Remove wallpaper with a steamer
Before you start to remove the wallpaper, you should ask yourself why you want to do this. Is it because you want a smooth wall again? Or do you want new wallpaper?
Or an alternative to a wallpaper such as glass fiber wallpaper, for example. It is always recommended that you start with a bare clean wall.
You sometimes see that several layers of wallpaper are stuck together. Or that the wallpaper has been painted over. Which by the way can be good.
Remove wallpaper with a putty knife and spray
If you only have to remove a wall covering once, an old flower spray can be a solution. You fill the reservoir with lukewarm water and spray it on the wallpaper. Now you let it soak for a while and then you can remove it with a knife or putty knife. With several layers you will then have to repeat this until the wallpaper is completely removed. This is a time consuming activity. But if you have the time, this is possible.
Removing wallpaper with a steamer and a knife
If you want to work faster, it is best to rent a steamer. There you can go to various hardware stores. Take a steamer with a large water reservoir and at least a three-meter hose. Then you fill the appliance and wait 15 minutes until it starts to steam. The machine is now ready for use. Make sure you have covered the floor with a piece of hard plastic. Because there is still some water coming out. Start in a corner at the top and leave the flat board in one place for a minute. Then slide to the right and repeat. When you have had a full width, go where to the left but just below that. While you are steaming, take the stab knife in your other hand and gently loosen it at the top. If you do it right, you can pull down the soaked wallpaper across the entire width (see film). You will see that this is more efficient and faster.
After-treatment of the wall
When you have finished steaming, let the appliance cool down completely and empty the reservoir and only then return it to the landlord. When the wall is dry, take a sanding strip from a plasterer and sand the wall for irregularities. If there are holes in it, fill it with a wall filler. It does not matter whether it is wallpaper or a latex. Always take a preliminary in advance. This eliminates the initial suction of the material to be applied, such as wallpaper glue or latex.
Read more about buying wallpaper here
I'm Joost Nusselder, the founder of Tools Doctor, content marketer, and dad. I love trying out new equipment, and together with my team I've been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with tools & crafting tips.
