Removing old wallpaper paste before emulsioning

[MyNameIsUrl]

I did some research online on how to remove wallpaper paste left on walls after stripping the paper, prior to emulsioning, and sugar soap seemed effective and quick. However, it's been taking me a long time and a lot of effort, rubbing and rinsing and rubbing again several times before it stops feeling slimy. At this rate I could be 10 hours doing an average bedroom, and get through several bottles of sugar soap.

Has anyone got any tips? It's at a relative's house and next time I go I'm thinking of experimenting with:
- wet a larger area and leave to soak in the hope of wiping the paste off easily
- use a scraper to get some of it off rather than relying only on a cloth
- sand the walls dry to remove some of it before using sugar soap

[Mike88]

Soak the walls with water. Use a wide filler knife to scrape the paste off. It's comes off easily. Then finish with a sugar soap wash.

[Maroochydore]

Use a wallpaper steamer and a large scrapper.

If you haven't got one, £30-£40 would get you an adequate one. Worth the expenditure to save time and you're left with a useful bit of kit to use when you need to actually strip wallpaper or use where steam is needed such as degreasing etc.

The steamer will soften the paste and the scrapper should be held at 90 degrees to the wall to prevent digs.

One word of warning, if you have poor quality plastering leaving the steamer in one place too long can cause the plaster to blow from the substrate.

[DrFfybes]

As above - steamer or bucket and sponge, soak the wall and scrape off - you will need a lot of kitchen roll or a large towel.

I finish with a green abrasie wasking up sponge.

Once clean, put on a coat of generic white matt.

Then all you need to do is sand the high spots, fill the dips, sand again, and you're ready to paint.

Paul