Get rid of old wallpaper to list Southeast Portland real estate

If you're trying to sell a home in one of the Hawthorne District neighborhoods in Southeast Portland, there's a good chance you're working with some older features. Many of the buildings in your area are pre-war construction, meaning you may have multiple layers of paint and wallpaper on your walls. To stand out among the homes for sale in Portland's Hawthorne District, you can take on the project of creating smooth, new-looking walls.

Wallpaper can be difficult to remove, but if it's the outermost layer on your walls, you may be in luck - it's easier to get rid of if it hasn't been painted over. Test how easy it will be to remove by peeling back an inconspicuous corner. If you could pull off a large sheet in one motion, you can strip the walls as easy as one-two-three.

First, protect the floor with a drop cloth and remove your outlet covers. Second, soak the paper with a large sponge and a water and white vinegar solution. The third step is simply to peel - and if you're lucky, that's where it stops.

Stubborn paper can involve hours of perforating and scraping, and you could damage your walls if you aren't careful. Consider hiring a professional service like Fresh Coat Painting if your test strip reveals a difficult job.