Wallpaper Paste

As the name suggests, wallpaper paste is an adhesive that works to paste wallpaper on walls. While a lot of commercial products are available in the market, their use is known to harm the environment in the long run.

As such, a lot of people are resorting to the use of homemade wallpaper paste that, surprisingly, works as well and sometimes better than its commercial counterparts. Here, we tell you how to make it, as well as give you tips on removing it effectively.

Making this paste is no difficult task, except that it should be made in small batches so that it is easy for you to handle. Using a variety of ingredients from your very own kitchen, the task could not get simpler. Take a look at some of the simple, eco-friendly recipes give here.

Take about 250 grams of wheat flour, and blend it well with 1 liter of warm water, using a whisk. Add in the water slowly and continuously whisk the mixture to avoid lump formation. Now heat this mixture while stirring continuously. Within 5 to 10 minutes it will have warmed, and you will notice that it has thickened considerably to a paste-like consistency.

Once it thickens, add another liter of water to the paste, just like you did the previous time, slowly while stirring. Again, let it heat for about 10 minutes to a point where it thickens. Continue whisking till the paste leaves the whisk very slowly.

The paste is now ready to be slightly cooled and poured into a wide mouthed jar. Add to it about 200 ml of turpentine essence. This functions as a natural pesticide in the paste. This however, may cause the paste to dry up very quickly, for which you may add about 2 tablespoons of sugar so that the paste maintains its consistency.

This amount will not be enough to wallpaper a whole room, and you will have to prepare the paste in batches to suffice your requirements. At the most, this paste may be enough for about three rolls of wallpaper.

In this recipe, flour still forms the basic ingredient of the paste. In a double boiler, heat 1 cup of flour with 3 teaspoons of alum water. Keep adding warm water while you stir continuously, till you achieve a thick paste-like consistency. Keep stirring it while it warms and thickens.

Take it off the heat once it achieves the desired consistency. Allow it to cool, and add to it ten drops of clove oil. Just like the turpentine essence in the recipe above, the clove oil works as a natural, organic pesticide that will protect the wallpaper.

These recipes have been provided by people who have used them, and who swear by their effectiveness; they claim these are as great as commercial wallpaper paste. Apply the paste to wallpaper with a large glue brush, and paste the wallpaper on the wall.

You may apply some in excess and keep wiping it off with a sponge. Remember to sand your walls well to ensure that they are leveled before you apply the wallpaper, else they may develop bubbles under the surface and make the entire job look shoddy.

There are some very simple methods by which wallpaper paste can be removed. One is by making a solution with water and vinegar. This is popularly known as the vinegar method, where you remove pasted wallpaper by means of a solution of vinegar and water in equal parts. Spray this amount generously on the wallpaper, and allow it to soak.

Use a utility knife to scrape off the wallpaper from the top down. This solution functions as a very effective remover. If this method doesn't work, another effective wallpaper removal tip is to use a steamer designed to soak the wallpaper and allow for easy removal.

Wallpaper paste can indeed be natural and organic, and allow for easy application just like commercial wallpaper products. Similarly, removing it is also not difficult, provided you follow the right method of removal, and give the process enough time for it to function effectively.