To clean painted walls, the process involves gentle dusting first, then wiping with a mild cleaning solution tailored to the paint finish, and finally rinsing and drying carefully to avoid damage.
Steps to Clean Painted Walls
- Dust the Walls: Start by removing dust with a broom, duster, microfiber cloth, or vacuum with brush attachment to avoid mixing dust with cleaning solution.
- Choose the Cleaning Solution: Use warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap or a dye-free hand soap for matte, flat, eggshell, or satin finishes. For glossy or semi-gloss finishes, a degreasing cleaner or stronger dish soap can be used.
- Test First: Test the cleaning solution on a small inconspicuous area to ensure it does not discolor or damage the paint.
- Clean Gently: Use a soft sponge or cloth dampened with the cleaning solution. Wipe walls gently in circular motions from top to bottom. Avoid soaking the walls to prevent water damage.
- Rinse: Use a separate sponge dampened with clean water to rinse the walls, removing soap residue.
- Dry: Wipe the walls with a soft dry cloth to prevent water spots and keep the paint fresh.
Removing Stains
- For stains like scuff marks or crayon, use a mixture of water and baking soda with a microfiber cloth.
- Greasy stains may be cleaned with rock salt or a degreasing cleaner.
- Smoke or tougher stains benefit from a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water.
- Rubbing alcohol or mild abrasive cleaners can be used around door knobs or baseboards.
Be careful not to scrub hard on flat, satin, or eggshell finishes as they are less durable. For tougher stains on durable glossy or semi-gloss paint, more elbow grease or a mix including vinegar, baking soda, and dish soap can be used. Overall, gentle cleaning with appropriate solutions based on paint type keeps painted walls clean without damage.
