I did the dumbest thing last night, I have been removing wallpaper from my bathroom walls and I had finally reached the area that is above the tub/shower. My full size ladder would not fit inside the tub, so I was having to stand on a small stepladder. Unfortunately, that put me standing beneath the area I was working on and the remover solution I was spraying was misting down each time I sprayed it. I ended up inhaling a fair amount of it before I realized what was going on.
My upper respiratory area is not happy with me today. Lesson learned, be sure and wear a mask when spraying wallpaper remover onto a wall, even if it’s not above your head. I should have been wearing a mask all along. I think I’ll take a break from wallpaper removing for today. I still have another bathroom and the laundry room to go. Just wanted to share this so you don’t end up making the same mistake I did if you have wallpaper to remove in the future. The book I’ve been listening to on Spotify while working is Private Equity. It’s a memoir by Carrie Sun, and pretty interesting. (Read more about it here: Private Equity.) It has definitely made the wallpaper stripping time pass more quickly.
The collection that Talbots has out right now is one of my favorites that they’ve released in the last few years. I love, love, love the designs and the colors they have out for spring so much! They had a 40% off Cyber Monday sale going on yesterday, that’s been extended until noon today. The sale even includes free shipping! If you saw something in THIS previous post that you loved, this would be a great time to get it.
This is one of my favorite pieces from their current collection. It’s all cotton, including the lining, so I know it must feel wonderful on! Cotton breathes so beautifully, and I love how it flows across the body instead of clinging like synthetic fabrics have a tendency to do.
Here’s how the back is designed…so, so pretty! It’s currently on sale here: Summer Resort Dress with Tile Design.
I love the colors in this collection—they are so perfect for summer and make me wish summer would last forever! Such happy colors! This sweater has an open weave design so it offers good coverage without being too warm. It’s on sale here: Beautiful Summer Sweater.
This shirt is such a classic style, the kind of top that never goes out of style and that you can wear for many years. Love the embroidered palm trees! It’s on sale here: Palm Tree Shirt.
They have a whole collection to celebrate the red, white and blue—love that! If you’re looking for something fun and festive for the 4th of July and other patriotic holidays, you’ll find this collection here: Americana Collection.
Happy Spring-Summer Shopping!
I can totally relate to your wallpaper spraying incident. I used the remover without protecting myself. I was removing a border and marveled how easy it was to remove with the spray. Unfortunately, the spray mist came in contact with my arms (wearing my work tee shirt) and ended I up at the doctors with a horrble itchy, painful rash on BOTH arms where the spray had landed. Ended up with a shot to ease the discomfort and an antibiotic. Lesson 2 to your saga…wear long sleeves when using the stuff, as well as a mask! It really is effective if used properly.
Thanks for that warning. I’ve been wearing long sleeves. That was just so dumb of me to not think about how it was misting out above me. Won’t make that mistake again!
Susan not a good idea who I removed wallpaper I would never use any kind of chemical spray what I did was fill my large water bottle with only water but I
sprayed the walls an over abundance of waterI got the job done and I didn’t
have to worry about the chemicals try it it worked for me
Susan, please take care. There may be a very good reason that stripper has been taken off the market. I had to be hospitalized after using a bathroom cleaner. A little mask is not enough protection.
Yikes! That’s scary! I hope you are completely fine now with no lasting effects! I think my sinuses and bronchial area is just irritated. It should be better by this evening, I think.
Oh, KIDDO!!! “Woulda, Coulda, Shouda!!!” Time to “clear out “that stuff” sounds like a solution!! Oh, “TALBOTS” how I luve thee,” I like that sweater “over” that dress on cool evenings.. *sigh.* Hang in there (but look forward to hanging wallpaper results!!!) franki
I can’t wait to get it all done and get the rooms painted. I may let someone help me with the rest of it, it’s taking a long time doing it by myself.
Um….do you think you need to see a doctor?
I don’t think so right now, but if my sinuses/bronchial area are still irritated tomorrow, I’ll def do that. Def won’t do that again, though!
Be sure to prepare your walls…wash with TSP or similar product and then paint with a primer then use the sizing. If you do not paint with the primer any amount of the old paste will show through your new paper as a grease spot….believe me it has happened to me more than once. Just washing the wall is not enough!!!
Thanks for that tip, Rebecca! I’m getting ready to have some rooms upstairs painted, and I think I’ll let the painter paint the bathroom instead of going with wallpaper in there.
when I did wallpaper removal I washed the walls down with water and vinegar and it worked and then painted with latex paint and it is fine even after 40 years and a second painting. No peeling.
That’s awesome! Actually, since these walls are primed underneath, vinegar could possibly work. Removing wallpaper is such a sticky, mess job.
Glad you’re ok! Please take care in the future. I removed wallpaper using a steamer. It was very easy to remove, however, had some problems with the old plaster that was underneath the paper.
Love Talbots’ style. Thanks for sharing.
Jo
Definitely, I won’t make that mistake again! Yeah, I bet plaster is quite the challenge!
At first I thought you were going to tell us you had an issue with the ladder. Is there a window in your bathroom? Do you have ventilation? When I did my 10×10 parlor it was a nightmare. I used water and a steamer. I can’t begin to tell you how much glue was left on the wall from the wallpaper. It came off like a dough and it was everywhere! My shoes, the ladder, the tools. I was using a credit card to scrape off the glue. The wallpaper came off in sheets, it was like a canvass material and I thought I was lucky. lol You be careful!!!
I used white vinegar and water and let it stay on a while before I removed the wallpaper. Easy.
I wish that would work on the wallpaper in all my bathrooms. If it’s applied without properly prepping the walls, that’s when you run into issues.
Many years ago my husband had a summer job painting and he and his colleague rented a gas-powered steamer for the walls of a commercial garage. They did not keep the doors open while operating it and became asphyxiated. The colleague ended up going to the hospital (mostly precautionary if I’m remembering correctly), was given some oxygen and mentioned to the emergency staff that that my husband was also exposed, so he called my husband and told him that they said to go outside and breathe in deeply, then exhale deeply, also. I would suggest breathing in long, slow breaths, then exhaling through open, pursed lips just as they do for COPD patients to rid the lungs of trapped, old air.
Thanks for that suggestion, Susan…good idea!
I hope you’re feeling much better now. I probably would have done the same thing. At least we learn from our mistakes.
Much better today, thanks Linda! I hope you are doing well! ♥
Susan, I can so relate. You get so caught up in ‘get it done’ and don’t stop. I was up all night with a water issue in my bathroom. I should have used long gloves and a mask. I still haven’t finished removing the wallpaper in my bathroom because it wasn’t put up properly. One part I gouged the partition wall trying to use a similar tool.
Cute dress. Love the colors, but then it becomes what to wear under it.
Go outside and breathe for awhile. Do you have some nasal saline ? Feel better.
That’s me! lol I sympathize, Myrna! When the walls aren’t prepped first, it’s such a pain to get the paper off.
Thanks, I’m much better today!
Oh, my! Do you suppose that when we grow up we won’t be so prone to do dumb things? Thanks for helping us learn from your mistake. Glad you’re feeling better already.