Your walls are one of the most noticeable parts of your home, especially if they are beautifully painted. You may frequently mop your floors or vacuum your rug, but when was the last time you cleaned your walls? As often as we clean the floors or windows of a house, the walls are usually forgotten.
We touch our walls several times a day, and accidents can leave unwanted stains or spots on the walls. This occurs, especially if you have kids at home who find joy in using the walls as their art canvas. Apart from this, painted walls can accumulate dust and debris, marks, and shoe scuffs over time. Consulting with GIB stopping NZ experts can help in understanding how these issues can be prevented. Generally, to preserve the freshly painted look of your walls, it is recommended to clean them properly once or twice a year. Here are some of the easy ways you can follow to clean your painted walls:
Properly Dusting and Washing Your Walls
The very first step towards cleaning your walls is to remove the excess dirt and debris. Otherwise, this can lead to the spreading of grime. By using a dry and lint-free cloth, you can thoroughly clean the walls. For reaching the top corners of your walks, using a dust mop or soft broom with a rag over its bristles can help in cleaning every nook and cranny of your house.
After proper dusting, washing your walls with warm water and mild detergent can be a very effective way to clean them. Use a bucket and mix the mildest detergent in the water. Now, use the softest sponge to soak up the solution and apply it to your walls. Do not oversoak your sponge and wring it out properly to avoid dripping or making a mess of the floors.
Leave the solution on your walls for five to ten minutes. Then bring a fresh bucket of water and rinse off the soapy solution. Repeat this process by squeezing the excess water out and working from left to right in a W shape. After this, dry the walls using a microfiber cloth on a mop using the same motion.
Use a Vinegar Solution
One of the oldest and most effective methods to clean your painted walls and eliminate stains is by using white wine vinegar. If you have many stains on your wall that are refusing to come off with water and detergent, then using vinegar can be an ideal solution. Apart from stains, white wine vinegar helps kill mold, germs, and bacteria.
Mix a cup of white vinegar with a bucket full of warm water and use a sponge to tackle any stains. You need to fix the solution in a 50:50 ratio to achieve the desired result. You can also mix the solution in a spray bottle, apply it to the affected area, and use a sponge to rub the wall until the stain comes off. Like your water and detergent solution, there is no need to rinse the solution after you have cleaned your walls. This solution is also effective when it comes to cleaning other rooms of your house, like the bathroom.
Mild Degreaser Works Best For Painted Kitchen Walls
Your kitchen walls can get greasy over time. Without regular cleaning and maintenance, there can be additional spots and stains. If the above solutions do not work, you can opt for a mild degreaser. However, you should be careful about using harsh chemicals on your painted walls since it can result in damage. If your walls have a fuller finish like satin or eggshell, do not apply this solution.
Alternatively, you can use your iron to remove grease stains from your kitchen. Simply place a paper towel on top of the stain, and then press your iron on low heat on top of the paper tower. Wait for one minute before removing the iron and the towel. The hot paper towel will absorb the grease, revealing a clean wall beneath. However, proper precautions should be taken when using iron.
Mix Baking Soda and Water
Do you have stubborn stains that are refusing to budge? If your stain is not coming off despite using the previous solutions, then a mixture of baking soda and warm water is the answer for your painted walls. Baking soda is an abrasive cleaner as well as a natural deodorizer. Mix half a cup of baking soda in a bucket of warm water.
Use a soft cloth or towel and soak it in the mixture to spot-clean your painted walls, and watch the magic happen! This solution can also remove stains caused by crayons and paint marks. It is recommended to first test the solution on a hidden part of your wall before applying it to the visible areas.
Change Your Method for Different Types of Walls
You may have to be creative when it comes to cleaning different types of painted walls. For instance, if you have matt walls, it is best to clean them with your vacuum cleaner since it is a non-washable type of paint. If your walls have latex paint, you can use a multi-purpose cleaning spray. Or if you want a natural solution for your walls, you can go for sugar soap, also known as Castile soap, which has a natural base and can be safely used on semi-gloss wall finishes when dilated with water.
To sum it up, cleaning your walls is important to maintain cleanliness and the visual appeal of your house. By carefully understanding the type of wall you have, you can choose the cleaning solution that is most suitable and get a fresh look in your house.
