Friday, January 9, 2009

I'm a Stripper

Got some projects going on. Projects that I've been putting off for awhile. We all have those. We have lived in our house for eleven years now and are slowly giving each room a make over. That would be getting rid of the old wallpaper and giving the room a fresh look with a coat of paint.

Tuesday I stripped the wallpaper in my master bath. A lot of work, but not too big a deal. Actually, Alec stayed home from school because he wasn't feeling well (the kind where he is sick until just after 9:07 a.m.....that is when school starts), he was a huge help. That kid can work!

Different room, different story yesterday. It was Alec's room and it was only wallpaper border. Shouldn't have been a big deal at all. Was I wrong. Let me just say, I do not swear. And yesterday, there were many, many times that I felt like swearing. Like when I was trying to get the nozzle off of the steamer to fill it with water. Could not get that off to save my life. I wanted to throw it against the wall. And swear. Then I attempted to begin scraping the border off. Now anyone who has done this before can relate to this: if you get big chunks that come off, ya-hoo! Nope. Not this room. Little teeny weeny pieces that I had to really work off. I got 5 square inches off in what seemed like forever. Since I could'nt get the nozzle off to refill the steamer, I decided to put that room on hold until I could have some help and went to get my supplies for washing the walls in my bathroom. You know, switch gears. Something a little easier.

I got my cleaning gloves, which I try to be faithful and use to keep my manicured nails looking fresh, and I needed to "turn them right side out" since John had used them recently. He didn't want to, but I suggested that he use them the other day when he did some bleach water cleaning in our bathrooms. Whole other story. Think mildew on the ceilings. Eww. So, I'm working on trying to get the fingers to come back in the other direction. This is where I want to start swearing again. I throw them on the counter and begin to walk away. Then I go back, thinking, I've got to get this done. Its absolutely ridiculous trying to get those gloves to cooperate.

This, I've decided, is not a fun way to spend my "day off".

After washing the walls, I decide to get online and see if I can find some tips from cyberspace on how-in-the-heck-do-you-remove-hard-to-remove-wallpaper.

I come across this lady's blog. What a scream. Her title of a post about stripping wallpaper summed it up, and I'll leave you with it:

"In Hell, Satan makes you strip wallpaper."

6 comments:

Lynn said...

I am laughing my butt off.....YOU are preachin' to the WALLPAPER STRIPPER QUEEN HERE...ahhh yeah, you know that I am definitely the all time front runner to wallpapering, changing it 25 million times in my life.... Funny thing is...it doesn't phase me a bit to strip paper, In fact I kinda like it, the tougher the better. LOL Call me crazy....but with the wallpaper in my house YOU would have to like stripping it...anyone that has been here can attest to this statement being true!!!!

Should of ask MOM for help....would have loved to have assisted you...xo

Satan's doesn't have anything over me in HELL...LOL...."NOT" that I plan on going there...

Thanks for a great laugh!

Lynn said...

Just another suggestion...as far as the rubber gloves...do what your sister does, buy a box 100 disposable latex gloves (like the doctors use) and then you don't have to worry about that someone...(Mr. NO NAME) using them and adding More frustration to an already frustrated woman's day....see ya should have called me!!

(Am I adding to your frustration, LOL)

Shari said...

I did the math Mom, and sorry you were off just a bit...you have changed wallpaper 26.5 million times. ha ha.

I have bought the box of latex gloves before. Not as "sturdy" as the others. My nails would sometimes poke through.

Alec and I got the job done that night, thank God. Anyone ever needs help with stripping wallpaper, Alec is your guy. He sticks right with it.

Now we are on to painting!

Anonymous said...

Shari my mom did wall papering and painting for a gal for about 9-10 years. She helped me strip border in my house; the same kind that makes you want to swear,kick, throw, and put holes in the walls! She told me the best thing to do is use scalding hot water, (from my coffee pot) and put it in a spray bottle and just drench your paper. She said you can add some liquid fabric softener to the spray bottle if you want; it helps loosen it. It took us a while, but it works. Try it the next time you have to "strip"!! :)

Anonymous said...

Ive used very hot water and vineger in a spray bottle and it works very well. You might smell like a salad when your done but oh well. I got so mad at the border in Michaels room that I gouged it off the walls. oops! Lots of repairs to do after that, then I tried the hot water and vinegar.

Anonymous said...

TOO funny!!! Note to self - NO wallpaper in my house!!