Will Water & Vinegar Remove Wallpaper Glue?

Old wallpaper gets a dry and brittle look and begins flaking off the walls, especially if it wasn’t properly hung. Before applying new wallpaper or painting the walls, you need to remove the old paper. Vinegar and water are strong enough to remove the wallpaper glue.

Ratio

Fill a bucket with 1 gallon hot water and then add 1 cup distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

Usage

Completely wet down the wallpaper by dipping a sponge in the bucket and then rubbing on the walls, until the mixture permeates the paper. Peel the wallpaper away from the walls and add more of the vinegar solution to the leftover glue on the walls. Scrape the wet glue from the walls with a chisel or scraper.

Considerations

Score the wallpaper before applying the vinegar mixture. This creates small holes in the paper that let the solution seep through and reach the glue underneath.