Hit or Miss? Renter-Friendly Wallpaper Removal
You guys! I am so excited for today’s post!
How many of you remember when I applied wallpaper to our rental last Fall?
The effect was certainly dramatic and eye-popping in my home office…
But…
Raise your hand if you seriously doubted the wallpaper would come off as easily and cleanly as I promised?
How many of you wanted to try it but have been waiting to see if it really was a true, renter-friendly solution?
Who is convinced I spent hours and hours removing wallpaper in an effort to return our walls to the original condition we found them?
Well…watch my very first video here on the blog (eeeeek!) to see for yourself!
I kid you not, all the wallpaper in my office was down in about 5 minutes. There was NO residue or paper left on the walls; and each and every sheet peeled off in perfect form. In fact, I rolled it all up and have every intention of using it again!
This wallpaper project goes down as one of my most successful renter-friendly DIYs ever. In fact, I’m so smitten with this technique for changing up walls without using paint, that I just might use it in every room and every home from now on! #kiddingnotkidding
Whether you are a renter or not but have been craving the look of wallpaper in your space, I now can recommend with confidence that you give THIS method a try! (However, pretty please test a small piece on your walls before doing a full installation!) There are a lot of great wallpaper companies out there to find awesome patterns! From modern to traditional and across a variety of price points and colors, you will be sure to find something that works in your home!
I’m going to do a full “Hit and Miss” post of all my renter-friendly wall projects in a few weeks, but I couldn’t wait to show you how well this one turned out since I know there’s been so much interest! If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know!
Have a great weekend everyone! See you back here next week!
Megan
16 Comments on “Hit or Miss? Renter-Friendly Wallpaper Removal”
This is so cool! I can’t wait to try this, especially in my kids rooms. Because who knows, they may change their minds in a couple of years. Thanks for sharing how easy it really is.
And side note, your hair is so long and gorgeous!
Hey, Thanks for sharing this cool project. I want to try it on my rental apartment wall but I have a small concern. The apartment I moved in seems to already have white, rough surfaced wallpapers ( which somehow doesn’t look that clean in all portions, which is why I am looking for ideas to put something around those). Can I still implement this idea? Suppose If I am to do just a middle portion of the wall instead of the whole wall , will peeling off the wallpaper harm the original wallpaper? Because if it does, there goes my deposit money 🙁 waiting for your reply!
Hi there!
Thanks for writing! I personally would NOT try this method OVER other wallpaper. There is a potential that the liquid starch could discolor the original wallpaper (making it look like it got wet). I am not 100% sure, so you could always try a small test swatch, but I’d worry that it might damage or not stick to other wallpaper. I actually think peel-and-stick wallpaper would be a safer bet!
Hope that helps and good luck!
Megan
Megan,
I’ve heard to use liquid starch or fabric softener many many years ago but never tried it. I’m so glad it actually works!! Did you have any problems at all with it peeling before you were ready to take it off?
Thanks!! 😊
Annelise
Hi Annelise!
Thanks so much for writing! In my office, I never once had an issue with the wallpaper peeling before taking down. In full disclosure, we used this method in my current son’s nursery. He likes to stand at the window and play. There is no trim or anything, so the wallpaper is just a raw edge right along where he plays and it has pulled up there. That said, I could always “starch” it back down, I just haven’t taken the time to do it. But in general, unless the paper is interacted with like along a corner or edge, it will stay just fine!
Hope that helps!
Megan
Hey there!
I was just looking online for this EXACT solution! I’m so glad I came across your blog. I love a particular wallpaper but can’t commit to using their paste due to us renting. I am so excited to now buy the paper that I really want and go to work with the liquid starch! Also, was there any clean up of the wall you had to do after you removed it?
Hi Julie!
So glad you found me, and I think you’ll have a great success with your project! Be sure you do a test first and check out this post for answers to a bunch of FAQs: https://thehomesihavemade.com/2019/03/answering-your-faqs-about-removable-wallpaper/
In general though, no, there is no real cleanup afterwords. The walls might feel a bit “scratchy” from the starch, but nothing a quick wipe with a wet sponge doesn’t remedy!
Hope that helps and good luck with your instal!Megan
I love this ode! Do you think it would work on flat paint?
Hi there!
Yes, I do! This wallpaper installation was done on Flat Paint. However, I always recommend testing a swatch before doing a full installation to ensure you are satisfied with the results!
I hope that helps!Megan
Have you tried the liquid starch method in a bathroom? Any thoughts on how this might hold up in the humidity ?
Hi there!
I recommend you check out this FAQ post, where I answer that exact question and more!
https://thehomesihavemade.com/2019/03/answering-your-faqs-about-removable-wallpaper/
Hope that helps!Megan
Hi Megan, so glad I found you; I have beautiful grass cloth wallpaper that I am installing in a nook in a new house; Over time, I may ‘get over’ my bold choice so was attempting to use the painters tape method. The issue is that the grass cloth is a natural material with a paper backing…and blue and green clearly show through the paper. How do you think the starch method would hold up with a paper backed grass cloth? Thank you and beautiful work!
Hi Charlotte!
My gut says that it would do just fine. I actually tested a grasscloth wallpaper on some textured walls using liquid starch, and it stuck just fine (and came off well too). You can see it here. Although my experiment was on textured walls, I suspect you’d get the same results no matter what kind of wall you have.
That said, I always always always recommend testing before doing a full installation. If you have a scrap, or can cut a few inches off the roll, test it with the liquid starch and give it a few days to see how it stays and removes!
Hope that helps!
Megan
I live in an Arts and Crafts home 1914. I have two rolls of CF Vosey wallpaper, great quality. And, yes I am renting. Can’t wait to use your method to hang wallpaper in my office!
I missed to application part of your wallpaper project. What do I use to put up the wallpaper that makes it so easily removable.
Hi Wendy!
You can see the original wallpaper tutorial here: https://thehomesihavemade.com/renter-friendly-wallpaper-installation-yes-you-can-install-wallpaper/
Hope that helps!
Megan