Wallpaper Removal at Home: 5 DIY Steps and Why Hire a Professional Company Instead
Wallpaper removal can be a tedious and difficult task, especially when you are doing it at home. This is why many homeowners either don't remove wallpaper or hire a professional company to do the job for them.
Do you have wallpaper in your home in Melbourne, FL? Do you want to remove it but not break a sweat doing so? If yes, then this blog post is for you.
We will discuss 5 DIY steps that are easy to do and will help remove wallpaper from walls at home. However, we will also talk about why homeowners in Melbourne, FL should hire a professional company instead of tackling the project themselves.
Why remove wallpaper from your home
If you have wallpaper on your walls, it may be time to remove it. The reason for this is that wallpaper has fallen out of fashion over the years and many people are moving away from these designs when decorating their homes. In addition, wallpaper requires maintenance that most homeowners find too difficult or expensive to do.
It is important to note that wallpaper can harbor bacteria, mold, and allergens which are not healthy for your family or guests. If you want a healthier home without wallpaper on the walls, then it may be time to remove this old design feature from your dwelling.
Removing wallpaper from your walls can be a laborious task, especially if you are tackling it on your own. There are five DIY steps that will help make the job easier and quicker, but there is also one important pro tip: hire a professional company to do the work for you instead. Here's why this is beneficial:
5 easy-to-follow DIY wallpaper removal steps
Removing wallpaper can be a long and tedious job. It is important to follow the right steps in order to get professional looking results in some cases, with items you have at home. If you want to remove wallpaper from your walls on your own, it is important that you follow these 5 steps.
- Start by washing the wall with a solution of mild dish soap and water; this will break down any grime or dirt that may be on the surface before proceeding with wallpaper removal.
- Get an iron and put it on the hottest setting. This helps remove wallpaper glue from the wall.
- Next, apply wallpaper removal solution to a cloth or sponge and scrub at the wallpaper; this will loosen it from the wall so you can pull up sections more easily. Soak a cloth in wallpaper remover and apply it to one edge of the wallpaper; wait about two minutes before removing with your fingers or scraper. Be careful not to get any on furniture, textiles, or flooring as this can cause damage. Remove wallpaper paste by using a hard surface
- Take a razor blade scraper tool and use that to remove any stubborn pieces of wallpaper that are still stuck in place on the wall.
- When wallpaper is removed, the surface may need some sprucing up before you can paint or wallpaper again. There are many cleaners on the market that will do this job; choose one according to your own personal needs and style preferences.
In summary, to remove old wallpaper without damaging it, use a scraper or putty knife to gently scrape away any leftover paper or paste from the wall. To avoid damaging drywall, carefully slide the scraper between the paper and drywall and lift excess wallpaper off as you work. As you scrape off glue with your scraper, remove as much paper as possible.
Hire a professional wallpaper removal company to do the job for you instead
The DIY wallpaper removal process is laborious and time-consuming. This process takes a lot of patience and time to complete. If you have wallpaper that has busy patterns on them, it's even harder to pull off. Additionally, wallpaper glue can be difficult to get off the wallpaper paper without ruining the drywall underneath. It is best to hire professional wallpaper removers who will come to your house and handle everything from start to finish in less than half the time it would take for you to do it at home.
3 key benefits of hiring wallpaper removers:
- A Professional grade wallpaper removal service that will save your walls and drywall from being ruined by wallpaper glue
- You'll have peace of mind knowing the job is done correctly with a high attention to detail, even for complex situations. This saves you the headache of trying to wallpaper removal yourself and doing it right.
- Free estimates from professional wallpaper removers in your area that will save you time researching companies

Wallpaper Removal in Melbourne, FL
Wallpaper removal FAQ:
Is it better to remove or paint over wallpaper?
This is a question with no single answer. It depends on the wallpaper, where it's located in your home and what you're trying to accomplish. With wallpaper, there are pros and cons of removing or painting over.
Removing wallpaper often costs less than repainting an entire room, but takes more time. Once removed, wallpaper leaves behind a layer of adhesive that can be difficult to remove from the wall and is best removed by an experienced professional wallpaper remover.
Painting over wallpaper takes less time, but costs more money because it requires repainting an entire room or surface area. Painting over wallpaper also creates additional work for you down the road when you'll need to repaint the room again.
Picking wallpaper removal or painting over is a personal preference, based on what you're trying to accomplish and how much time and money you have available.
How do you prepare walls for painting after removing wallpaper?
Prepare the walls for priming with wallpaper removal and painting by cleaning up any loose wallpaper, making sure the wallpaper is dry before proceeding to remove it.
Remove wallpaper from the wall using a water-based adhesive remover or mineral spirits. After removing wallpaper, use a scraping tool such as an artist's spatula or putty knife to lift off residue in tight spaces like corners.
Paint the wallpaper removal area with a sealant, such as Kilz Original or KILZ Odorless. This will help to prevent any stains from setting into your walls and make them easier to clean in the future.
Prime over wallpaper removal areas with latex paint before proceeding to paint on top of those surfaces. Prime first because wallpaper removal can remove some of the wallpaper's original oil-based adhesive, making it susceptible to water.
Does fabric softener and vinegar remove wallpaper?
Yes, the combination of fabric softener and vinegar can remove wallpaper. This solution is best left for small patches or wallpaper that has not been painted on.
For a large wallpaper job, you may want to hire a professional company who will use chemicals that are more heavy duty than this mixture.
Can you use a hairdryer to remove wallpaper?
You can remove wallpaper using a hairdryer, but the results will not be as good. To avoid damage to your wallpaper and drywall, hire a professional company that has experience in wallpaper removal.
To remove excess wallpaper with the help of a hairdryer, place the hairdryer on its highest setting and hold it vertically above an edge for up to thirty seconds. Take a stripping knife and gently lift back the border of wallpaper while keeping a constant pressure.
Does fabric softener help remove wallpaper?
Fabric softener is great for helping to make it easier to remove wallpaper. When you apply fabric softener, its lubricating action will help break down the glue and absorb some of the adhesive. This helps reduce the severity of getting pulled off by just sliding a butter knife underneath it or scrubbing with dish soap depending on how securely it's glued to the wallpaper.
This will help make it easier and less painful when you're removing wallpaper from your walls, but does not guarantee success due to other factors such as age or type of glue used like silicone.
How much does it cost to have wallpaper removed professionally?
The cost of removing wallpaper professionally ordinarily ranges from $1 to $4 per square foot and includes labor, materials, and equipment. Costs can vary depending on the size or complexity of the job. It's best to call a wallpaper removal company to get an accurate quote.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a company that can remove wallpaper from your home, we recommend hiring an experienced professional like Dragon Drywall Repair. It is not always easy to know when it’s time to call in the professionals and get wallpapered walls removed professionally - but if any of these 5 DIY tips doesn't work for you, then it's definitely time!
Wallpaper removal should be done by experts because they have experience with all types of surfaces and textures. We also offer guarantees on our service which will help alleviate some stress about whether or not the job is completed properly.
So call Dragon Drywall Repair in Melbourne, FL today at (321) 341-6455 for a free estimate so you don't need to worry anymore!


