating. Such materials have great strength and durability. They are more moisture resistant when glued and do not get very wet, which distinguishes them from ordinary paper wallpaper.
Moisture-resistant, washable paper wallpaper with latex coating.

The type of wallpaper pasted also determines the method of removing it from the walls. On old rolls, it is advisable to find a label or a special label with symbols indicating how to remove the material from the walls.

It could be:

Removal without residue.
Removal wet.
Delamination upon removal.
The embossing is not deformed.
Double wallpaper with embossing on the top layer.

Previously, people didn’t bother too much and, if they wanted, they could simply overlay the old ones. The canvases were made of paper, so no bubbles, bumps or stains were formed during this installation process. As a result, in some apartments you can find from 2-3 to 8 or more layers of old wallpaper. To apply modern covering, you will have to get rid of all this, and here difficulties await many. We have collected several effective ways to remove old wallpaper from walls quickly and easily, be it paper, vinyl or washable canvas.

Why is it better not to glue new wallpaper onto old ones?

In the old days, when wallpaper was all paper without any protective films and coatings, gluing new wallpaper onto the old, smooth, undeformed, but simply boring, coating could be done with a clear conscience. Sometimes there are so many layers of old wallpaper that you can use them, like tree rings, to determine the number of repairs and remember different periods in the life of the owners. If you are going to glue it again over old Soviet paper wallpaper that miraculously survived, then you can take a risk and do without the dismantling procedure. In all other cases, it is better not to do this.

Firstly, if you are planning, or any other decoration, then the layer of old wallpaper must be removed in mandatory. Secondly, even if you are going to glue wallpaper again, then when applying one layer to another you can get lag of the new layer, wrinkles, blisters and other defects. This happens because the old layer may no longer hold on very well, and there is also an increased load. Moreover, the glue you will use will soften the old layer of wallpaper. As a result, the drying process will be delayed, and if the wallpaper in two layers is of different quality, then the lag from the walls cannot be avoided.

It’s great if you still have labels from the rolls that indicate the type of dismantling, for example, “remove wet” or “delaminate when removed.”
Before you start removing old wallpaper, remember how it was applied. If it was one that was applied to, then most likely the entire dismantling process will not be very difficult.
Problems may arise if the wallpaper was glued with a non-standard glue, for example, PVA, or was mounted on an unsuitable surface. The most difficult surface is considered to be unputtyed drywall.
Some difficulties may arise if upper layer does not absorb moisture (vinyl and washable wallpaper), but effective methods have been invented for this case too.

In any case, remember that nothing is impossible. There are many ways to remove old wallpaper from walls; you just may have to put in a little more effort than planned.

How to prepare for wallpaper removal?

The process of removing old wallpaper is often a messy process. Plaster will crumble, water will splash and some special means, so it’s better to prepare the room in advance:

The last point is the most interesting. What devices may be needed in the process of removing wallpaper? Here is the list:

two sharp spatulas of different sizes;
bucket, water, detergent;
sponges, roller, rags;
garbage collection bags;
gloves;
ladder;
perforation roller, wallpaper tiger, knife;
special means for removing wallpaper/steam iron and a piece of fabric.

The set of tools can be reduced or expanded depending on the chosen method.

No. 1. Removing wallpaper with bare hands

This is an option for those lucky ones who have the old wallpaper is already coming off the walls on its own. To remove old canvases, just pull the top edge, and if some parts do not give in, then pry them off with a spatula or knife. Strips of wallpaper may come off entirely. Old wallpaper has most likely already lost its strength, so you shouldn’t pull it to prevent the canvas from crumbling. Shoot carefully. If the wallpaper is securely attached in some place, then pry it off with a knife or spatula. If this does not help, then use one of the following methods.

No. 2. Traditional method: removing wallpaper with water

The wet method works in most cases. Moreover, it is more hygienic compared to the previous option, since less dust will be generated during the process. The procedure is as follows:

This method is ideal for paper wallpaper: single-layer wallpaper soaks in literally 5-7 minutes and can be easily removed from top to bottom; double-layer wallpaper will take 10-15 minutes, and only the top layer can be removed. If you are going to glue wallpaper, then you can leave the bottom layer of the old ones. If not, then the procedure will have to be repeated. In the case of paper wallpaper covered with a protective moisture-resistant film, as well as in the case of vinyl, non-woven and washable wallpaper, you will have to try a little more. At a minimum, perforate, and at a maximum, use special compounds and other tricks.

No. 3. We use a special wallpaper remover

If the wallpaper is glued tightly, or you simply don’t want to waste time and effort soaking it with water, then you can take special composition for removing wallpaper. Such products are inexpensive, non-toxic, and are absorbed into the wallpaper structure much better than just water or soap and water.

Procedure:

No. 4. Steam method

The most common iron, steam iron or steam generator can help deal with old wallpaper:

No. 5. "Mole" versus wallpaper

The following method is often used in construction. He is a variation traditional method removing wallpaper by soaking. If the wallpaper is glued tightly, then warm water you should dissolve the “Mole” pipe cleaner. To 1 part “Mole” add 2 parts water. Using a roller, this solution is applied to the wallpaper, and after 5-10 minutes the wallpaper should come off in whole sheets. Efficiency this method at altitude, you just need to wet the wallpaper very carefully and wear gloves.

No. 6. How to remove wallpaper glued to PVA

PVA glue is a water-insoluble composition, therefore traditional ways they don't take him well. You can try adding laundry soap or vinegar to the water, or both together, or you can do it a little differently.

Use a spatula and a sander. Using a spatula, try to carefully remove those parts of the wallpaper that give in. Residues and large pieces can be removed using grinder, but in this case it is worth remembering that you are running the risk of damaging the main surface. Most likely, after completion of the work you will have to level the walls.

Also don’t forget about the most effective method– steaming.

No. 7. How to remove vinyl wallpaper

No. 9. How to remove washable wallpaper?

No. 11. How to remove wallpaper from drywall?

Many people complain that the old Soviet paper wallpaper is literally ingrained into the walls and cannot be removed either with water or steam. If all methods have been tried, and some of the wallpaper remains firmly glued to the walls, then such a half-prepared wall can be puttied to level the surface for subsequent finishing. If the remnants of the old wallpaper are held tightly, tightly, then there will be nothing for them under the putty, and they will not affect the new coating in any way.

Treating walls after removing wallpaper

When all the work is completed and the walls have been cleared of the last piece of old wallpaper, it is time to assess the condition of the surface. In most cases, part of the plaster is removed with the canvases, so the wall is unlikely to be able to boast of perfect evenness. Before starting finishing, its surface must be carefully prepared.

Previously, there was a misconception that there was no particular need to bother with preparing the walls for. Alas, there are still fans of this opinion. It’s not hard to guess that as a result of this approach they don’t get much high quality finishes, even if chosen high quality wallpaper. An unprepared wall contains images that even the most thick wallpaper. This surface is more porous, which means that much more wallpaper glue will be used, and adhesion will be worse. Cracks on walls in contact with the street can even cause mold to develop.

Whatever the subsequent wall decoration(wallpaper, painting, decorative plaster etc.), The list of surface preparation activities will be approximately the same:

primary priming of walls necessary to improve grip finishing material with the wall, reduce the degree of moisture absorption (saving paint, glue), speed up the drying process of the putty. applied in hard to reach places you can use a brush. If you see that somewhere the composition is absorbed into the wall literally before your eyes, it is better to apply a second layer;

Glims DeepPrime primer Glims DeepPrime primer is a primer that allows you not only to strengthen the base, improve adhesion and save paint or glue, but also protect the surface from mold and mildew due to the antiseptic included in the composition. The primer can be applied to almost any surface, it dries quickly (4 hours) and has low consumption (0.08-0.2 kg/m2).

plaster not always necessary. If the surface of the wall does not contain deep holes, drops and other defects, and you plan to hang fairly thick vinyl or non-woven wallpaper, then it will be enough to putty some of the unevenness. If the defects are significant, thin wallpaper or painting will be used, then you will have to use plaster first. For brick walls a cement-sand composition is used; it is more suitable for concrete gypsum plaster. Most convenient to use ready-made mixtures which only require adding water. The technology of plastering walls is dedicated to;
putty It’s better not to neglect it. It allows you to reduce the roughness of the walls, perfectly level the surface, which will have a positive effect on the quality of subsequent finishing. . If you do all the work yourself, it is better to take a gypsum composition - it is easier to apply than cement. Apply the putty with spatulas, and finishing layer may not be applied if thick wallpaper is hung, decorative plaster is applied or ceramic tiles are installed;
re-priming will allow you to finally prepare the surface for subsequent finishing. This time the composition should be much smaller.

Remember to let each coat you apply dry thoroughly. Data on complete drying time will be indicated on the packaging.

When renovating a room, it often occurs actual question which consists in removing old wallpaper. This task is relatively simple and accessible to absolutely anyone. The main thing is to have a patient attitude towards repair work and following some recommendations.

In the article we will consider the following points:

Why is it necessary to remove old wallpaper?
There are several main reasons:

The old layer of wallpaper usually sticks to the walls very weakly and can quickly peel off. When applying glue to old wallpaper, it softens, becomes damp, and begins to peel off.

When pasting over an old layer, the drying time of the new wallpaper will increase.

When both layers of wallpaper (old and new) are completely dry, wrinkles, unevenness and bubbles may form on the outer surface. As a result, the finish may turn out to be imperfect and unsightly.

The level of adhesion (cohesion of surfaces) is significantly reduced. New wallpaper will look much better and last longer if it is applied to a clean, even wall.

Finally, quite a lot of dirt and bacteria accumulate under old wallpaper over the years, which also makes it important to remove them.

spatulas (narrow and wide);

stationery knife;

scraper;

high table (or stepladder);

warm water to moisten the wallpaper;

masking tape;

paint roller;

polyethylene;

water container;

special liquid for removing wallpaper (if necessary);

sponges, rags, rags;

steam generator or household iron (if necessary);

needle roller (or a special “tiger” for wallpaper).

Preparation for repair
The area needs to be cleared extra items furniture and household items, and it is also advisable to cover them with film, if any remain in the room. Also cover with film flooring and secure the polyethylene around its perimeter with masking tape. Important nuance– if you plan to use water, be sure to turn off the power to the room. In addition, make sure that water never gets into an outlet, switch or other dangerous places. It is necessary to remove the covers of switches, sockets, etc. and cover them with tape in advance.

Methods for removing old wallpaper

Manual method

If the old wallpaper is already holding very weakly or was poorly glued, then use a utility knife, scraper or spatula to pry up the upper edge or corner of the wallpaper and tear it off from top to bottom. Traditionally, this method is used for old paper wallpaper that was glued to a concrete or cement base, although it can be chosen for other types of wallpaper. It all depends on the properties of the glue, the type of base surface, the quality of the previous wallpaper, etc.

Using water

The most common way to remove previous wallpaper. To do this, you need to wet a section of the wall with warm water, or even better - hot water. Use a rag, a soft sponge, a roller (foam rubber) or an ordinary sprayer for these purposes. Wet the corners and edges of the cloth especially well. To help water penetrate the wallpaper better, it is first recommended to make cuts or scratches using stationery knife, a sharp spatula, a needle roller or a special wallpaper “tiger”, and only then proceed to soaking.

It's best to wet one first small area wallpaper and test it experimentally - if it comes off well, then there is no need to scratch it first.

Usually, non-woven wallpaper and some types of vinyl wallpaper are wetted and peeled off without any problems (although sometimes you have to trim them to the area). But for old paper wallpaper, most double-layer vinyl wallpaper, glossy or washable wallpaper with a strong water-repellent layer - it is advisable to cut it well on the wall before moisturizing.

Depending on the quality of the wallpaper, its thickness, and the characteristics of the glue, as a rule, within 5-15 minutes. the old layer swells, bubbles and can be removed using a spatula, scraper, knife and hands. You need to pull off the soaked wallpaper slowly and with some effort.

Couple additional tips using the “water” method:

Do not wet the wall with copious amounts of water, as this may damage the inner layers of plaster or putty in the wall.

Previous paper wallpaper can be cut, moistened, and then treated with a constantly damp sponge and spatula, so it will come off faster. If the paper wallpaper does not come off in large pieces, then after it has been impregnated, in addition to a spatula, you can also use a special brush to remove it.

Do not wet the entire wall with water in one pass, otherwise, by the time you get to the other end, the wallpaper there will already be completely dry. It is better to moisten the surface in relatively small areas.

Vinyl wallpaper: first remove the top layer of polyvinyl, then proceed to the bottom paper layer (remove it like paper wallpaper).

Quite often it is recommended to remove wallpaper using a soap solution or washing powder. We would not recommend doing this because detergents can ruin the putty or plaster, and later, upon contact with the glue, deteriorate its properties when gluing new wallpaper.

Don't flood your neighbors. Do not allow a lot of water to drip onto the floor.

Special means

More effective than water, special chemicals. In hardware stores you can easily get a special chemical liquid for removing wallpaper (say, Atlas Alplan or Quelyd Dissoucol). It penetrates into the old layer faster and deeper than ordinary water. These products are very effective, will not damage the wall and are absolutely safe for health. Such liquids, as a rule, can be diluted in a certain proportion with water, and then the solution can be applied to the wall with a roller or sponge. The technology of work is the same as with the “water” method. Sometimes a little wallpaper glue is added to the liquid, a kind of jelly is obtained, with the help of which the old wallpaper comes off extremely easily (this method is especially good when the old wallpaper is glued in several layers). The only disadvantage of this option is additional expenses for the purchase of liquid.

Steam generator or iron

It happens that old wallpaper just doesn’t want to peel off. Then you need an iron (preferably with a steam option). Use a damp cloth to iron stubborn areas of old wallpaper and then remove them. Of course, only small areas can be treated with an iron. The iron “will not handle the entire wall” and will deteriorate. For large surfaces, as well as to improve the quality and speed of work, it is better to use an ordinary household steam generator.

The most difficult case
Rarely, there are particularly difficult situations when the old wallpaper is already completely “oaky” - absolutely cannot be peeled off. Perhaps they were secured with PVA glue (and even on drywall) or wood glue. Then neither water nor steam will help, but will only make it worse. Here you need to either patiently scrape off the entire wall manually with improvised tools and sandpaper, or use a small drill with the necessary attachment or even a grinder. We put on a respirator, glasses - and for repairs. But be prepared for the fact that after using the hammer drill you will have to make much more efforts to putty and prime the walls when preparing them for new wallpaper.

Successful renovation and beautiful walls!