Hardly anyone looks forward to when it comes time to remove dollhouse wallpaper. 

Yet most dollhouse lovers have done it at one time or another. And the result--clean, bare walls ready for a fresh coat of paint or new dollhouse wallpaper--is totally worth it. Here's how to go about removing dollhouse wallpaper.

 How to Remove Dollhouse Wallpaper

Supplies You'll Need

• Warm water
• Vinegar
• A spray bottle
• Putty knife
• Sewing needle
• Microfiber cloth
• Spackling paste
• Fine sandpaper
• Trisodium phosphate (sold as "TSP" at home improvement stores)

Instructions

1. First things first: remove all any and all miniatures from inside your dollhouse or room box. This includes any fixtures like lights attached to ceilings, walls, and floors. You'll be using liquid later on, so remove anything that could suffer water damage.
   
   
2. You'll now want to get things spic and span by removing any dirt and debris. This will keep things looking nice and ensure good adhesion for your wallpaper. A damp microfiber cloth works great--just make sure that everything dry before proceeding. (Got a really dirty dollhouse? Then check out our tips on how to clean your dollhouse.)
   
   
3. Now is the time to poke many small holes in the old wallpaper. You can use a sewing needle or the tip of a sharp knife to make the holes. Another option is to buy a wallpaper piercing tool from a hardware store. No matter which tool you choose, take care not to poke too deeply into the walls.
   
   
4. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts warm water and vinegar and spray it on the pockmarked walls. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes so the solution can penetrate the holes and loosen the glue. 
   
   
5. Insert the edge of a putty knife below the wallpaper before gently peeling the wallpaper from the wall. It should come off in strips. If not, spray some more of the warm water and vinegar and wait for it to loosen the glue some more. (Some people use a razor scrapper instead of a putty knife for this step.)
   
   
6. Continue stripping the wallpaper until it's totally removed. Keep using more of the spray solution to remove especially tough parts.
   
   
7. One the wallpaper is totally removed, prepare a spray bottle of warm water and trisodium phosphate (TSP). Let the solution settle for a while so it can loosen the glue remaining on the walls.
   
   
8. Use the putty knife to gently scrape away the remaining glue on the walls.
   
   
9. Use spackling page to fill in any holes in the wall. Let the paste dry overnight.
   
   
10. The next day, use fine sandpaper to smooth the dried spackle. Lightly sand the rest of the walls to prepare them for the new wallpaper. 

Tips

• Be extra careful when using any knife or sewing needle. Even the pros have been know to poke themselves!
• Take your time. Removing dollhouse wallpaper can be a tedious process you may be tempted to rush. If you're feeling weary, take a break or save the next step for another day.
• Aim to remove the old wallpaper in big pieces. This doesn't always happen, but it makes the job easier and faster. Making sure the old wallpaper is well saturated with the warm water and vinegar mixture and has time to soak greatly helps.

How to Wallpaper a Dollhouse

You didn't think we'd leave you hanging, did you? We have an entire post on how to wallpaper a dollhouse. Make sure to check it out--and also feel free to check out our great selection of dollhouse wallpaper as well. Best of luck with all your miniature projects!