If you have wallpaper problems, but you’re not ready to redecorate just yet, simply repair it. Here are cures for some common problems.
Lifting seams. Moisten the affected area and carefully lift the wallpaper away from the wall. Apply a thin coat of wallpaper glue (available in small containers) to the wallpaper, then press back into place with a damp sponge, wiping away any excess paste.
Bubbles. Slit the bubble with a sharp utility knife. (If you follow the wallpaper pattern or cut a zig-zag, it makes the repair less noticeable and makes glueing easier.) Lightly moisten the paper around the area with a damp sponge, and apply wallpaper glue underneath the bubble with a syringe or the tip of the paste dispenser. Then press the wallpaper back to the wall with a damp sponge, and clean off excess glue.
Stains or torn sections. If you have leftover wallpaper, you can patch the area. Cut a piece of wallpaper larger than the area you’re repairing, making sure the pattern on the new paper will replace the pattern in the damaged area.
With masking tape, position this new piece on top of the damaged area, aligned perfectly with the pattern. Then, using a straightedge and a sharp utility knife, cut a square patch from the new piece, pressing firmly to simultaneously cut the damaged wallpaper below.
Keep your patch, and remove the damaged section. If it’s strippable paper, it will come off easily. If not, you’ll have to moisten it and scrape it off, being careful not to damage the wallpaper around it. Scrape and clean the wall below the patch you’ve removed. Let it dry, then apply your patch.