About Wallpaper Removal:

Wallpaper has been manufactured and installed for several generations. Usually consumers repapered over existing wallpaper. Pulp wallpapers of the time easily adhered to each other. Removal products did not exist in the early days. When called for, consumers removed wallpaper with "home recipes". The most common recipe was vinegar and hot water. This method worked because the pulp content of the wallpaper readily absorbed fluids. The acid in the vinegar would attack the wallpaper paste (usually starch and wheatbased).

Wallpaper boomed onto the decorating scene after World War II. Many manufacturers entered the market place and by so doing created new types of wallpapes. Wallpaper was not made just from pulp paper anymore. The outer surface (the part seen by the consumer) now had several types of looks; grass cloth, string, fabric, vinyl, etc.. . The new wallpapers required a "backing" paper. The backing paper was laminated to the outer surface to give the wallpaper strength. New stronger adhesives became a necessity to adhere the wallpaper to the wall.

Wallpaper use grew in the 1960's as a decorating material. Manufacturers jumped at the market demand. Competition created more paper types and adhesive variations. Bold colors and patterns were the rage. Foil and flocked wallpapers appeared.

The demand for wallpaper peaked in the 1970's. Manufacturers responded by introducing new products; viyl, and prepasted wallpaper. Vinyl, an oil based product, is cheap and easy to print. Typical vinyl wallpapers consisted of an outer layer of vinyl laminated to a paper  substrate (often called "backing"). Vinyl coated wallpaper is a paper substrate onto which the decorative surface has been sprayed. Most vinyl coated's are manufactured as prepasted ( a thin layer of glue applied to the back and cured); the intent was for the consumer to reactivate the glue with water at home. Someone coined the phrase "strippable" which is still used today. Strippable was supposed to mean easy removal. It really meant that the vinyl outer layer would peel away from the backing. The consumer was to install new wallpaper over the old backing. This started the consumer's and professional paperhanger's mistrust of manufacturers. Nobody thought about the consumer's past experience with wallpaper and human nature. Trained for years to paste wallpaper, consumers now added paste to the back of the prepasted wallpaper figuring that "a little bit of glue is good therefore a whole lot of glue is better".

Solid vinyl wallpaper (commonly called "commercial vinyl") was introduced in the 1970's. It is isolid sheet vinyl designed to be used extensively for commercial buildings to save the cost of paint maintenance in high traffic areas such as corridors and hotel rooms. Commercial vinyl is thicker when compared to common wallpaper, has no backing, and and is applied directly to the wall. Since commercial vinyl was developed for high traffic areas abused by people, adhesive manufacturers reacted by developing more powerful adhesives.

Seeking more uses for wallpaper manufacturers promoted borders in the 1980's. Borders are manufactured prepasted. Wallpaper adhesive manufacturer's jumped at the chance for a share of the consumer dollar by creating "border adhesive". Most border adhesive is polymer based. This resulted in consumers pasting a product that does not need paste and creating a problem.

The construction boom of the post World War II years led to the development of gypsum wallboard (commonly called: Drywall). Drywall is gypsum sandwiched between two layers of pulp paper and is the common wall material today. Drywall is supposed to be sealed after new installation.The 1970's saw the advert of texture. Texture was developed for a new look and to speed construction. Texture usually is machine applied and is supposed to be sealed.

Construction boom times often bring poor craftsmanship. With demand so high for labor and speed, less than reputable individuals began using short cuts. Wallpaper was painted over, installed on unprimed surfaces with multiple adhesives, and multi-layered to name just a few. Removal under these conditions became a nightmare, starting the decline of wallpaper use. Wallpaper manufacturers became strict about which adhesive must be used on which primer on which wall finish. Don't believe me? Read the label on a roll of paper. Why did  the manufacturers become so strict? To stop the decline of wallpaper use and to protect their liability.

Close behind the wallpaper manufacturers came the adhesive manufacturers seeing the opportunity to sell gallons of adhesive. Not surprisingly wallpaper adhesive manufacturers make their own removal products. However it is important to note that their removal products are formulated to remove their adhesive, not a real world condition. In the real world typical wallpaper installations are done by consumers or professional paperhangers. Some consumers do not follow instructions. Consumers try any combination of adhesives or follow poor service. Many professional paperhangers (thought they are shy to admit it) mix adhesives to create a recipe that works for them. Rarely are adhesives used per manufacturer's specifications.

In 1990, Safe and Simple  entered the industry as a wallpaper removal service. We have removed over one million rolls of wallpaper of all types in every situation. We tested the removed wallpaper and developed products we could rely upon daily. We look at each roll of removed wallpaper as a learning experience .... we have to.