How to Clean Walls: A Guide for First-Timers
No one really talks about how to clean walls. Bedrooms, yes. Bathrooms, yes. But walls? What’s the best way to do that? We explain our best cleaning tips here!
We’re sure you have a good house-cleaning schedule to keep your home clean throughout the year.
Did you know that you also need to clean your walls? Dirt and dust collect on your walls–yet it’s probably one of the surfaces you’re most likely to forget to clean.
Your walls can also collect mold and bacteria. Whether you see it or not, your walls could be dirty enough to make you sick.
If you have a lot of walls in your home, you might feel like cleaning them is an overwhelming task. But it’s not a huge chore if you know what to do.
Here’s how to clean walls in your home.
Dust First
Before you cleaning walls with any kind of liquid cleaning solution, remove the dust.
Pull furniture away from walls and cover it with a cloth. As you dust your walls, you don’t want that dust to land on your furniture fabric.
Run a dry cloth or broom over your walls to clear away dust and cobwebs.
Remove Marks
If you have dogs or kids, you probably have marks on your wall at knee or waist level. Crayons, handprints, and dirty paw prints can be stubborn wall “decorations.”
Depending on the type of paint on your walls, be gentle when removing marks. Start with water (only) and a soft sponge or cloth.
Rub the marks gently. If they’re stubborn enough to withstand cleaning with water, add a small amount of dish detergent and try again.
Avoid using anything stronger than diluted ammonia or a mix of baking soda, vinegar, and water for your wall cleaner. Don’t risk ruining your paint with harsh chemicals to remove marks on your wall.
Wipe the Wall
After you’ve spot-cleaned the marks on your walls, use the same gentle cleaning solutions to wipe the walls from top to bottom.
If your walls have texture, be sure you use enough solution to remove grime from the nooks and crannies from the texture.
When you’ve finished cleaning a wall with your cleaner, be sure you wipe it again with clean water and a clean cloth or sponge. Don’t leave cleaning solution on your wall. Rinse away the cleaner and any additional dirt.
Be Careful With Wallpaper
If your home has wallpaper, you need to clean that, too. Wallpaper can absorb smells and bacteria–even if the wall is a smooth surface.
Test a small area with water (only) for color-fastness before you tackle a larger section of your wall. If the small area doesn’t bleed, you’re probably safe to clean the rest of the wall.
Know How to Clean Walls to Keep Your Home Fresh
If you feel like you’ve cleaned everything in the house, but you still smell “something,” it might be your walls.
Know how to clean your walls to keep your home fresh and free from dust and bacteria.
