How To Remove Wallpaper Glue

Wallpaper glue can make you think that you have removed the paper to reveal a smooth wall. It is disheartening after all that initial work to find out that you have, in fact, just revealed stubborn wallpaper glue. Or, perhaps what has been revealed is random areas of wallpaper glue, sigh. When this happens, there are ways to effectively remove it. You don’t need lots of tools or harsh cleaners either.

Before  you get started on removing that stubborn glue, you will want to cover furniture and flooring. Just like with removing the wallpaper or painting, you might find that the job is messy. Even if it doesn’t end up being that messy, you will still want to protect everything anyway. That also means wearing old clothes too! There is no point ruining that new pair of jeans, right?

Another couple of things to think about is to have a few trash bags to hand, as well as using painters’ tape to cover any electrical outlets in the room. It is optional whether you want to turn the power off in the room or house altogether. So, with all this in mind, let’s take a look at how to remove that wallpaper glue!

Using a bucket filled with hot water, add in a few squirts of dish soap and a heaped tablespoon of baking soda. This combination should help to lift the adhesive from the wall. If you want extra removal power, then you can also add vinegar to the mix. To do this, add a cup of vinegar to every gallon of water. This should be enough to remove that glue.

Once you have made up the solution, you will want to apply it directly. You can do this by submerging a sponge into the hot water. Once you pull the sponge out, squeeze all of the excess so the sponge doesn’t drip with water. Once you have done that, rub the sponge gently over a small area of the glue. It might be tempting to want to do it all at once, but you will want to work in sections for the solution to be most effective.

To know if it is working, use your fingernail! If the glue moves under your fingernail, then the solution has begun to work. If it hasn’t yet, put the sponge back into the hot water, squeeze out the excess and reapply to the wall. Keep doing this in all areas with the glue until every area has been covered.

Now that the glue has become tacky and able to move, you can begin the process of removing it. The first trick to try is by using a rag. To do this process, use the rag to wipe away any of the glue. A lot of it should come away easily, but you may need to use a putty knife to scrape off the rest. You will find that the adhesive will ruin any paint job you want to apply, so making sure to remove it all at this stage is very important. It might feel like a never ending job, but it will be worth it in the end.

Once you think you have removed everything, use a cloth that is clean to wipe the solution off the wall. You can do this in circular motions. For the best effect, you may want to do the above steps in small sections. Whilst it might take a while, it will remove the glue well.

If you find that you really are struggling to remove the glue, then it might be time to admit defeat and buy a commercial glue remover. There are many out there, such as the WP Chomp. Whilst you can remove wallpaper glue effectively by doing the above method, sometimes the wallpaper glue just won’t budge.

Once you have finally removed all of the glue, you can remove any painters’ tape you have applied to electricals and remove the covering off the floor and furniture - or bring stuff back in! Well, that is unless you plan to paint the room next. If that’s the case, then you’re ready to go!

If you want to have a nice smooth wall, then it isn’t recommended to paint over wallpaper glue. This is because most wallpaper glues are water-based. When you add paint to that, it will reactivate the glue. That means if the glue is reactivated it will become sticky and gooey. This obviously doesn’t create the best base for a smooth painted wall. Instead, it will look bumpy and might clump together. Also, the paint may not stick to the wall very well. This could mean that the paint will be patchy. So, if you want to avoid this happening, your best bet will be to remove it!

It can be a nightmare when you find that even though you have just spent hours, if not days, removing wallpaper only to find stubborn glue underneath. If you are planning to paint over the wall, then you will want to remove the glue. Also, removing it will give you a smoother surface if you plan to use wallpaper over it too. Removing it doesn’t have to be daunting either. There are simple and effective ways to remove it, you just have to know how!