How To Clean Wallpapers And Walls - Wallpaper Cleaning Tactics

Walls and wallpapers are often overlooked during cleaning. They tend to be ignored until children turn them into canvases, scribbling with crayons. Beyond attracting dust and dirt, the beauty of your wallpaper can be spoiled by everyday habits. When you have kids at home, it can be especially challenging to maintain clean walls. Touching the wallpaper with dirty hands or unintentionally resting feet against the wall can leave smudges and stains. Whether your walls are papered or painted, and whether they appear clean or dirty, regular wallpaper cleaning is essential to keep them looking fresh and spotless. Here are some steps to follow for effective wallpaper cleaning, which generally involves three key stages: dusting, stain removal, and thorough cleaning.

Wallpaper cleaning and dusting

Vacuuming – The dust and dirt accumulation on the wallpaper is a normal thing. You cannot stop it but what you can do is wallpaper cleaning and vacuuming. Plug the vacuum cleaner on, attaching the wall brush extension to it, and start vacuuming the accumulated dust from the ceiling top of the wall. Again, it will be easier if you divide the wall into small sections while cleaning. If you are facing a height problem and the extension is not enough, you may take a ladder while wallpaper cleaning. Use the vacuum cleaner with gentle strokes and do not rub or scratch it.

Use a Broom and Cloth to Reach the Corners – The top corners are hard-to-reach areas and may need your detailed attention. Put a microfiber cloth over the broom and swipe it from the left to the right wall. Ensure that the cloth is not too dirty, as it may leave smudges on the wall. The cloth can reach you even in the hard-to-reach corners and remove dirt and dust. Use it from top to bottom for thorough wallpaper cleaning.

Wallpaper cleaning and stain removal

Remove Crayon or Grease Stains – Scrape the extra crayon by using a putty knife. Once you have cleared the surface, the crayon or grease stain must be covered with the paper towel. Now, use an iron set on the lowest heat temperature over the stain and leave it for a minute or two. The remaining stain should seep into the towel. If you have used a washable wallpaper, then take cleaning solution in a piece of cloth and wipe until the stains are completely gone.

Remove Fingerprints – The dirt and oil from your fingerprints on the wallpaper can be removed with the help of a gum eraser. Gently rub the eraser over it to remove the fingerprint stains while wallpaper cleaning. For vinyl wallpaper, use the soap and water solution for cleaning.

For wallpaper deep cleaning 

Ensure Type - What kind of wallpaper are you using? Is it vinyl, coated fabric with vinyl or acrylic covering or the plain paper wallpaper? You can spot clean it and check if the cleaning method works on your walls paper. You may scrub the vinyl wallpaper with the soft sponge but ensure not to use an abrasive one for cleaning. For wallpaper cleaning without a protective cover, a dry sponge without moisture can help in getting rid of the dirt and dust on the wallpaper. Once you are sure about the type, you can move on to the next step of wallpaper cleaning.

Wallpaper Cleaning - Make a wallpaper cleaning solution with two tablespoons of dish soap and a bucket of warm water. The colored detergents may leave stains on the wallpaper so, it is always advised to use clear soap. Take a soft cloth, dip it in the solution, and carefully wring the excess soapy water into the bucket.

You must always test a small wallpaper cleaning area to check if the solution causes any kind of damage. If all is fine, you can continue wallpaper cleaning in a vertical direction from the top to the bottom. Always ensure that you divide the wallpaper into segments and clean small segments at a time. The soap should never be overused as it may stick the dirt to the walls.

Wallpaper Rinsing – Take a bucket filled with fresh water and a clean cloth. Then, rinse the divided small segments with a clean damp cloth. Do not overuse the water. Dry the sections as soon as you rinse with another clean cloth to avoid the moisture from soaking in.

Conclusion

To keep your home sparkling clean, wallpaper cleaning is essential. The dirty walls and wallpapers can make your complete room appear dark and filthy. You may also check some of the ways to clean home using lemon in one of our last articles. From wallpaper cleaning to the rest of your home, it can help in the overall cleaning of your house.

Moupriya Das

Acknowledgments:

• "Featured photo": for source click here.

• "Picture no.1": for source click here.

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This article was originally published in 2018 on SPIC AND SPAN. Home & Office Cleaning blog.