How to cleanly remove non-woven wallpapers

Every now and then the wallpaper has to be off the wall - for example, if you have to move. In a step-by-step guide, we show how you can remove a non-woven wallpaper yourself and explain what needs to be considered.

Table of contents Table of contents Simply remove non-woven wallpapers: Instructions and tips

• How easy is it to remove non-woven wallpapers?
• Step-by-step instructions: Remove non-woven wallpaper

Table of contents Table of contents Simply remove non-woven wallpapers: Instructions and tips

• How easy is it to remove non-woven wallpapers?
• Step-by-step instructions: Remove non-woven wallpaper

How easy is it to remove non-woven wallpapers?

Although non-woven wallpapers are extremely stable, they are easier to remove than, for example, a woodchip wallpaper that may even have been painted a few times. How easy it is to remove non-woven wallpaper depends heavily on the surface. If they were applied to a solid, primed wall, you can usually remove the wallpaper easily and dry. However, if the surface is rather unstable or was not primed before the wallpaper was applied, you should prepare it before removing the strips.

Tips for DIY enthusiasts: You should be particularly careful if the non-woven wallpaper has been applied to a plasterboard wall. Under no circumstances should you try to remove the non-woven wallpaper without spraying it with water beforehand. Otherwise there is a risk that parts of the plasterboard will come off.

Step-by-step instructions: Remove non-woven wallpaper

With the help of these instructions, you can quickly and easily remove a non-woven wallpaper yourself the next time you move. To ensure that this works smoothly, you should prepare yourself accordingly and have the required materials ready. A nice renovation aid naturally shortens the annoying work enormously.

Materials and tools

• Wallpaper remover
• Detergent
• Bucket of water
• spatula
• Brush, sponge, or the like
• spray bottle
• Wallpaper perforator
• Wide bar

Step 1: the preparation

Protect the floor by laying out a sufficiently large tarpaulin and fix it with adhesive tape. The tarpaulin should be watertight, as large amounts of water may be required to remove it. Also tape off sockets and light switches.

Step 2: perforate non-woven wallpaper

If the non-woven wallpaper cannot be removed when dry, i.e. no deep primer has been applied beforehand, you have to soften the wallpaper with water. Not all non-woven wallpapers are open-pore. So play it safe and perforate the wallpaper beforehand with a special wallpaper perforator, a so-called wallpaper tiger. In this way, water and possibly wallpaper dissolver can penetrate better and the non-woven wallpaper can be removed later.

Step 3: loosen wallpaper glue

Now it's time to remove the wallpaper glue. To do this, stir the wallpaper remover according to the packaging instructions. If necessary, you must first calculate the correct mixing ratio according to the wallpaper area to be treated. As an alternative to the wallpaper remover, you can also dissolve conventional detergent in lukewarm water. Then apply the mixture evenly and generously to the wallpaper using a sponge or a spray bottle. Work your way forward in small steps and do not wet the wallpaper of an entire room at the same time, otherwise areas will dry again before you can remove the wallpaper.

Step 4: remove the non-woven wallpaper

After the solvent has soaked in the non-woven wallpaper for about 15 minutes, you can remove the old wallpaper by pulling it from the bottom up. If necessary, you can help with a spatula to better detach the wallpaper from the wall. In rare cases, the wallpaper may not be easy enough to remove in this way. Then this little trick helps, for which you need a wide bar and a helper: Wind the lower end of the respective wallpaper roll on a bar. The helping person now uses the bar to continuously pull on the wallpaper while you separate the stuck areas with a spatula.

Step 5: post-processing

If you have successfully removed the non-woven wallpaper, the post-processing of the wall below follows. In order to create a level surface for the installation of a new wallpaper, for example if you are planning a move and prepare the space for it, you should fill cracks and holes in the plaster. You can buy ready-to-use filler in the tube, which you only have to put in the damaged areas. Fill the wall and you're done!

Timo Jochmann