Easy Wallpaper Removal

Posted by Jamie McIntosh Jan 30, 2009

I feel lucky that I was able to make it almost four decades without ever experiencing the pain of stripping wallpaper. This project, taking place in my half-bathroom, seemed like a small undertaking at first. I read a tip in a home improvement magazine that suggested using vinegar as an easy method to remove wallpaper. The accompanying photo showed a man (wearing a tool belt, of course) peeling entire panels of wallpaper cleanly away from its stronghold with one grab. This man can probably also take the peel of a hardboiled egg off in one continuous strip.

After ripping off a few dozen postage stamp-sized wallpaper pieces, I felt victorious when I wrenched off a piece as big as my hand. The next day I gave up on the vinegar, rushing to Wal-Mart to buy whatever wallpaper removing chemical they had in their aisle. “Non-toxic!” the product label read. It wasn’t until I got home that I noticed the fine print beneath, which read, “This product contains a chemical that is known to cause cancer in the state of California.” “Whew, sure glad I don’t live there,” I thought, spraying my nemesis freely. The problem was, the wallpaper didn’t yield to this product either.

Finally, I called my neighbor, a realtor and experienced home improvement source. I knew she would have the lowdown on the best chemical or tool, and I was ready to buy it. I will reveal her surefire method here: water. Just fill a spray bottle with hot water, soak the paper, and slowly scrape it away with a putty knife.

I’m happy to report that my bathroom is almost ready for a fresh coat of paint. The next time I need to update my home’s interior, I’ll remember that as in the garden, sometimes the simplest solution is the best one.