Ways to Remove Wallpaper Fast

Peel the Top Layer

• Speed up your wallpaper removal process by peeling off the top layer of wallpaper, which works for vinyl and thick wallpapers that peel off easily, leaving only the wallpaper backing on the wall.

Soak With Hot Water

• While plain hot water will get you somewhere with your wallpaper removal, adding baking soda to the mix speeds up the job. Dissolve 1 part baking soda into 4 parts water. According to the Home Master website, fabric softener is also a good additive to use in the hot water. Both solutions soften and loosen the wallpaper glue from the walls.

Steam the Wallpaper

• When applied for a few seconds, steam loosens the wallpaper's glue bond upon contact. The key to working with a steamer is to peel and scrape off the wallpaper while steaming it. Steaming the wallpaper and then coming back to peel it off will not remove all of the wallpaper fast.

Use a Scraper

• Use a wide-blade scraper or putty knife, and scrape the wet wallpaper backing off the walls once it is soaked with the solutions for a few minutes or while steaming it. Hold the scraper at a 45-degree angle, press its blade edge against the wall and push it forward. The action will force the blade underneath the paper, causing it to curl up and peel off the wall.

Use a Scoring Tool

• When the wallpaper's top layer does not readily peel off, use a scoring tool to make small holes throughout the surface of the wallpaper. These holes make the top layer penetrable so that the hot water and baking soda mixture can reach and break down the glue bond between the wallpaper and the wall.

Remove the Residue

• Once the wallpaper and its backing are off the walls, you may find that the wall still has small pieces of wallpaper and glue residue stuck to the wall. For these load a spray bottle or pump sprayer with your baking soda or fabric softener solution, and spray it directly to the walls. Follow this up with a few strokes with the scraper, and wipe it clean with a dampened sponge.