Things heated up in the foyer during our wallpaper-removal experiments. We’re testing five different removal techniques across five rooms to see which works best. Earlier, we tried hot water from a spray bottle and it produced decent results. This week’s installment of our Wallpaper Exposé focuses on using a steamer in the foyer.
First, a moment to mourn the small blue flowers that once adorned the walls.
We started on one section of the foyer by having John run the steamer over an area of wallpaper while I followed closely behind pulling the paper off. That initial approach worked pretty well: some strips left their backing and needed to be steamed and peeled again, but overall it was effective. Compared to our hot water spray method, steaming was slightly faster and made removing the backing a bit easier—about a 10% improvement in our estimation. However, when you factor in the cost of buying or renting a steamer, the advantage felt marginal. If you already own a steamer or can borrow one, it’s a handy option; otherwise, the spray-bottle method remains a perfectly viable, low-cost alternative.
There was one drawback when we reached the upper portions of the walls.
We used a clothing steamer borrowed from family, and its hose wasn’t long enough to rest on the floor while reaching the tops of the walls. That meant John had to hold the steamer at shoulder height while steaming overhead, which was tiring. If you plan to steam walls regularly, choose or rent a steamer designed for wallpaper that has a longer hose and more comfortable handling.
Halfway through the job we switched tactics: instead of steaming an entire area and then peeling afterward, I peeled immediately as John steamed directly in front of me. This live-peel approach made a noticeable difference.
Peeling as the steam was applied removed both the wallpaper and the backing in most cases, leaving the wall bare underneath. The increased heat on the actively peeled section seems to help the adhesive release more completely. Another big benefit: one person can handle this method if needed, so you don’t have to recruit extra help to make steady progress.
I’d estimate the peel-as-you-steam technique was roughly 30% faster and easier than our spray-bottle approach for this larger area. Still, removing wallpaper from a foyer takes time—especially when you encounter surprises, like layered paper.
We discovered that one wall had two full layers of the same wallpaper applied. That meant we effectively had to remove the same pattern twice. It was tedious and yes, there was whining involved, but we finished it.
We’re not certain why the wall was double-papered. Our best guess is that whoever installed it needed to correct a mismatch or alignment issue and applied a second layer to fix it.
We also had one spot where the wallpaper seemed to be glued more aggressively, and pulling it removed a thin layer of the drywall. It’s not the end of the world—the plan is to skim coat that area with spackle and sand it smooth so it blends with the surrounding wall.
Once all the paper was down, I went over the walls with a spray bottle filled with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water (room temperature) and used the rough side of a sponge to remove any remaining adhesive. Most of the glue came off with the backing during steaming, but the vinegar rinse helped dissolve tacky patches and left the surface ready for priming and painting.
So that’s how we used a steamer to strip wallpaper in the foyer: initial steaming-and-peel, then switching to peeling immediately as the steam was applied, dealing with a double layer, repairing a small drywall tear, and finishing with a vinegar rinse to remove adhesive residue.
Here’s the obligatory before shot from our initial walk-through—useful for comparison and closure.
Note: the closet and bathroom doors are off in that photo because we’re repainting them from blue to white. We’re about 20% of the way through the trim, and once the multiple coats are done we’ll share those results too (yes, several coats are required).
If you plan to try steaming wallpaper, consider these tips: use a steamer designed for walls if possible, peel as you steam for best results, be prepared for the occasional stubborn spot or double layer, and finish with a vinegar-and-water wipe-down to remove any leftover adhesive. Steaming is a strong contender in the wallpaper removal toolkit—especially when speed and less scrubbing are priorities.