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Using soap and water to remove wallpaper paste?

harriethomeowner

15 years ago

I am in the process of cleaning walls in a bathroom after stripping wallpaper. They are 60-year-old plaster walls in good condition. The paper came off without much difficulty -- I used a spray bottle of warm water and vinegar and a small scraper, and it all peeled off down to the plaster.

After all the paper was down, I started washing the walls using a cloth and some liquid laundry detergent in hot water, followed by a rinse with clear hot water. This seems to remove all of the paste (wall no longer feels slick or sticky when wet). Is this okay to do? Do I really need to clean them with TSP? I'd rather not handle toxic chemicals if it's not necessary. TIA.

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Comments (4)

Michael
15 years ago
Toss the TSP in a safe place.

Use a Dirtex solution to clean. Laundry detergent and soup will leave a film which may prevent adhesion.

Michael
paintguy22
15 years ago
I have found that as long is the water is hot, it will work to remove paste. I don't really need to add anything to the hot water. I would apply a coat of Gardz though just to be safe.
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harriethomeowner
Original Author
15 years ago
I'll try just using hot water to get the paste off and follow it with Dirtex. Thanks.
katie8422
15 years ago
I've been using TSP substitute and it melts the paper and glue right off. I kept forgetting to put my gloves back on and my fingers got a little dry the next day, but it wasn't as bad as, say, getting bleach on your hands. Minimal couging, too. I don't think we needed to open any windows that day. I've never tried real TSP. It's legal in Mass, but Home Depot doesn't sell it.

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