How to Clean Wallpaper Paste

Wallpaper paste consists mostly of starch, which acts as a glue holding the paper to the wall. After removing old wallpaper, some of the paste will be left behind. This must be removed before placing new wallpaper or painting the walls. The starch softens quickly when it's exposed to hot, sudsy water. The cleaning process tends to get messy, so it's important to protect the floors and move any furniture away from the walls before beginning.

Towels
Pump sprayer or bucket
Dish soap
Cloth or sponge
Scraper

Instructions

- 1
  Place towels on the floor along the walls to protect them from excess moisture.
- 2
  Fill a pump sprayer or bucket with very hot water and add enough dish soap to make a sudsy solution.
- 3
  Spray the walls thoroughly with the soapy water. If you use a bucket instead, dip a cloth or sponge in the water and press it on the wall to saturate the wallpaper paste. Allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes, re-wetting the walls with more solution if they begin to dry.
- 4
  Remove any wallpaper paste with a scraper, working on one small section at a time.
- 5
  Wipe down the walls with a clean, wet cloth or sponge to remove any wallpaper paste left behind.
- 6
  Dry the walls with a towel.

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