How to Remove Old Latex Paint
- 1). Prepare the room. Remove all items from the room and all decorations from the wall. Cover the items that you cannot remove with a drop cloth.
- 2). Wipe the surface dirt, dust and debris off the walls with a dust mop. Open doors and windows to provide for adequate ventilation for the paint stripper fumes.
- 3). Fill a plastic paint tray with paint stripper. Dip a paintbrush in the paint stripper. Hold the paintbrush over the tray and let the excess paint stripper drip into the tray.
- 4). Brush the paint stripper onto the wall in the same manner as if you were applying paint. Work in small sections of the wall at a time. Dip the paintbrush back into the paint stripper and continue applying it to the wall.
- 5). Let the paint stripper sit on the latex paint for 30 minutes. Each brand of paint stripper will have its own predetermined time frame. Refer to the directions on your brand of stripper.
- 6). Scrape the softened latex paint off the wall using a paint scraper. Start at the bottom and work in small sections while moving upward. Clean the paint scraper with paper towels after each pass.
- 7). Repeat Steps 4, 5 and 6 until you have removed the unwanted latex paint.
- 8). Clean the walls with a mixture of 1 tsp. trisodium phosphate and 1 gallon of water. Dampen a cloth in the mixture and wipe the paint stripper residue off the walls. Rinse the walls clean with a cloth dampened in cool water. Let the walls air dry for 48 hours before wallpapering or repainting.