Steamed by wallpaper removal? Time is the key to new look

Last week I received a call from a very charming lady by the name of Fran. She said she was 72 years old and was tired of her 20-year-old wallpaper and wanted to update her home with new paint. She said she would have done the job several years ago; however, was afraid of damaging the drywall under the wallpaper. I told Fran that I would address this issue in this week's article.

Wallpaper removal is easy to do; however, the process is very messy and it is time consuming. As a professional cleaner it is one of my least favorite projects because of the mess it creates.

While it is a pain to remove, most folk's real fear centers around damaging the wall while stripping the paper. It's true. You can damage the wall; I've spent a lot of time repairing walls that have been damaged and there is no reason for it. Once you understand what is happening below the surface, wallpaper removal is simple.

There is no way around it - it's going to be a very messy project. Bits and pieces of wet paper, covered in adhesive, will stick to everything that's not properly covered. Fortunately for us, it cleans up easily with some soap and water.

We can minimize the mess by placing inexpensive drop clothes over the flooring and furniture. I usually place a rubber-backed runner along the wall that I'm working on. Everything on the wall has to be removed, that includes pictures, dried flowers, etc. Furniture should be removed from the room or places at least four feet from the wall that you are working on.

Generally, once the room is prepped, I try to find the edges of the wallpaper and gently peel the edge away from the wall. If it won't peel away, I don't force it, that's when you cause damage. Some vinyl and fabric wall coverings will peel right off. Others will split, leaving a layer of plain paper on the wall.

There are several different products on the open market that will help is dissolve the glue holding the paper to the wall. I've used them all. Save your money.

Mix a one-to-four ratio of vinegar and hot water in a spray bottle. Using the spray bottle, saturate the wallpaper with the mixture and let soak into the paper for about 10 minutes. The secret here is to spray the wallpaper again and let it soak in for about 20 minutes. You want that paper thoroughly saturated to completely soften the adhesive beneath it.

Using a six-inch broad knife, scrap the wallpaper off the wall. If you've done it right it should easily peel off in long strips. If it doesn't, remoisten the paper and wait another 10 minutes. Let the warm solution do the hard work. Generally, I will wet several walls at one time which speeds up the process considerably.

For difficult areas, renting a commercial wallpaper steamer really helps. The steam forces moisture into the adhesive making it easier to remove the paper. To be honest, I've only had to do that once when we were working on a very old home. I swear that stuff was put on with concrete.

Fran, I hope the above information helps and again thank you for your kind and gracious comments.

When cleaning with any cleaning product, always wear eye protection and rubber gloves to protect your hands. If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept, call Ed at NWES (255-2266), e-mail them to madan@nwees.com or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church street, Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What would Ed do?  For information about Ed, and his new handyman services, check him out at www.NWEES.com.

Copy written by Edmond E. Madan, certified forensic, fire, flood, mold inspection and remediation/restoration contractor. Ed is the president of Northwest Environmental Services, Inc.