Cleaning Painted Walls

Here and there it’s almost inevitable that your walls will take the occasional mark, scuff or rogue pencil line. Not every mark will require a complete painting. Learn what the pros suggest for cleaning painted walls.

Freshen up your walls from the cooking splatters, rough housing scuffs and sticky fingerprints with a cleaning regiment our experts have used on many walls. This will extend the life of your paint, while keeping it looking crisp.

Preparation

To paint a wall, preparation is key. The same goes for cleaning efforts. Start by vacuuming the walls, preferably with a brush nozzle. A broom wrapped in a towel will give you the same effect. Use a blanket or old sheet on the floor to catch large dust bunnies, or water in the next step. Avoid plastic tarping, since it will just catch the water and allow it to run onto the floor.

Gentle

Because some are more delicate and will not withstand harsh scrubbing or chemicals, it’s best to start light. Begin with the most gentle options to see if it gets the job done. Use a soft sponge and water to dab at the mark. If there is no change, add a bit of mild detergent.

Stronger

The next step up the ladder is an alkali solution. It’s best to test this on your paint in a hidden area of the room, say a corner or behind a bookcase. This will allow you to test the paint for damage in an inconspicuous place. To make the solution, mix warm water with non-sudsing clear ammonia, white vinegar and washing soda.

After performing the test patch, if there is no damage to the paint, try to remove the mark. You may find that with a spot washing, the walls shows the cleaned area after dries. If this is the case, wash down the whole wall to give you a cleaner look and a removed spot.

Cleaning sponges

Cleaning sponges have saved walls more than a few times. There is the potential for the sponge to injure paint. Again, a patch test in an out-of-the-way place is recommended. These should be saved for the last option since the sponge can remove finishes, paint and everything down to drywall if not carefully used on particular paint finishes.

Strongest

If you have diligently tried to take the marks off of your wall with no luck, there is always a new painting. You can choose to paint just the wall, the whole room, do it yourself or bring in a professional.