How to Properly Clean Walls: Tips for Maintaining Different Surfaces

1. Prepare the workspace: remove all pictures and photographs from the walls, move furniture to the center of the room so you don't trip over it during cleaning. To avoid hurting your hands on the 'orphaned' nails and picture hooks, hang small pieces of colorful fabric on them – this way you won't miss them.

2. Protect the floor from moisture. Don't forget to place cloth rags or paper sheets on the floor to protect the surface from moisture that runs down from the walls during cleaning. The fabric must absorb moisture.

3. Dust the baseboards and walls – this is the most important step. The easiest and fastest way to do this is to wrap a cloth or rag around the brush of a mop and wipe walls from bottom to top with this tool. You can also pass the walls with a vacuum cleaner with an aqua filter. Remember that walls with wallpaper should be vacuumed at the lowest setting to avoid damage.

Walls with Wallpaper: Tips

1. Not all wallpapers can be washed. If you're unsure what type of wallpaper your walls have, conduct a test: try washing a small area (preferably in a hidden spot – for example, behind furniture), let it dry thoroughly, and then inspect for any damage – does the color or pattern change, are there any stains left?

2. Using a lint-free cloth or soft sponge soaked in warm water with liquid cleaning product, wipe the walls from top to bottom with quick, light movements. Avoid using colored soap or sponges – they may accidentally stain the wallpaper. Also, it's important not to overuse the cleaning product – the solution shouldn't form thick foam. In general, this simple mixture of basic ingredients – water plus cleaning product – is the most universal for washing walls with almost any type of surface (exceptions are listed below).

3. Clean water and drying. Pass the walls with the same cloth or sponge, but soaked in clean water. The key here is to change the water regularly so that you don't spread dirt around the walls. It might be more convenient to prepare two buckets – one with soapy water and another with clean water. Then, to remove excess moisture, wipe the wallpaper with a cotton towel.

4. Different types of stains on wallpaper can be removed in various ways. For example, to deal with greasy stains, sprinkle talcum powder on them, leave for a few minutes, and then clean with a brush. Fingerprints can be removed using a regular eraser, and alcohol-based marker stains can be removed with vinegar or lemon acid.

Painted Walls: Details

1. Type of paint. The rules here are exactly the same as for wallpaper: dusting, soapy solution, clean water. However, there are a few nuances. For example, special attention should be paid to walls painted with latex paint: instead of a soapy solution, it's better to wipe them with an alkaline cleaning product mixed with a small amount of ammonia spirit. Emulsion paint, on the other hand, absolutely does not tolerate soap. To remove greasy stains from painted walls, use a solvent like White Spirit.

2. Heavy dirt. For particularly stubborn stains, use the following cleaning solution: half a cup of vinegar, one cup of ammonia spirit, and a quarter cup of baking soda – mix all with about 4 liters of water. Don't forget to wear rubber gloves for hand protection!

Warning

Dust from plastered surfaces should be removed regularly, but washing should only be done in case of heavy dirt. You must never scrub such walls. Mist them with a weak soapy solution and gently blot with a cotton towel.

Tiled Walls: Care Guidelines

When cleaning tiled walls, avoid using powder-based cleaning products – they can leave scratches on the surface. If you're against household chemicals and prefer natural remedies, rely on a good old soapy solution. Another option is a bottle with a spray nozzle filled with regular vinegar.