What is the easiest way to remove a wallpaper border from a painted wall?

Posted by admin on March 1st, 2010 and filed under wallpaper and border | 13 Comments »

I am redoing my daughters bedroom, and I’m having a hard time getting the border off of the wall. I thought that it would peal off easily if I just wet it, but that’s not working well at all. Does anyone have any tips that will make it come off easier and cleaner? I am repainting the walls, so I need it to come off well. Thanks.

Here’s the best way in the world to remove wallpaper… In fact, a user here who is 55 years old and removes wallpaper for a living wrote me to tell me he tried my trick and couldn’t believe how easy it was to remove the wallpaper. He thanked me profusely. So, here’s how to make life easier:
1. Get yourself a scoring tool at your local paint or home hardware store in the wallpaper department. It looks like a rotary pizza cutter with spikes.
2. Run the scoring tool all over the border or wallpaper, every which way.
3. Using a spray bottle (an old windex bottle works great), fill it with blue (it has to be blue) car windshield washer fluid.
4. Spray this all over the border and wait 10 minutes. Don’t skip the waiting time, it’s important!
5. Spray it again and wait 5 minutes.
6. Easily scrape the paper away with a scraper (and I promise, you won’t have to use major muscle… in fact, it will peel away in pretty big pieces.
7. Once all the paper is off, wipe down the wall still using the blue windshield washer liquid to remove the residual glue (there won’t be much :)

And there you have it… the secret to removing wallpaper with ease! Oh.. and don’t listen to those people who tell you to use fabric softener… It’s a royal pain as it’s really hard to get off the wall after. Don’t believe me? Just go put some on your hands and rub it all over your hands. Then try to rinse it off. Although fabric softener will get your paper off, it will leave you frustrated getting it off and it will also make it harder to apply paint after so that it sticks properly. Save yourself time and trouble and please, try my trick. It really works!

Hope your daughter likes her new decor!

13 Responses

  1. eric_m0410 Says:

    soak with water and peel
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  2. ItsMe Says:

    Rent a steamer from home depot or lowes

    Or, hot hot water and a scraper
    References :

  3. tootuncommon69 Says:

    Steam
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  4. Kevin Says:

    try scrapping it with something
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  5. girlonline64 Says:

    Your could buy a special wallpaper remover or you could spray some fabric softener(like Downy)on the wall, let it sit, and then scrape it off.
    References :

  6. Em Says:

    rip it off
    References :

  7. peaches6 Says:

    Here’s a link
    http://ezinearticles.com/?Removing-Wallpaper-Borders&id=127284

    I hope this helps.
    References :

  8. The penatrator Says:

    downy fabric softner mixed with water. spray it on with a spray bottle.
    References :

  9. dudefjeld Says:

    youre probably not getting it wet enough, it needs to be very wet!
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  10. Shannon C Says:

    Get it moist buy use a steam iron to loosen up the glue then commence scraping.
    References :

  11. tryin2bme2 Says:

    Try DIF. It does a fantastic job, is extremely fast and no mess. I had to remove a very old border from my new home and was amazed at how well it worked and did not cause any damage to the wall.
    References :

  12. grapelady911 Says:

    If its that peel and stick stuff, forgettaboutit! its a royal PIA!

    If its just regular prepasted, peel off the top design layer of the paper. Then mix hot water and a few drops of dish soap or a bit or laundy softener in a spray bottle. Spray the paper and let it sit for a few min, it should peel right off. If you dont have a spray bottle, put the water mixture in a mop bucket and use a sponge. Just get it real wet and then rub it over the paper. you get the same results.

    I just all the paper down in my bathroom and bedroom this way a few months ago.

    ** lay a towel on the floor under when you are spraying/wiping as you are bound to get the floor/carpet wet when the water rolls down the wall.
    References :

  13. The ReDesign Diva Says:

    Here’s the best way in the world to remove wallpaper… In fact, a user here who is 55 years old and removes wallpaper for a living wrote me to tell me he tried my trick and couldn’t believe how easy it was to remove the wallpaper. He thanked me profusely. So, here’s how to make life easier:
    1. Get yourself a scoring tool at your local paint or home hardware store in the wallpaper department. It looks like a rotary pizza cutter with spikes.
    2. Run the scoring tool all over the border or wallpaper, every which way.
    3. Using a spray bottle (an old windex bottle works great), fill it with blue (it has to be blue) car windshield washer fluid.
    4. Spray this all over the border and wait 10 minutes. Don’t skip the waiting time, it’s important!
    5. Spray it again and wait 5 minutes.
    6. Easily scrape the paper away with a scraper (and I promise, you won’t have to use major muscle… in fact, it will peel away in pretty big pieces.
    7. Once all the paper is off, wipe down the wall still using the blue windshield washer liquid to remove the residual glue (there won’t be much :)

    And there you have it… the secret to removing wallpaper with ease! Oh.. and don’t listen to those people who tell you to use fabric softener… It’s a royal pain as it’s really hard to get off the wall after. Don’t believe me? Just go put some on your hands and rub it all over your hands. Then try to rinse it off. Although fabric softener will get your paper off, it will leave you frustrated getting it off and it will also make it harder to apply paint after so that it sticks properly. Save yourself time and trouble and please, try my trick. It really works!

    Hope your daughter likes her new decor!
    References :
    I am my source: Diva Decors ReDesign: on a mission to help you ReDesign your space… whatever it is!

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