Wallpaper Removal Services in Washington, DC, Maryland & Virginia
Rent Painters provides professional wallpaper removal services across Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. Since 2010 we've stripped old, peeling and painted-over wallpaper from DC-metro homes, steaming, scoring and scraping without gouging the wall underneath, then prepping it clean for fresh paint. Our wallpaper removal service comes with a 3-year interior warranty on coatings applied afterward and $2 million in liability coverage.
What's the best way to get wallpaper off?
The best method depends on the wallpaper and the wall behind it. We use three approaches, chosen after inspecting your walls:
- Stripping (dry peel): modern strippable and peel-and-stick wallpaper often pulls away cleanly by hand. It's the fastest, cheapest removal and the least risk to the wall.
- Steaming: an electric steamer softens the adhesive so the paper lifts off. It works well on porous, traditional wallpaper.
- Scoring and soaking: for vinyl-coated, painted-over or stubborn old paper, we perforate the surface, apply a remover solution that soaks through to the glue, then scrape it off with a wide blade.
Getting the method right is why removal is worth handing to a pro. The wrong approach tears drywall paper and turns a refresh into a repair.
Which wallpaper is easy to remove, and which isn't
Strippable (peel-and-stick) wallpaper is the easiest and often lifts off dry. Porous, traditional paper is next, since it absorbs steam or solution well.
The hardest is non-porous vinyl-coated wallpaper, which has to be scored so moisture can reach the adhesive, and wallpaper that's been painted over, which usually needs scoring plus a chemical stripper. We identify what you have before we start.
Wall type matters too
Plaster walls, common in older DC rowhouses, stand up well to moisture, so steam and solvent methods work cleanly. Drywall, common in newer homes, is softer and can be damaged by too much moisture or aggressive scraping, so it needs a gentler hand.
Either way, once the paper is off we clean away leftover adhesive, patch minor dings, and repair any damaged drywall or plaster so the wall is smooth and paint-ready.
Our wallpaper removal process
- Free assessment: we inspect your walls, the wallpaper's age and type, and the wall material, and give you a customized quote.
- Protect the room: we cover floors and move and cover furniture.
- Remove the wallpaper: stripping, steaming or scoring and soaking, matched to your paper, without damaging the wall.
- Clean and repair: we remove leftover glue, fix minor dings and condition the walls for paint.
- Ready for paint: if you're painting, we move straight into your interior painting once the walls are prepped.
Most wallpaper removal jobs take 1 to 2 days, depending on how many rooms and how stubborn the paper is.
Why hire a professional wallpaper removal service
Wallpaper removal looks simple and rarely is. Between scoring tools, steamers, solvents and the risk of tearing drywall, a DIY job often costs more in repairs than it saves. Rent Painters has stripped DC-metro walls since 2010:
Right method for your paper
Stripping, steaming or scoring and soaking, matched to the wallpaper and wall type.
Wall-safe removal
Drywall and plaster protected and left paint-ready.
Wallpaper removal and painting by one crew
No gap between trades.
3-year interior warranty
On coatings applied after removal.
$2,000,000 general liability
And full Workers' Compensation compliance.
Angi Super Service Award
Angi (formerly Angie's List), 5 years running.
What homeowners say
“Christian and his team are incredible. With short notice he and his team came to my condo and helped paint.”
— Garth L., Google review. See more reviews
Areas we serve
We provide wallpaper removal throughout the DC metro, including:
Wallpaper removal FAQ
Get your instant quoteWhat's the best way to get wallpaper off?
It depends on the paper. Strippable wallpaper often peels off dry, porous paper responds to steaming, and vinyl-coated or painted-over paper needs scoring and a soak before scraping.
Do I need to remove wallpaper before painting?
Yes. Painting over wallpaper traps seams and bubbles and shortens the life of the paint. Removing it first gives a smooth surface and a longer-lasting finish.
How long does wallpaper removal take?
Most jobs take 1 to 2 days, depending on the number of rooms and how stubborn the wallpaper is.
Which areas do you serve for wallpaper removal?
We serve Washington, DC and communities across Maryland and Northern Virginia, including Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax.
Do you repair the walls after removal?
Yes. We clean off leftover adhesive, patch minor dings, and can repair damaged drywall or plaster so the wall is smooth and paint-ready.