If you like the satisfaction of a spotless home, you likely have some valuable tips for maintaining it. To achieve this goal, you will do activities such as scrubbing, mopping, caring for your hardwood floors, and vacuuming your carpets. 

How about you, though? Do you know the best way to clean walls? Nobody is perfect, so don’t feel bad if “wall washing” isn’t on your list of cleaning tasks. We rarely pay as much attention to our walls as we do to other, more horizontal surfaces like our floors, countertops, and furniture. 

However, understanding how to wash walls is a valuable skill because so many people touch walls every day. It is especially true at switchplates and entryways. Lack of frequent cleaning allows for dust, grime, and bacteria accumulation. 

Dust on the walls can irritate asthma and allergies, but if you keep them clean by wiping them down and washing them, you’ll have a more immaculate home that also feels cleaner. Because of this, you can keep your home free of germs and viruses and protect the health of your loved ones. 

You may make your home more beautiful and healthful by including these ten tips for cleaning walls in your everyday housekeeping practice. 

• Flat, satin, and eggshell finishes should be used with caution.

Many types of wall paint are not as long-lasting as those used on doors, windows, and baseboards. Use a soft sponge dipped in a cleaning solution to wipe off these walls. Scrubbing too vigorously may result in paint loss. Never use strong chemicals or professional degreasers to protect walls with flat paint finishes. 

• You can’t beat the durability of a gloss or semi-gloss finish.

These paint coatings are so long-lasting that they are occasionally utilized in wet environments like bathrooms and kitchens. If you clean gently, a light degreaser can be used on shiny walls without damaging them. Use a gentle sponge despite the durability of the glossy paint to avoid scratching it. 

• You should use warm water and an all-purpose cleanser on walls painted with latex paint. 

To clean this paint, use a gentle sponge and an all-purpose cleaner, such as a mixture of water, dish soap, and distilled white vinegar. Dampen a clean sponge with your wall cleanser, squeeze out the excess water, and use it to scrub the wall carefully. Once the wall is dry, the vinegar smell should disappear, but you can speed up the process by wiping it off with a damp cloth. 

• Wash walls with oil-based paint using warm water and dish soap. 

Don’t use white vinegar on your walls if you have oil paint. The acid in vinegar can dull and harm oil-based coatings. Use dish soap, baking soda, and warm water, but keep your sponge damp while cleaning the filth away. The dish soap should give you enough dirt-busting power for oil-based paint, while the baking soda works as a moderate abrasive. 

• Clean safely. 

Walls around light switches, outlets, and thermostats should be cleaned to remove dust and dirt, but these areas should not be wet. Turn off the breaker before cleaning the outlet covers and switch plates. Put towels at the base of the walls to prevent water from leaking onto the floor as you clean. 

• Dust the walls before you clean them. 

Remove the dust from the ceiling and work your way down the walls. A broom is your best bet to sweep away any cobwebs that have settled near the ceiling’s crown molding. Chair rails and wall corners quickly dust using a new paintbrush or dry microfiber cloth. Use the brush attachment on your vacuum if the dust on your walls is particularly thick. 

• Always do a preliminary spot test with your cleaning agent. 

Although the cleaning materials we suggest won’t cause any damage to your walls, it’s wise to do a test patch first. It is especially crucial for matte or flat finishes, which can be damaged by using too-aggressive cleaning solutions, which can leave behind unsightly streaks and stains, especially on lighter hues. 

• Do things the proper way. 

Proper technique is essential while learning how to clean painted walls. You’ll need two buckets, some gentle sponges, and some dry microfiber towels. One bucket should be used for rinsing off the wall cleaner, while the other should be filled with warm water. 

To avoid splotching and discoloration, it’s best to work in stages. Use gentle, circular movements to work your way down the wall from the top. Use your cleaning solution to scrub the wall, and then use a sponge dampened in your rinse bucket to remove any remaining soap residue. Apply some dry microfiber cloth to the wall and move on. 

• After washing the walls, focus on the stains that refuse to come out. 

To save time and effort when cleaning painted walls, wash the walls first, then concentrate on removing stains. If you pass your walls and still notice spots, you can make a natural stain remover. It will allow the cleaning solution to penetrate the color and remove it. 

Make a paste from baking soda and water to remove tough stains like crayons, shoe scuffs, and grease. Using a nonabrasive pad or sponge, gently wipe the paste onto the stain and work in a circular motion. Hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleaching agent usually acceptable for painted finishes and can be used on fruit drinks and red wine. 

Dab a little hydrogen peroxide onto the discoloration using a clean, damp cloth. A moist cloth should then be used to clean down the affected area. Please don’t bother us for approximately five minutes. 

• Perform routine cleaning maintenance to maintain clean walls 

Maintaining the cleanliness and appeal of your walls is as simple as frequently dusting and spot-cleaning. Walls should be cleaned often, particularly around switch plates and door frames. Most surface scratches and stains can be removed using Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, and the chair rails and adjacent walls can be cleaned with a moist microfiber cloth. 

Wooden Wall Care Instructions 

Wood and other textured walls are cleaned and maintained differently than smooth walls. Make your mild wall cleaner by combining one cup of water, a quarter cup of white vinegar, half a cup of mineral oil, and roughly 15 drops of lemon oil. This mixture can be used to clean and condition wood walls. You should combine the chemicals well and use a clean cloth to rub the cleaner into the wood toward the grain.

Stains that refuse to come out no matter how hard you scrub should be treated with extra pressure and a circular motion to help get the color out of the grain. Wood doesn’t need to be rinsed; just let it air dry. The wood will be left with a warm gloss and a pleasant lemon aroma after being cleaned, as mentioned above. Use a wet cloth with lemon oil for spot cleaning and regular maintenance. 

Tips for Cleaning Brick and Concrete Walls 

You can clean the walls with dish soap and salt, both inexpensive and easily accessible cleaning supplies. Make a thick, gritty paste by combining one cup of dish soap with one cup of salt. The dish soap serves as a solvent to loosen grime and grease, while the salt scrubs away residue. 

Use a tarp or plastic sheeting to protect nearby floors and furnishings from getting cleaned-up solutions or debris on them. Use the brush attachment of your vacuum to get rid of the dust and debris accumulated on the wall. If you need to clean in tight spaces, use a soft bristles brush instead of a wire to protect the finish and the mortar. 

The best way to clean a brick or similarly textured wall is to soak it in water, so fill a spray bottle with water and give it a good whack. It prevents the wall from soaking up your cleaning solution, allowing it to dissolve dirt and grime more. 

Use a clean piece of cloth to spread the paste on the area. Scrub the area gently with a brush with firm nylon bristles. Wait 10 minutes while the paste cleans the wall. Using a damp clean towel, wipe away any excess paste from the affected area. The residual paste can be vacuumed with a brush attachment after it has dried. 

Wall washing isn’t the most straightforward chore, especially if the walls haven’t been cleaned in a while. However, using these risk-free and efficient methods can restore your walls to their original beauty.