Quick answer: To remove wallpaper, clear and protect the room, then score the paper with a scoring tool so liquid can get behind it. Soak it with a removal solution (a common homemade mix is 1/4 fabric softener to 3/4 warm water, or 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 warm water), let it sit, then peel and scrape it off with a rounded putty knife. Wash off the leftover glue, and prime the wall before painting.
Wallpaper goes up easy and comes down hard. Anyone who has stood in a room peeling off tiny stubborn flakes for an hour knows the dread. But removing wallpaper is very doable as a DIY job. The trick is letting the chemistry do the work instead of brute force, and protecting the wall underneath so you do not trade a wallpaper problem for a drywall-repair problem.
This guide walks through the reliable method step by step, using the process recommended by Benjamin Moore, a major paint manufacturer. It covers what to use, the exact removal-solution recipes, how to avoid gouging your drywall, and the honest signs that it is time to call a pro instead.
Difficulty and time: what to expect
Set your expectations before you peel the first corner.
- Skill level: beginner to moderate. No special skills needed, but it is messy, wet, repetitive work that rewards patience over muscle.
- The big variable is your wallpaper and your wall. Strippable or peelable modern wallpaper can come off in large, satisfying sheets. Older paper, multiple layers, or paper glued to unprimed drywall can be slow and stubborn.
- Time is hard to predict from a screen, because it depends entirely on the paper and how it was hung. A small powder room with cooperative paper is an afternoon. A large room with old, layered wallpaper over bare drywall can take much longer and test your patience.
- Do a test patch first. Try one small section before committing. How easily that corner releases tells you a lot about how the whole room will go, and whether you would rather hand it to a pro.
The single most important rule: do not rush and do not gouge. Pushing a sharp scraper hard into the wall is how you tear the drywall's paper face, which turns a cosmetic job into a repair job.
Tools and materials
Have everything ready before you start. Based on the Benjamin Moore guide, gather:
Tools - A wallpaper scoring tool - A rounded putty knife or scraper (rounded corners are safer for the wall than sharp ones) - A spray bottle or pump sprayer (and a sponge) - A sanding sponge or 220-grit sandpaper (for stubborn glue spots) - Drop cloths to protect the floor - Painter's tape - Clean rags or damp cloths - A bucket of warm water - Gloves and protective eyewear
Materials - A removal solution: a commercial wallpaper remover, or a homemade mix (recipes below) - Primer for the wall after the paper is off (Benjamin Moore's guide recommends an oil-based primer such as Insl-X Prime Lock Plus before repainting)
Safety: turn off power to the room at the breaker before you start spraying liquid near outlets and switches, because you will be getting walls wet around electrical fixtures. Tape over outlets and switch plates. Wear eye protection and gloves, and keep the floor covered so it does not get slick. Work with the windows open for ventilation.
How to remove wallpaper, step by step
These six steps follow the order Benjamin Moore recommends.
Step 1: Prep and protect the room
Move or cover the furniture, take down anything on the walls, and lay drop cloths along the base of the wall, secured with painter's tape. Tape off and cover the outlets, switch plates, and any trim or molding you want to keep clean. This is a wet, drippy job, so the more you protect now, the less you clean up later.
Step 2: Score the wallpaper
Run a wallpaper scoring tool over the wall in small circular motions. The little teeth make shallow cuts in the surface so your removal solution can soak through to the adhesive behind the paper. Use light pressure. As Benjamin Moore puts it, the scoring tool makes "shallow cuts" to let the remover penetrate, and you want to avoid pressing so hard that you damage the drywall underneath. (Benjamin Moore)
Step 3: Choose and apply your removal solution
You can use a commercial wallpaper remover, or mix your own. Benjamin Moore gives two homemade recipes:
- 1/4 fabric softener to 3/4 warm water, or
- 1/3 household vinegar to 2/3 warm water. (Benjamin Moore)
Fabric softener and vinegar both help break down the wallpaper adhesive. Apply the solution generously over a section of the scored wall with a spray bottle, pump sprayer, or sponge. Work in manageable sections rather than soaking the whole room at once, so the paper does not dry out before you get to it.
Step 4: Let it soak, then peel and scrape
Give the solution time to work. Benjamin Moore advises letting it "sit on the surface for 10 to 15 minutes" so it can soften the glue. (Benjamin Moore) Then start peeling at a loose edge, ideally a corner, near the ceiling, or under a switch plate, and work the paper off with a rounded putty knife held at a low angle. If it resists, it has not soaked long enough. Re-wet it and wait rather than forcing the scraper, which protects the drywall.
Step 5: Tackle the leftover adhesive
Even after the paper is off, a film of glue usually stays behind, and it feels tacky. Go back over those areas with your removal solution, then wipe and gently scrape the residue away. For stubborn rough spots, a light pass with a sanding sponge or 220-grit paper smooths them out. The wall needs to be clean and smooth before anything goes back on it; leftover glue will telegraph through fresh paint.
Step 6: Clean, let dry, and prime the wall
Wipe the whole wall down with clean warm water to remove the last of the solution and glue, then let it dry fully. Before you paint, prime the wall. Benjamin Moore recommends an oil-based primer (such as Insl-X Prime Lock Plus) over the bare wall, which seals it and gives your new paint a sound surface to grip. (Benjamin Moore) Skipping the primer after wallpaper removal is a common cause of patchy paint later.
Tips for a cleaner, faster job
A few habits make the whole thing go smoother.
- Test a patch first. How easily the first small section releases tells you whether the rest will be quick or grueling.
- Let chemistry do the work. If you are scraping hard, the paper is not wet enough. Re-spray and wait. Patience protects your drywall.
- Work in sections. Soak, wait, and peel one manageable area at a time so the solution does not dry before you reach it.
- Use a rounded scraper. Rounded corners glide under the paper without digging into the drywall's paper face. Sharp corners gouge.
- Keep the floor protected and the power off. Wet walls plus electrical fixtures is the one genuine hazard here, so cut the power and cover the floor before you spray.
- Do not skip the final clean and prime. Glue residue ruins fresh paint. A clean, primed wall is the difference between a finish you love and one you redo.
When to hire a pro
Wallpaper removal is usually a DIY-friendly job, but some situations are worth handing off. Call in a professional when:
- The wallpaper just will not budge. Some paper, especially older, painted-over, or multiple layers, fights every inch. A pro has the tools and time to deal with it without wrecking the wall.
- The drywall is getting damaged. If the paper is peeling the drywall's face off with it, or the wall was never primed before papering, you can end up with serious surface repair. A pro can manage removal and any patching together.
- There are many layers, or you suspect old materials. Wallpaper in very old homes can sit over plaster or come with its own complications, and very old paint in pre-1978 homes can contain lead. When in doubt, get a professional.
- It is a big room, or you are short on time. This is slow, wet, repetitive work. A pro can clear a large space and leave the walls primed and paint-ready far faster.
You do not have to guess who is reliable, either. Post the job on Qiggz and get matched with a small, rotating shortlist of local pros, with no lead fees and no commissions, so the people who reach out are not paying to be there. Find local pros on Qiggz or hire a painter directly. Many painters handle wallpaper removal and the repainting in one job.
The bottom line
Removing wallpaper is messy but genuinely doable: score it, soak it, let the solution loosen the glue, then peel and scrape gently, clean off the residue, and prime the wall. The whole job runs on patience and protecting the drywall underneath, not on force. Let the removal solution do the work, go in sections, and you will get the paper off without turning it into a repair project.
If the paper will not let go, the wall is getting chewed up, or you simply want it done fast and right, hand it to a pro. Post your project free on Qiggz and compare quotes from local painters, with no fees to connect.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to remove wallpaper?
Score the paper, soak it with a removal solution, let it sit so the glue softens, then peel and scrape gently. A common homemade solution is 1/4 fabric softener to 3/4 warm water, or 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 warm water. Letting the solution work for 10 to 15 minutes before scraping is what makes it easy. (Benjamin Moore)
Do I need to score wallpaper before removing it?
Scoring helps a lot, especially with non-porous or painted wallpaper, because it lets your removal solution reach the adhesive behind the paper. Use a scoring tool in light circular motions to make shallow cuts, taking care not to press hard enough to damage the drywall. (Benjamin Moore)
Does fabric softener or vinegar really remove wallpaper?
Yes, both are common homemade options because they help break down wallpaper adhesive. Benjamin Moore's recipes are 1/4 fabric softener to 3/4 warm water, or 1/3 household vinegar to 2/3 warm water, sprayed on and left to soak before scraping. (Benjamin Moore)
Will removing wallpaper damage my walls?
It can if you rush it or use a sharp scraper. The main risk is tearing the paper face of the drywall. Keep the paper wet enough that it releases easily, use a rounded putty knife at a low angle, and let the solution do the work rather than forcing it.
Do I have to prime the wall after removing wallpaper?
Yes, for the best paint result. After you have cleaned off all the leftover glue and let the wall dry, prime it. Benjamin Moore recommends an oil-based primer before repainting, which seals the wall and gives the new paint a sound surface. (Benjamin Moore)
How much does it cost to have wallpaper removed professionally?
It depends on the room size, the number of layers, the wall condition, and your area, so there is no one figure that fits every job. The honest way to find out is to post your project and compare real quotes from local pros rather than relying on a generic estimate.
Sources
- Benjamin Moore, How to Remove Wallpaper in 6 Steps (six steps; scoring; 1/4 fabric softener to 3/4 warm water and 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 warm water recipes; let solution sit 10 to 15 minutes; rounded putty knife; sand stubborn spots; oil-based primer before repainting).
- Qiggz first-party: no lead fees, no commissions, free to post, local-matched pros, about Qiggz.
