Ultimate Guide to Cleaning Walls: Making Your Home Look New

The Ultimate Guide to Cleaning Walls

Having walls full of dirt and crayons, pen or pencil marks everywhere is such an embarrassing moment for every homeowner. Cleaning walls and getting rid of these tough marks often feel like a never-ending and time-consuming task. 

Here in this blog, we will talk about fresh and helpful ideas on how to get rid of annoying marks from the wall. Fortunately, all our ideas will help you to fix the common issue of dirty walls. You just need to have the right tools and the right idea. So let us start.

List Of Items Used To Clean Walls

List Of Items Used To Clean Walls

Before starting to clean your walls you should better gather the right and useful tools for wall cleaning. Most of the items you will find at your home. Have a look at some of the common cleaning items you will require. 

  • Acetone (Nail paint remover or rubbing alcohol)
  • Cotton balls
  • Microfiber cloth, vacuum, with a soft bristle
  • A soft sponge or cotton cloth
  • A bowl full of warm water
  • Magic Eraser

How To Clean Painted Walls

How To Clean Painted Walls

If you have painted walls make sure to determine what kind of paint you have on your wall. There are two types of paint: latex paint and oil-based paint. These two paints will require different cleaning products than other paints. By using the wrong product you can put yourself in trouble. Be sure to have the right information about the type of paint you have. 

For knowing that you can check the below-described methods. 

  • Get a cotton cloth or cotton ball wet with acetone, nail paint remover, or rubbing alcohol. 
  • Rub the wall area with a cotton cloth. Make sure to choose a small area of the wall which is less visible, and rub the cloth over the wall. You can put a little amount of elbow grease in it. 
  • Check out the cotton. If it has any wall paint on it or not, if so, you’ve got latex paint. If there’s no sign of paint on the cotton, then it’s oil-based paint on your walls. 
  • The glossier paint would be able to handle the hard rubbing without removing paint from the walls. On the other hand in the case of matte paint, you need to choose an extra mild cleaning solution to clean your walls.

How To Clean Walls With Oil-Based Paint

How To Clean Walls With Oil-Based Paint

If you have an oil-based paint, you should be extra careful and apply a smooth process on it to keep your paint maintained properly. Keeping your clothes clean is as important as cleaning your other household surfaces. Here are instructions to clean walls with oil-based paint.

  • Initiate the cleaning process by dusting your walls. You can use a vacuum with a soft bristle attachment, cotton cloth, or a duster to remove dust from walls. 
  • Mix a cleaning solution, if your paint has a matte finish – even if its base is oily you can use soapy water if normal water doesn’t work on your wall. 
  • You need to take care that your cleaning process should not be the reason for disruption on your walls. You should start after testing on a small portion. If anything goes wrong, you would be glad that you didn’t just dive right in and started cleaning the whole process without checking.
  • Make sure to squeeze the sponge properly so it should not be too wet. Accessing water in the sponge can leave marks on the walls.
  • You can use a Magic Eraser on tough stains to remove them.

How To Clean Walls With Latex Paint

How To Clean Walls With Latex Paint

After determining your paint type, now you are ready to clean the walls. Remove dust from your walls. Dusting should be a necessary and initial step in cleaning your walls, whether you have latex paint, oil-based paint, or wallpaper covered on your walls. The wall cleaning process for latex paint is almost the same as oil-based paint. Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft bristle attached, a cotton cloth, or a duster to clean up your house walls.  

    • Now mix up some warm soapy water using a small amount of non-abrasive, all-purpose cleaner or mild dish wash soap. If your wall has an extra matte surface, then make sure to start with warm water to wet the wall.
    • Make sure to check on a small area that is less visible, to ensure that the mixture you are going to use will not affect your walls. 
    • Wet your sponge gently and clean from top to bottom. 
    • Dealing with tough stains? Tackle them with a magic eraser. Dip the magic eraser in the bowl full of water and squeeze to get rid of excess water. You can swipe twice or thrice, the marks will disappear and leave the wall looking refreshed and revived. 

How To Clean Walls With Wallpaper

How To Clean Walls With Wallpaper

Wallpaper is a totally different thing than wall paints. If you have wallpaper on your home walls, you should be extra careful while cleaning. The wallpapers can be easily damaged, and their color or texture can be destroyed by scrubbing them too hard. Cleaning walls with wallpaper is entirely possible by following the below-mentioned steps. 

  • Remove dust from your walls with a clean cotton cloth or microfiber cloth.
  • Cross-check wallpaper manufacturer has shared any cleaning guidelines. You can search the guidelines online as well, if you find any instructions follow them properly to get the best results. 
  • Some wallpapers can be washable, and these wallpapers as their name suggests can handle a light cleaning with soapy water. Make sure that your cleaning sponge or cloth should not extra wet, and end all its paper. As with other wall types, make sure to have a spot test first.

Usual Mistakes That Can Make Your Walls Look Dirty

Cleaning walls and keeping them dust, dirt, and scuffs free is not an easy task. Washing and cleaning walls frequently can help to maintain the beauty of your home. Avoid these common paint mistakes for walls that look spotless and stay clean for a long period.

  • Not Choosing Wall Paint Wisely  

While choosing a paint color for your walls make sure to choose a dark color instead of light paint color. Any stain and mark will stand for a long time and are hard to remove from light-color paints. Using high-quality paint is very important in order to keep your walls maintained for the long term. There is a big difference between a can of paint that costs $20 and one that costs $70. 

The quality of the product will affect the outcome and make a dramatic difference in how the product will perform and the life of the paint. The areas like the kitchen and bathroom require expensive and durable paints. 

  • Not Testing The Wall’s Condition Before Cleaning Them

No matter which type of wall paint you have on your walls, each wall requires proper cleaning and care. Gloss and semigloss paint, which are frequently used in bathrooms, kitchens, and on woodwork, can be safely washed. The major mistake that most homeowners make while cleaning the walls and getting the worst result is not checking the type of wall properly and starting cleaning with chemical products. Don’t wash the paint if it chalks off on your sponge. Trisodium phosphate (TSP) dulls the finish; avoid using it unless you’re going to refinish. 

Most people make the mistake to use too much cleaner over the walls while cleaning, thinking that it will remove spots and stains better. But it’s not true an excessive cleaner is hard to wash and leaves its marks on the wall. Therefore make sure to read the label written on the packing cleaning solution and use it in the right amount to get better results.

How to Keep Your Walls Looking Fresh

How to Keep Your Walls Looking Fresh

If you want to keep your walls looking like new for a long time period follow the below-given steps.

  • Dust Your Walls Regularly

The most important step to keep the look of the wall fresh and clean is regular dusting and removing stains from the walls with proper care. You can use a long-handled sweeper over your walls in order to clean them. The areas that are covered with furniture are safe from dirt and they don’t show anyway. Cleaning the walls of the entire room hardly takes 10 to 20 minutes. You can use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush, and a clean white or light color cloth wrapped around the head of the broom for cleaning your house walls. 

If you don’t want to clean or wash the entire room on a regular basis, you should better consider cleaning the areas around the switches and thermostats for frequent cleaning. Dust and dirt also accumulate on walls behind electronic items like TV and radiators. If dusting doesn’t get rid of dust stains make sure to wash the area after removing the electronic items. You can clean up less visible areas once a month.  

  • Wash Kitchen And Bath Walls

Most people install tiles in bathrooms and kitchens. It is easy to clean walls covered with tiles. You can clean them with detergent and a brush. The steam over the walls in the kitchen can ruin the look of your entire kitchen. You should clean them twice or thrice a year depending on your house situation. If your rooms are used by kids, or smokers or have a fireplace like a wood-burning stove make sure to clean room walls on a regular basis. Rub gently with a sponge and water solution, and wash and rinse properly. Make sure to dry the walls with an old and clean towel as soon as you clean them.

  • Use a DIY Wall-Cleaning Solution 

Maintaining the look of your home constantly is a hard aspect. Buying household cleaners for house floors, kitchens, bathrooms, and walls starts to add up, that is why we suggest you use homemade wall cleaners that we know can get a specific job done. Homemade soap mixtures are easy to make and inexpensive and at least less harmful than commercial cleaners. 

Method: Mix 1 cup of powder and 2 tbs of dishwashing liquid in 1 gallon of warm water. Mix it well and then use it. Make sure to use a large bowl, add all the ingredients together, and stir until mixed. Dip a soft cloth into the mixture and squeeze it, then scrub the walls. Also, you can use a soft sponge to clean your walls properly without any harm.

  • Touch Up Damage

To keep your wall looking fresh, cover up the damage. Fill the holes in the wall first. If there seems any leakage on the walls and your paint is bubbling and peeling, fix the leak source. If possible, use the paint that was left over from the original job. 

The Importance of Cleaning Walls

The Importance of Cleaning Walls

There is a long list of reasons to keep wall paints clean and well-maintained. Here we have shared a few of them. 

  • Clean walls keep both the interior and exterior beautiful and attractive.
  • It can increase the value of the property and make it good-looking for the buyers.
  • Molds and mildews on the walls in a house or commercial place can be the reason for bacterial infections in the people around the property.
  • Regular cleaning can save you the time and money that you need to invest after the damage.

Conclusion

There is no particular chemical or equipment that will keep your walls clean and stain-free, like regular care and maintenance. Make sure to focus on high-touch areas to maintain the cleanliness of your walls. Remember the more you will clear the interior walls the less you will require to succumb to permanent stains and dullness. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Cleaning Walls Regularly Damage The Paint?

If you will use a soft, merely damp cleaning tool and mild cotton clothes with light pressure while cleaning your paint will never damage. But if your paint is already damaged, peeled, and bubbly then cleaning will be the cause of further damage.

Can I Use a Magic Eraser on My Walls?

Yes, a magic eraser will really work on stubborn stains and marks. You just need to simply wet the tool and squeeze it properly to get out the water, and then start scrubbing the surface. If you are looking to purchase an eraser for your wall cleaning, make sure to do some research before buying one.

How Often Should I Clean My Walls?

It is important to clean your walls on regular bases in order to remove dust and stains when they occur. For general upkeep, you can clean walls once a month, and wipe them with a cleaning solution every other month.

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