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Loose The Old Wallpaper Before You Flip Your Invetsment Properties

Wallpaper removal in your San Diego foreclosures and REO's is a task no one enjoys. It's messy, sticky and time consuming. Some people try to avoid this tedious task by painting or repapering over wallpaper, but this is never recommended and will become a headache for whoever buys your San Diego foreclosure or REO. While there's no way to avoid wallpaper removal, there are relatively new techniques and products available to make this chore a little easier than in the past, that will get your San Diego foreclosures and REO's in great shape fast! This is not your father's wallpaper removal.

• The best way to get wallpaper to cooperate is to make it wet enough to scrape off. To accomplish this, you'll need to score the wallpaper first. This is easily done with a utility knife, but there are also scoring products on the market specifically designed for this purpose. These can readily be found at the local home improvement emporium. To score, take your knife and cut in a criss-cross pattern across the wall.

• Once your wallpaper is properly scored, a chemical wallpaper remover will have to be applied. For your own safety, you'll probably want to invest in some inexpensive safety glasses, rubber gloves and even a mask to breathe through. The removal agent can be applied with a paint brush, but this can take a while. Many home improvement aficionados recommend a garden hose with a spray attachment such as those you use for spraying furniture, or a paint sprayer. You'll probably want to open the windows. Spray or paint the removal agent onto the paper and let sit until the paper is saturated. If the paper doesn't get wet enough for easy removal, reapply the chemical.

• If chemicals aren't for you, you can use the much safer and environmentally sound wallpaper steamer method. For this you'll have to rent a steaming machine from your home improvement shop. Follow all directions completely. Use the steam to completely saturate the wallpaper.

• No matter which method you choose, once the wall is saturated, the wallpaper paste will begin to get soft. The paper may even begin peeling from the walls on its own. Once it's soft enough, you can begin scraping. Being careful not to carve holes in the wall, use your scraper to gently scrape away the old wallpaper using long, gentle strokes. There may be some stubborn areas where the wallpaper is still stuck to the wall, in which case, you may need to reapply the chemicals or steam.

• Once the wallpaper is completely removed, you'll most likely be left with walls covered with unsightly adhesive. One can remove this by purchasing yet another chemical or by using a heavy detergent. After the glue is removed, rinse by wiping the wall with a clean, damp sponge.

• In lieu of costly chemicals and steam machines, there are those who prefer the more old fashioned warm water or water and vinegar method of wallpaper removal. These also work, but be forewarned, if you use plain water or vinegar and water to soften the wallpaper and adhesive, the task will become more time consuming.

Wallpaper removal has gotten a bum rap. While it's not the most pleasant area of home improvement, the use of chemicals or steam machines make the work go by much easier than in days past.

 

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