I am a destruction machine
I can rip wallpaper off a wall like nobody’s damn business. Seriously, this is a great untapped talent of mine, and lo and behold, I enjoy it. Last night I half-watched/half-listened to The Parent Trap on TV while I stripped wallpaper. It’s immensely satisfying. The only problem is that my hands get VERY pickled from all that vinegar water.
It’s weird. When my fingers get soaked in lots of water (and vinegar, in this case), they look raisiny. When grapes get too little water, they look raisiny. What gives? I think if I stuck my fingers in a dehydrator, they would look like beef jerky, not raisins.
So how do you actually take it off? Do you sponge the vinegar water over the wallpaper and peel? Or do you have to get it started peeling and then pour the vinegar behind the paper? I’m interested because I’m going to have to help my parents do this sooner or later…
neat-o. and i sent you guys a package that is NOT a bomb in the mail. i hope you arent dissapointed in it, seeing as i have been promising it to you for a while now, and it probably doesnt justify this much hype….
what if you put these raisins, in the vinagar. i know if you put an egg in vinagar for, i am going to say a week, it disolves the shell, and you are just left with a membrane egg… AHHH.
Oh, how exciting, actual comment dialogue.
Emily:
We bought a scoring tool at Lowes that makes lots of tiny cuts in the wallpaper. First I use that all over the section I’m working on, then I use a sponge to generously smoosh a 3:1 water to vinegar solution. Let that sit for just a little bit, then peel it off. Use a putty knife kind of thing to get it started, then it should come off big strips.
In my case, there was a papery layer under that (I don’t know if that’s standard or if all wall paper is like that). I put on two generous coats of vinegar-water and let it sit for about five minutes. Five minutes makes all the difference–if you try to take it down immediately, it’s all goopy, but just a five-minute soak makes it come down almost all in once piece. It’s great! My kitchen/dining room are looking so much better, even with traces of wallpaper paste left on the walls. I can’t wait to paint.
Erin:
Thank you so much! I’m excited to see what will arrive. I’m going to be out of town until Monday, so I hope if it comes over the weekend it’s not something that will die from being on my front step.
I’ve seen that vinegar/squishy egg thing–isn’t that weird and creepy?
Thanks, Aprille – I appreciate the tips! Maybe my sister and I could do that when my dad is in the hospital! We enjoy surprise remodeling projects while our parents are away. 🙂
Emily–that would be really nice of you! And best wishes to your dad and the rest of his family on his surgery.
well, i hope it wont die.
you can also use a spray bottle and spray the water on instead of using a sponge…I don’t know if it’s better/less messy/easier, but thought I’d share anyway.