Wash Away Wear And Tear On Your Home’s Walls
If your home’s walls could talk, what would they say? I know mine would be quick to complain that it’s been ages since their last scrub down! It’s an easy chore to skip since usually the only walls you really need to wash are those overtly dirty kitchen backsplashes, bathrooms and baseboards. But every once in a while it doesn’t hurt to give all your walls a wash as part of your spring or even an early fall deep cleaning routine.
Start With Spot-Cleaning And Proceed As Needed…
- Spot clean walls — at least the kitchen and bathroom — weekly by wiping them down with all-purpose cleaner.
- Most bathroom walls will need a complete washing once a year or so, and the kitchen every couple years or so.
- Before tackling all your walls, first remove any the pictures from the wall. You can protect yourself from nails and hanging fixtures by covering them with a cleaning cloth or rag after you remove the picture to remind you where the nails are.
- Start off by dusting your walls and baseboards. One simple way to get this done fast is by covering a broom with a towel and wiping the walls top to bottom. You can also use the brush attachment on your vacuum to hit your baseboards (check out our blog “All About the Baseboards” for helpful hints.)
- When washing painted walls the goal is to preserve your paint job by using the most gentle cleaning method possible, which in this case would be a sponge with simple water. To step up your cleaning power, add a mild dishwashing detergent to warm water.
- For more intensive cleaning purposes, mix up 1 cup of ammonia, ½ cup of vinegar, ¼ cup of baking soda and 1 gallon of warm water.
General Stain Removal
- After you’ve vacuum brushed the walls to remove any excess dust or loose dirt, apply a paste of ½ cup of baking soda mixed with an ounce of water.
- Be sure to first test the solution on an area that isn’t too noticeable. If the paint coloration remains unchanged and there are no watermarks, you should be all set to get started.
- Work your way from top to bottom scrubbing lightly with a sponge. Use a second dampened sponge to swipe away the dirt and cleaning paste. Dry the walls to finish.
Finger Marks On Wallpaper
- Mix distilled vinegar with warm water to wipe away handprints and fingerprints.
Pen Marks
- Magic eraser sponges work well on pen and pencil marks. Wet with water and gently scrub them away.
Stained Tiles
- Wipe up any dirt with a damp cloth and solution of gentle cleanser and then buff dry. For discolored grout scrub with diluted bleach over the area or try a grout-whitening product.
Cleaning Fabric Wall Coverings
- Fabric wall coverings should be dusted every so often with a dry cloth or vacuum brushed. It is best to always follow the manufacturer’s care and cleaning instructions.
References:
www.bobvila.com
www.housekeepingchannel.com
www.apartmnenttherapy.com
www.goodhousekeeping.com