How to Remove Acrylic Paint on Drywall

Open the chemical stripper, mix it thoroughly with a paint stick, and pour about 1 qt. of it into a disposable container. Never dip your paintbrush into the main stripper supply. It will contaminate it and make it unsuitable for later use.

Paint about a 1-square-foot section of the painted drywall with a 1/8th-inch-thick layer of stripper.

Check on the stripper once a quarter of the recommended set time listed on the label has elapsed. Use a squeegee to remove a small section of the remover. If the chemical stripper has done its job, the paint will come off with the stripper. If so, move on to Step 4. If it hasn't, reapply the stripper to the section, and check again once another interval has passed. Don't allow the stripper to dry out at any time. If necessary, increase the thickness of the layer.

Scrape the stripper and paint from the wall with a squeegee. Dump the removed goop into a lined trashcan.

Wipe the wall clean of any residue with a dry rag in long, smooth strokes. Don't scrub.

Dampen a clean rag with water, denatured alcohol or whatever neutralizing solvent is recommended by the manufacturer, and wipe the wall clean.

Repeat Steps 2 through 6 on a roughly 5-square-foot section of the wall. Apply the stripper in the thickness and for the amount of time you determined appropriate in Step 3.

Place a fan or two in the room to help the drywall dry as quickly as possible.