How to Remove Vinyl Wallpaper

Approximate time to complete: Allow two to three hours if doing one small room.

Material and equipment needed: Vinegar mixed with water (3 parts water and 1 part vinegar), knife, scrapers, a bottle for spraying, step ladders, wallpaper glue stripped and some adhesive.

Skill level: Beginner.

Top Safety Tip: Always follow manufacturers instructions when using acids to remove glue residue.

Ok lets go.... 

In the late 1960's and early 70's, vinly wallpaper became extremely popular as it was introduced; it's high durability and oil base meant it was put up mainly in bathrooms and kitchens. The covering of the wallpaper was composed of a layer of vinyl laminated on a paper backing, this allowed it to be washed, but at the same time maintained it's toughness. 

Unlike usual wallpaper, vinyl is slightly more difficult to remove, and a wallpaper steamer doesn't always work like a charm.

Step one: Paper removal
Gently score the vinyl wallpaper with your utility knife or scraper, be very careful not to damage the wall surface beneath the paper.

Unlike the usual wallpaper that usually comes off in bits and pieces when dampened, vinyl generally comes off in strips. The vinyl has to be scored to allow the water to seep through into the glue and loosen the adhesion.

Then start by pulling any sections that are visibly unglued. Don’t worry if you leave the paper backing as this can easily be removed with a steamer or the water and vinegar solution.

As you pull sections of the wallpaper off, fold it while you go along so you don’t spread the glue to other areas.

Whenever you feel as if you've removed as much of the vinyl as possible, entirely cover the area with the water/vinegar solution you created earlier. 

Once the mixture has been left 10 or 15 minutes to soak, its then the time to get the wallpaper scraper out and start scraping.

If you get any wallpaper that refuses to shift, spray on the solution again, leave and try and scrape again.

An important thing is to make sure that all the glue is removed once the paper has been scraped off. If you struggle removing the excess glue, there are lots of chemical strippers that are available online and in the DIY stores.

Step two: Preparing the surface

When the wallpaper and all glue has been removed, use sugar soap or something like soapy water to completely clean the walls. Bleach is a good thing to get rid of any mildew that may remain.
Walls should then be allowed to dry properly, and before re-painting or applying new wallpaper it is best to apply a primer to the wall.

Before applying the primer, if you find you have cracks, chips or holes in your wall it is best to fix these with polyfilla. For larger problems a more commercial filler will be available in your local store, all filled areas should be smoothed over and then sanded once dry.