After buying a new house, one might not be interested in the wallpapers that were posted by the previous owner. This leaves someone with the option of removing the wallpapers and replacing them with new ones. The work of removing the old wallpapers is not a cup of coffee. But with the right skills and the tools it is easy to get the work done. The trick to removing the wallpapers is by first understanding the type of the wall used, the surface they are glued on and above all the adhesive that was used to fix them. The easiest method is to remove wallpaper with fabric softener. The fabric softener makes the adhesive loose allowing the peeling to be done with ease.
There are houses where the wallpapers are strippable and will easily come off. However, in the old houses where the wallpaper has stayed for long it requires the use of elbow grease to loosen them up. This is where a solution of fabric softener and water comes in handy. Many have tried to peel the wallpaper with blunt objects and end up scraping the paint. However, when they remove wallpaper with fabric softener they leave the paint on the wall intact. One requires having a sponge or rag, a spatula and a utility knife.
Peeling off the Wallpaper
Before one can begin to remove wallpaper with fabric softener, they should start by peeling the wallpaper by the corners. Where the vinyl of the wallpaper easily comes off in the forms of strips the wallpaper is strippable. Strippable wallpapers are easier to remove. The peeling should be continued till all the large sections of the wallpaper are removed leaving the backings behind. When removing the wallpaper, one should avoid scraping too much to the surface not to peel the painting.
Where one notices that the wallpaper is not strippable they should prime it. This is done by the use of a utility knife where criss-cross cuts are made on the surface of the wallpaper. The cuts should be made on the surface as much as possible to avoid leaving prime marks on the wall surface. Remove the possible wallpaper that is possible from the cut out sections.
Soak the Wallpaper
What follows when one wants to remove wallpaper with fabric softener is soaking the wallpaper. Using a sponge or a rag, wipe the wallpaper with hot water. The hot water helps to soak, soften and loosen the adhesive used to stick the wallpaper. One can wipe the wallpaper with the hot water repeatedly to allow it to completely soak. The wallpaper should then be allowed to stay until the wallpaper starts peeling. One will notice that the old wallpapers absorb more hot water before peeling.
After the wall soaks, one should use the spatula to remove as much wallpaper back as possible. The spatula is stuck under the wallpaper and used to lift the wallpaper up. The spatula should be used to aid in removing all peeled wallpaper remains.
It is advisable to switch the electricity before applying any solution on the walls of the house. This is important to avoid events of short circuits which might cause fire or even electrical shocks to the individual removing the wallpapers.
Using the Fabric Softener Solution
After removing the loose wallpaper remains what should follow is preparation of the fabric softener solution. The softener should be mixed with warm water in a ratio of 1:1. The mixture is then put in a spray bottle and sprayed on the wallpapers and a clean sponge or rag used to distribute it. The other alternative that could be adopted when one wants to remove wallpaper with fabric softener is using a paint roller. The paint roller is used to evenly spread the fabric softener on the wall with the wallpaper.
Before one can remove wallpaper with fabric softener after application of the solution, they should allow it to sit for twenty minutes after application. This allows all the remaining sections of the wallpaper and adhesive to soak and come off easily when scraped. After removing the wallpaper with fabric softener it should be cleaned to neutralize it and make it ready for new wallpapers.