Let's be honest. Almost every one of us has thought about how to speed up repairs and tried to cheat. For example, to glue new wallpaper over the old. If you have had such thoughts, then drive them away without regret.
Firstly, old wallpaper does not stick well everywhere and there is a high probability that one fine day the new covering will come off the walls along with it. Secondly, after the glue dries, unevenness and bumps may appear. Thirdly, mold may form under a double layer of wallpaper.
As a rule, it is impossible to remove old wallpaper without leaving a trace. Dust, crumbling plaster, wet pieces of paper - this is what you will have to deal with. But our advice will help you cope with the task as quickly as possible.
2. Clear the room of furniture. It is better to take out or move large pieces of furniture to the center of the room and cover them.
3. Assess the condition of the molding and baseboard. If you plan to replace them, simply dismantle them. If you decide to leave them, the baseboard should be carefully removed, but the molding should be preserved.
4. Turn off the electricity. It is better to remove the decorative parts of switches and sockets, and seal the holes with masking tape to avoid short circuits.
5. Cover the floor with plastic film and secure the edges of the sheet with masking tape.
Once all the preliminary work is completed, you can begin cleaning the walls.
Let's consider several methods.
Methods for cleaning walls
Spatula and knife
Recommended for worn wallpaper.
It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen that wallpaper only holds on by its “word of honor.”
Removing this coating is easy. Use a knife to grab the peeling edge of the paper and pull it off slowly.
If you can’t remove the entire piece, use a wide spatula, having first sharpened it with sandpaper.
Removing worn-out wallpaper
Water
Recommended for non-woven, washable and vinyl wallpaper. For the desired effect, it is better to use warm or hot water. It will dissolve the glue better than cold water, soften the paper and will not damage the plaster. Water can be applied to the wallpaper using a roller, sponge or sprayer. After a few minutes, the liquid will completely soak the material, after which it will be easy to remove.
It is better to tear off the wallpaper from the seam, re-wet the remaining islands and remove them with a narrow spatula. Do not treat all the walls at once. Otherwise, you will have to repeat the impregnation when part of the room dries.
Removing Wallpaper with a Spray Bottle and Water
In the wet method, much depends on the type of wallpaper. To allow water to penetrate the base of washable or non-woven materials, make cuts and holes in several places. Then wet the wallpaper with warm water, to which you have previously added fabric softener. Wait for the glue to swell and clean the walls.
Before you wet the vinyl wallpaper, roll it with a needle roller. The resulting scratches will make removal much easier. Water will easily seep through them under the vinyl layer and soften the glue. The wallpaper will peel off in long strips without tearing.
Removing non-woven, washable and vinyl wallpaper
Special means
Recommended for all types of wallpaper.
They will help to remove even the most dense coatings without any effort or extra effort. The composition is applied to the walls. After some time, the wallpaper begins to come off the base and can be easily removed with a spatula.
"Miracle remedies" are sold in Baucenter hypermarkets.