How To Easily Remove Old Wallpaper
Old paper comes off far quicker once the paste behind it is softened so here's how we strip walls with steam or solution.
The short answer
To remove wallpaper, score the paper, then soften the paste behind it with either a steam wallpaper stripper or a stripping solution mixed with hot water. Work from the top of the wall down, scraping each softened section off with a wide stripping knife. A steamer is best for woodchip, painted or stubborn paper, while a solution suits small rooms and feature walls.
Stripping wallpaper is one of those jobs that sounds worse than it is. Once the paste behind the paper is soft, most of it comes away in strips, and the hard part is getting it to that stage. There are two ways to do it, a steam wallpaper stripper or a chemical stripping solution, and the steps below cover each one.
Steamer Or Stripping Solution
A wallpaper steamer is simple kit, just a water tank, a hose and a flat steam plate. The water boils in the tank and the steam travels down the hose to the plate, which you hold against the wall so the heat and moisture soak through the paper and soften the wallpaper paste behind it. That steady heat is what makes it the go-to for stubborn paper such as woodchip or paper that's been painted over, and for stripping whole rooms.
A stripping solution works by soaking into the paper and breaking down the adhesive. Mixed with hot water and sprayed or sponged on, it does most of the hard work for you. It's a good choice for a small room or a single feature wall, and some people make a homemade version with fabric conditioner and hot water.
Tools For Stripping Wallpaper
- Wide stripping knife or scraper
- Telescopic ladder or step ladders
- Wallpaper steam stripper or a stripping solution
- Scoring tool or utility knife
- Dust sheets and bin bags
- Durable rubber gloves
- Sponge or wash mitt and a bucket
- Masking tape and plastic sheeting for sockets and switches
- Surge-protected extension lead if you're switching off the power in the room
Which of these you need depends on the method you go for.
Getting The Room Ready
Take everything off the walls first, including pictures, shelves and vent covers. Move the furniture into the middle of the room and cover it with a dust sheet, and lay sheets over carpets and rugs, as soggy scraps of paper are a pain to pick out of the pile.
Water and steam can get into sockets and switches, so switch off the circuit for that room at the consumer unit before you start. Cover sockets and switches with masking tape and plastic sheeting, and if you need power for a steamer, run an extension lead in from a room on a different circuit.
How To Remove Wallpaper
Removing Wallpaper With A Steamer
- Score the wallpaper with a scoring tool or the edge of your scraper so the steam can get through to the paste.
- Fill the steamer tank with water up to its maximum line.
- Switch the steamer on and give it time to boil and start producing steam.
- Start at the top of the wall and work down, as hot water runs down the wall and starts softening the paper below.
- Hold the steam plate flat against the wall for at least 10 to 15 seconds, as shown in the photo.
- Move the plate on to the next section, then scrape off the area you've just steamed while the next one softens.
- Keep repeating the last two steps until the wall is clear.
Our YouTube Short below shows us working through these steps with a steamer.
Want To Remove Wallpaper With Ease? Use A WALLPAPER STEAMER! We've Tested Multiple To Find The Best!
Wear gloves and long sleeves, as the plate and the water dripping off it get very hot. On plasterboard walls, go easy with both the steam and the scraper. Holding the plate in one spot for too long or digging in with the knife damages the paper face of the board, which then needs repairing before you can decorate.
Removing Wallpaper Without A Steamer
- Score the wallpaper with a scoring tool or utility knife, as shown in the photo.
- Mix the stripping solution with hot water, using the ratio on the bottle.
- Spray or sponge the solution generously onto the paper.
- Give it time to soak in, following the guidance on the bottle.
- Scrape the paper off with short strokes of the stripping knife.
- Apply more solution wherever the paper starts to dry out.
- Repeat the last two steps until the wall is clear.
Use whichever stripping solution you like. A ready-to-use option is the Centurion flask stripper. Vinyl wallpaper has a waterproof top layer, so try peeling that layer off dry first, as the backing paper underneath soaks up the solution far more easily once it's exposed.
Cleaning The Wall Afterwards
Even after a good strip, you'll be left with small patches of backing paper and dried paste, like those in the photo. It's worth getting all of it off, as any lumps left behind show through paint or new wallpaper.
Brush the wall down with a soft broom first to knock off the loose bits. Anything stuck fast gets another dose of stripping solution or a quick pass with the steamer, then scrape it off. Finish by washing the wall with a sponge and warm water to remove the last of the paste, and let it dry fully.
Stripping old paper also shows up cracks and holes, so fill and sand those before you decorate. Our pick of the best wall fillers for cracks and holes covers fillers for both small dings and deeper damage, and if the plaster underneath is in poor shape, a fresh skim and our guide to painting new plaster sets the wall up for a clean finish.
Which Method We Reach For
Both methods are easy enough for a first-time DIYer. We prefer a steamer because it shifts all types of wallpaper, including woodchip and painted paper where a solution can struggle. For a small room or one feature wall, though, a stripping solution does the job without buying or hiring a steamer. Allow extra time for painted paper or several layers stacked on top of each other, as each layer needs softening in turn.
Once the walls are clean and dry, they're ready for paint or fresh paper, and our step-by-step guide on how to hang wallpaper picks up from there.
What People Also Ask Us
Do you need to score wallpaper before steaming?
Scoring wallpaper before steaming helps the steam get through to the paste faster, especially on vinyl, painted or thick papers. Use a scoring tool or run the corner of your scraper lightly across the surface in a criss-cross pattern. Don't press hard enough to cut into the plaster or the face of the plasterboard underneath.
Can you remove wallpaper with just water?
You can remove some wallpapers with hot water and a sponge alone, particularly thin, older papers. Score the paper, soak it well with hot water and give it time to soften before scraping. Adding a little fabric conditioner or washing-up liquid helps the water soak in, but stubborn or painted paper needs a steamer.
Can you paint over wallpaper instead of removing it?
You can paint over wallpaper that's firmly stuck down, with no lifting seams or bubbles, but we'd rather strip it. Paint can loosen the paste and make seams lift, and any texture or joins in the paper show through the new colour. Stripping the paper and filling the wall underneath gives a far better finish.
How do you remove wallpaper from plasterboard?
Remove wallpaper from plasterboard gently, as the board has a paper face that tears easily. Use less steam or solution, don't hold the steamer plate in one place for long and keep the scraper at a low angle. Where the board's paper face does tear, seal it with a primer before filling, or the filler will bubble.
Is a wallpaper steamer worth buying for one room?
Not always. A stripping solution handles one room or a single feature wall without the cost of buying or hiring a steamer. Our own preference is still the steamer, since it gets through woodchip and painted paper that a solution can struggle with. If your paper is stubborn or you're stripping several rooms, the steamer earns its place.
Do I need to turn the power off when stripping wallpaper?
Yes, switch off the circuit for that room at the consumer unit before you start, because water and steam can get into sockets and switches. Cover them with masking tape and plastic sheeting. If you need power for a steamer, run an extension lead in from a room on a different circuit.
How do you strip vinyl wallpaper?
Peel the waterproof top layer off dry first. Vinyl wallpaper has a vinyl surface that stops solution soaking in, but the backing paper underneath takes it up far more easily once it's exposed. After that, score and soak the backing with your stripping solution or steam it, then scrape it away as you would any other paper.
Does a homemade fabric conditioner stripper work as well as a shop-bought one?
Fabric conditioner and hot water is the homemade version some people use, but our own stripping experience is with a steamer, so we can't vouch for it. If you try it, treat it like any stripping solution. Score the paper, soak it well and keep reapplying wherever the paper dries out.
Eddie spent five years as a self-employed painter and decorator before going part time to become one of the main writers at DIY Works. From garden fences to mist coats on fresh plaster, painting and decorating is his speciality.