How to Remove Ceiling Wallpaper

Older homes sometimes have layers and layers of wallpaper, even on the ceiling. Today's style of decorating tends toward clean, crisp painted ceilings and walls, which means that wallpaper has to go. It's a somewhat sloppy job, but don't despair. The done project is well worth the effort.

Several ways to make the process less painful :

• Try an border of the wallpaper to find if the outside layer will strip off--some vinyls will, giving the paper backing on the wall. Older types of wallpaper will not peel off. Softly score the wallpaper with a scoring tool such as the Paper Tiger. Do not get too competitive, as this tool can damage the dry wall underneath the wallpaper.

• Mix 1 cup of fabric softener and very warm water in a garden sprayer. Pump up the sprayer and spray the ceiling in sections. Provide the mixture to set on the ceiling for 20 minutes.

• Use the scraper to scratch the wallpaper off. If the paper still does not release, spray it again and provide to sit for 10 minutes. If there are different layers of wallpaper, repeat the spraying and scraping steps until you get to the drywall underneath.

Rinse each section of the ceiling with a mixture of vinegar and warm water to remove glue balance, before it dries and hardens again. If the glue has been allowed to dry, wet it down with the fabric-softener mixture, then wash it with the vinegar and water mixture.

• Allow the ceiling to dry totally. Check carefully to be sure all the glue has been removed. Any glue given behind on the ceiling will show through the paint when it is applied, causing dark spots.