Well, I’m just about ready to tackle some more wallpaper in our house. It’s a messy job, but I think we have a pretty good system down. We opted to not use harsh chemicals or expensive steamers.  The sunroom wallpaper came off a lot easier then we thought it would. And those white walls make me VERY happy.Please don’t be tempted to paint over wallpaper. This is not a shortcut you want to take. You’re walls will look so much better if you strip all the wallpaper off and start with clean bare walls.

We did a little pinterest research and I followed Cyd of The Sweetest Occasion‘s dawn soap suggestion she shared on Snapchat.

So, here’s what worked for us.You’ll need:

• spray bottle
• Dawn dish soap
• painter’s tape with plastic drop cloth attached
• wallpaper scorer
• wallpaper scraper

Step 1:

Tape all the way around the room with the painter’s tape drop cloth. This is a messy, wet job. You will want to protect your floors.

Step 2:

Using the wallpaper scorer, run the scorer over all the walls. You do not want to apply a lot of pressure or you will damage the walls. Just move in a circular motion to create tiny holes all over the walls.Step 3:

Mix one part dawn dish soap with 5 parts warm water in a spray bottle. Work on one wall at a time. Spray down the entire wall with the warm, soapy mixture. Be generous! And then allow the solution to sit on the walls for about 5 minutes.

*Warning* – Even though this is just soap and water, the smell is pretty strong and it kind of hurts your eyes. Step 4:

Using a wallpaper scraper, begin to scrape away the soggy wallpaper. If some wallpaper is stubborn, spray down generously with more warm soapy water.Step 5:

As you begin to scrape, you will be able to peel off some bigger pieces of wallpaper.

Step 6:

Once all the wallpaper is removed, wipe down the walls well with a rag and warm water. Remember you have soaked the walls in soapy water, all the residue needs to be removed in order to prep for painting. You will need to wipe and rinse down the walls at least 3 or 4 times.And now you can paint!!!! I know wallpaper is making a strong comeback, but this room feels so much bigger and brighter without busy, floral wallpaper. I do plan to add some wallpaper to a room or two in this house, but whether I paint or re-wallpaper, starting with clean, bare walls is definitely the first step.

Do you have some wallpaper removal tips or tricks? I’d love to hear what has worked for you.