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With strippable wallpaper, start at a seam and gently pull off both the vinyl coating and the backing. With paper that can be peeled, the top layer will peel off easily but will leave a thin residue of paper and adhesive.
Remove this backing and adhesive with a wet sponge or an enzyme-based wallpaper remover. If the paper resists stripping or peeling, proceed as shown in the following steps.
1. Score the old wallpaper. If your wallpaper has a vinyl or foil covering, abrade the surface so moisture or remover can penetrate and help break down the adhesive. Score the surface with coarse sandpaper or an inexpensive wallpaper-scarifying tool (shown below).
Alternatively, you can steam wallpaper off of walls, but if the wall is old, damaged, or particularly porous plaster, a steamer could damage it, so test it in an inconspicuous place.
Misting wallpaper with a hand-pump garden sprayer filled with a mixture of hot water and wallpaper remover is another option. But, of course, the wetter the messier.
2. Loosen old adhesive. After perforating the paper, apply a liquid or enzyme-based gel remover, taking care to follow label directions. Adhesive can also be loosened with a steamer, with the same precautions.
3. Remove the paper. Working from the top of the wall down, remove all paper and adhesive using a broad knife or wide putty knife (be careful not to damage the wallboard), as shown at right. If there are multiple layers of paper, remove one layer at a time, following Steps 1 and 2.
Once you have removed the paper and adhesive, repair any wall damage and then wash the wall with a solution of TSP (or a nonphosphate substitute) or ammonia and water. When the wall is dry, apply primer-sealer.
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