How to Remove Wallpaper Before Painting (Without Damaging Walls)

Wallpaper is a polarizing thing. The people who installed it loved it. The people living with it now usually want it gone. The question is how to get rid of it without destroying the wall underneath, which is a real risk if you go in without a plan.

Here is how to strip wallpaper cleanly and prep the wall so your paint job looks great instead of showing every seam and scar.

First, Figure Out What Kind of Wallpaper You Have

Not all wallpaper comes off the same way. Before you start scraping, identify what you are dealing with. Pick a corner and try to gently lift the top layer away from the wall.

Strippable Wallpaper

Most wallpaper installed after about 1990 is strippable. It peels off the wall in large sheets when you grab an edge and pull steadily at a flat angle. If a corner comes up easily and pulls away in a long strip, congratulations: this is the easy case. You can often remove a whole wall in 20 minutes.

Peelable Wallpaper

Peelable wallpaper has two layers. The top decorative layer peels off, but a paper backing stays glued to the wall. You need to remove the backing separately, usually with water and a scraper.

Traditional Pasted Wallpaper

Older wallpaper (pre-1990) and some traditional papers use heavy paste and do not peel easily. The top layer shreds or rips instead of coming off in strips. You need to soak the paper with water or remover, then scrape it off. This is the slow, messy case.

Vinyl Wallpaper

Vinyl wallpapers resist water because the vinyl coating keeps moisture from reaching the paste. You have to score the vinyl first (creating small holes) so water can penetrate before you can soak it off.

Prep the Room

Wallpaper removal is messy. Water, scraps of paper, and old paste get everywhere. Prep before you start.

• Remove all furniture or push it to the center and cover with plastic.
• Cover floors with drop cloths and a layer of plastic underneath. Paste residue is hard to clean off hardwood.
• Turn off power to the room at the breaker. Cover outlets and switches with painters tape to keep water out.
• Have a trash bag or bucket at hand for scraping debris.
• Wear old clothes. This job is messy.

Method 1: Dry Strip (Try This First)

Always try dry stripping first, even if you think it will not work. Sometimes it does, and it saves hours.

1. Find a seam or corner in an inconspicuous spot.
2. Use a putty knife to lift an edge of the paper.
3. Grab the lifted edge firmly with both hands and pull slowly at about a 15-degree angle away from the wall.
4. If the paper comes off in a long strip, keep going. If it tears off in little pieces, this method will not work and you need to soak it.

Method 2: Score, Soak, and Scrape

This is the most common removal method for older wallpaper. The goal is to saturate the paste so it releases from the wall.

Step 1: Score the Paper

Score the wallpaper with a Paper Tiger or similar scoring tool. This creates small perforations through the paper without cutting deep enough to damage the drywall underneath. Go over each section in a circular motion until the paper has plenty of tiny holes.

Do not use a utility knife or other cutting tool for scoring. It will slice through the drywall paper and create divots you will have to repair later.

Step 2: Apply Remover or Hot Water

Mix liquid wallpaper remover (DIF is the most common brand) with hot water according to the label. You can also use plain hot water with a splash of dish soap or fabric softener. Apply generously with a garden pump sprayer, a paint roller, or a spray bottle. Work one 3-by-3 foot section at a time.

Let the liquid sit for 15 to 20 minutes to penetrate the scored paper and dissolve the paste. Wet the section a second time halfway through to keep it saturated.

Step 3: Scrape

Use a wide (4 to 6 inch) plastic or flexible metal scraper. Hold it at a low angle and push it gently along the wall under the softened paper. Good prep makes the paper slide off in large pieces with minimal resistance. If the paper still clings tightly, wet it again and wait longer.

Avoid gouging the wall. Keep the scraper angle low and use steady pressure rather than force. If you are fighting the wall, something is wrong with the prep, not your technique.

Method 3: Steaming

For stubborn wallpaper, especially layers of old paper stuck together, a wallpaper steamer is the most effective tool. A steamer looks like a water tank with a hose and a flat plate. You fill it, plug it in, and the plate releases hot steam when held against the wall.

1. Score the wallpaper first if it is vinyl or otherwise sealed against water.
2. Hold the steam plate flat against the paper for 15 to 30 seconds per section.
3. Move the plate to an adjacent section and immediately scrape the area you just steamed while it is still hot and soft.
4. Work methodically from top to bottom in vertical columns.

Steam removes almost any wallpaper eventually, but it is hot, steamy work. Ventilate the room and take breaks. Steamers run about $30 to $40 per day to rent or $50 to $80 to buy.

Cleaning the Wall After Removal

Paper off the wall is not the end of the job. There is almost always paste residue left behind that has to go before you paint.

1. Wash the entire wall with warm water and a sponge to dissolve and wipe away paste.
2. Work in sections and change the water when it gets dirty.
3. Feel the wall with your hand. It should be smooth and clean, not slick or sticky. Slick means there is still paste, and paint will not adhere properly over it.
4. Let the wall dry completely. Humid walls take 24 hours or more to fully dry.

Repair Damaged Areas

Even with careful work, you will likely have some scraper gouges, torn drywall paper, or nail holes to fix.

1. Fill any holes and gouges with joint compound using a putty knife. Feather the edges flat.
2. Let each repair dry fully (usually 24 hours for full-thickness patches).
3. Sand smooth with 220-grit sandpaper.
4. Wipe away sanding dust with a damp cloth.

If large areas of drywall paper got torn up during scraping, skim the whole wall with a thin layer of joint compound to even out the surface, then sand smooth.

Prime Before Painting

Always prime walls after wallpaper removal. Paste residue and damaged drywall surface both cause uneven paint absorption that looks blotchy under a topcoat. Use a quality primer like Zinsser Gardz or a stain-blocking primer like Kilz. Roll it on the same way you would paint, let it dry fully, and then move on to your color coats.

Bottom Line

Wallpaper removal is straightforward but slow. Try dry stripping first. If that fails, score, soak, and scrape with liquid remover or steam. Budget most of a day for a single room and plan to follow up with wall cleaning, repairs, and priming before painting. It is a lot of work but the finished paint job looks vastly better than painting over wallpaper ever could.