How to Clean Walls Without Damaging Your Paint

How to Clean Latex-Painted Walls

1. Remove Dust

   Starting at the top of the wall, use a vacuum with an extendable wand, dusting brush, or microfiber duster to remove dust and cobwebs. Always use a sturdy step stool or ladder when reaching high spots.

2. Mix a Cleaning Solution

   Add one teaspoon of all-purpose cleaner per quart of warm water in a bucket. Fill a second bucket with clean water.

3. Wipe Down Walls

   Dip a sponge or microfiber cloth in the cleaning solution and wring until no water is dripping. Start at the top of the wall and, working in a small section, move down the wall. Starting at the top prevents drips from falling on areas already cleaned. Rinse out the sponge frequently.

4. Rinse the Walls

   Dip a second sponge or cloth in the clean water and wring until nearly dry. Rinse away any soapy residue as you move down the wall.

5. Tackle Heavily Soiled Areas

   Ensure that the electricity is turned off and clean carefully around light switches and outlet plates. Do not allow these areas to become excessively wet.

   If scuffs and smudges do not come off easily, dip your dampened sponge in some baking soda and lightly rub the area. The gentle abrasive action of the baking soda should remove the problem.

   A bit of rubbing alcohol on a sponge works well to remove soil from painted areas around doorknobs and trim work.

   Banish Scuff Marks From Your Walls and Floors

How to Clean Oil-Based Painted Walls

1. Dust the Walls

   Begin by dusting the walls. Dusting will prevent loose dirt from being moved around while you clean.

2. Mix a Cleaning Solution

   Add one teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar per quart of warm water in a bucket. Fill a second bucket with plain water for rinsing.

3. Wipe and Rinse

   Dip a sponge or microfiber cloth in the cleaning solution, wring out well, and wipe down the walls starting at the top. Follow up with a sponge dipped in plain water and wrung well for a final rinse.

4. Tackle Tough Stains

   If the walls are filthy, add two tablespoons of laundry borax to the cleaning solution.

   A melamine sponge (Mr. Clean Eraser) works well to remove soil on semi-gloss or glossy oil paint finishes. Using a light touch, the abrasive action will remove almost all scuffs.

Tips to Keep Walls Clean Longer

To stretch the time between wall cleanings, you can do a few things to lessen your workload. Avoid smoke in the house, from tobacco and cooking to burning candles or incense; the soot from combustion coats walls, getting them dirty quicker.

Also, immediately spot clean walls when you notice smudges or hand prints between the big jobs. It will extend the appearance of clean walls longer.

Removing Writing From Walls

If you have little kids, your young Picassos might have gotten inspired and marked up your walls. Or—and this can happen to anyone—you are walking out of a room with items in your hand, and your pen drops, ricochets, or happens to glide along a wall. How do you remove crayon, permanent marker, or ink markings from a wall?

• Crayons: To remove crayon markings, first try baby wipes. Sometimes, a little mark only needs a little solution. But, if your child went full Rembrandt, try rubbing it out with some non-gel toothpaste, an art eraser, or baking soda on a damp sponge.
• Permanent marker: Dab at the stain with a cotton ball doused in rubbing alcohol, but be mindful that rubbing alcohol could damage the paint. If rubbing doesn't work, try spraying hairspray on the spot and wiping it clean with a water-dampened cloth.
• Ballpoint ink: If you have some foaming shaving cream, try dabbing this popular home remedy on the stain. You can also use nail polish remover instead.

Removing Mildew and Water Stains From Walls

Mold and mildew are pesky stains that will return if you do not remediate the problem. Unfortunately, you will likely need to repaint water-stained walls. First, make sure that if there is a leak behind the wall, you handle the cause of the water stain. If the situation has been remedied, you want to clean the stain with a solution of 50% bleach and 50% water to prevent mildew growth. Apply it to the entire area. Use a hair dryer or fan to dry the area. Once dry, repaint the area using mold and mildew-resistant paint.

If you have a little mildew growth but no water stain, you can try cleaning it off with a vinegar solution (1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 quart of water) or blot on an enzyme-based laundry cleaner and clean it off with a moistened towel.

When to Call a Professional

If you have vast sections of walls that have been blackened by mold, then it's time to call a mold remediation service to handle the mold situation. They will likely remove the entire portion of the wall, clean out the mold in the wall's interior, and replace the wall panel. The costs vary drastically on the size of the job and how difficult the mold situation is. It can cost between $15 and $30 per square foot, plus all the charges for evaluation, new materials, and more.

If routine wall cleaning is not something you like to do or plan on ever doing, then it's time to call in a house cleaning service to do it periodically for you. You want to keep the air quality in your home as clean as you can to prevent triggering allergies or any respiratory conditions from occurring. You can expect to pay at least $40 to $65 per person per hour to clean your house; if you only want your walls cleaned, they should be able to tackle it in an hour, depending on the size of your home.