Floor steam mop to remove wallpaper

parkingadvice1212 · 8 March 2021 at 10:48AM

Can you use a floor steam mop (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00OAAE85O/) to remove wallpaper instead of using a dedicated wallpaper steamer?

bob_a_builder · 8 March 2021 at 11:00AM

Waters much heavier than steam !
Get a proper one for £30 ish - you don't have to lift the water that way -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Heavy-Duty-Professional-Wall-Paper-Wallpaper-Stripper-Steamer-Remover-UK/124199168187

TELLIT01 · 8 March 2021 at 12:22PM

It might work but won't be anything like as effective as a proper steam stripper. The stripper encloses and concentrates the stream where a floor mop will simply release the steam into the room.

neilmcl · 8 March 2021 at 1:49PM

Do you really need a steamer in the first place? Unless you have layers on layers of paper it's usually as easy to score and wipe down the paper with a wet sponge/cloth to remove it, also there's much less risk in damaging the underlying plaster.

I'd recommend getting hold of a Zinsser Paper Tiger tool - https://www.screwfix.com/p/zinsser-paper-tiger-scoring-tool-3mm/3469h

getmore4less · 8 March 2021 at 2:04PM

I ended up dropping the steamer and going to the wet sponge method.

start at the top peel and soak as you go any drips run down to the next bit.
the stuff on our walls was not that porous but the top layer would peel off enough to get the underlay soak through enough to release the paste.
It is one of those jobs where a little patience goes a long way or work a long horizontal section.

Some of those floor steamer you can take the base of and you get a steam trap but as said they are heavy

Also ask around, a wallpaper steamer is something people have and hardly ever use so an easy borrow for a period of time. Mine has sat in its storage place for 7 years gathering dust, bought 25+ years ago

if it is one with a kettle element its a cheap fix if it breaks while in your possession.

GDB2222 · 8 March 2021 at 2:15PM

The tank on a floor steamer needs to be vertical. So how would you use it for wallpaper?

Slinky · 8 March 2021 at 9:33PM

Would recommend a proper steamer. Have tried all the soak and scrape methods and they are too much like hard work.

Be careful with wood chip though, had an acquaintance who got a bit of wood chip jammed in his finger whilst steaming. Got infected, had to have a joint of his finger removed. Evil stuff.