How to Safely Remove Wallpaper Glue From Walls

Baking Soda Method

• 1

  Fill a spray bottle with hot water and 1 tsp. of baking soda. Shake the bottle to mix the ingredients together. A teaspoon of liquid soap or 4 tbsp. of fabric softener may also work in place of baking soda.

• 2

  Spray the solution on the wallpaper glue until it is thoroughly saturated. Let the solution sit for 10 minutes. The glue should soften and come loose during this time.

• 3

  Scrape the glue off the wall with a putty knife. Hold the blade of the putty knife flat against the wall to reduce the chance of damage.

Iron Method

• 4

  Tear off a 1-foot-long piece of aluminum foil.

• 5

  Plug a clothes iron into an electrical outlet near the wall with the glue. Set the iron to medium-high heat.

• 6

  Hold the aluminum foil against the glue. Depending on how sticky the glue is, the foil may stick to the wall on its own.

• 7

  Move the iron back and forth over the foil as you would when ironing clothes. The glue should warm up and soften within 20 seconds.

• 8

  Wipe the glue off the wall with a rag. Repeat the process on the entire wall until all of the glue is removed.

Vinegar Method

• 9

  Add 1 gallon of hot water and 1 cup of vinegar to a bucket. Agitate the liquid with your hand to mix the ingredients.

• 10

  Dip a sponge into the solution. Wipe a portion of the wall with the sponge to saturate the glue with the vinegar solution. Let the solution soak in for five to 10 minutes.

• 11

  Wring out the sponge to remove the liquid. Scrub the wall with the dry sponge until the glue comes off.

• 12

  Scrape the glue off with a paint scraper if it won't wipe off with the sponge.

• 13

  Repeat the process until the entire wall is glue-free.