Tips for quick and easy wallpaper removal

(ARA) - The lilac print wallpaper in your bedroom may not be your style. And if your house is on the market, that lilac print wallpaper is probably not your prospective buyer's style either. Removing wallpaper is easier than you may think and it has a big impact on a home's appearance. In fact, removing aging, sagging wallpaper is one of the least expensive ways to improve a home's resale value and shorten its time on the market, according to a survey of real estate appraisers.

"While many people dread removing wallpaper, it's one of the simplest ways to give a room a fresh, updated look," says Rust-Oleum brand director Andrea Topper. "And, with a little know-how and the right tools, it's easier than most people think."

Topper offers this advice for "painless" wallpaper removal in three easy steps:

Step 1 - Score the wallpaper: Most wallpaper has a waterproof surface, so it's necessary to score it so the wallpaper stripper can penetrate and loosen the glue underneath. Use a wallpaper scoring tool like Zinsser PaperTiger, a palm-held tool that perforates the wallpaper without damaging the wall. Move PaperTiger in a circular motion to make as many holes as possible, using light pressure. The more holes you make, the faster and easier it will be to remove the wallpaper.

Step 2 - Apply a wallpaper stripping solution: Next, apply a wallpaper stripper like Zinsser DIF Quick Wallpaper Stripper, an environmentally friendly wallpaper stripper that removes wallpaper in just two minutes. DIF Quick loosens the glue underneath the wallpaper to make wallpaper removal quick and easy. Simply spray the ready-to-use solution on the scored paper starting at the top and working your way down, making sure the wallpaper is thoroughly wet.

Step 3 - Remove wallpaper: Use a tool like the Paper Scraper to remove the loose wallpaper without surface damage or hard work. If any glue remains after the paper has been removed, spray the area with more stripping solution, wait a few minutes and remove the glue with the scraping tool or a sponge and rinse with clean water. Before you know it, you will have removed all the wallpaper, and your room will be ready for redecorating.

For more project ideas and product information, visit www.zinsser.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent