How to Clean Painted Walls
The paint job you performed on your home’s walls is an investment. It took time and effort to paint those walls, and it cost money to get all the materials you needed for it. You should want to protect that investment, and we will show you a few ways that you can safeguard the paint on your walls when you need to clean them.
Maintenance for the Walls
One of the better ways to keep your walls clean and to protect the paint is to do some minor maintenance every now and then. You can dust the walls of cobwebs and then use the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to get rid of dust and dirt. Try to wipe off fingerprints as soon as you see them, and you can use a variety of tools to keep your walls dust free. Soft cloths, a cloth draped over a broom and an electrostatic dusting cloth wipe are all excellent choices.
Cleaning Latex-Based Paint
Different types of paint require different cleaning methods. After all, you don’t want to damage the paint as you try to clean it. If you use the wrong method, you can end up peeling the paint off, causing it to corrode or otherwise damaging it.
For latex-based paint, we suggest using a sponge dipped in a mixture of warm water and a non-abrasive cleaner. Then rub gently across the wall, concentrating on marks and stains. You should only do this after you have properly dusted the walls. If you run into spots that the sponge can’t remove, then use a paste made from baking soda and water and rub it gently onto the wall with a non-abrasive cloth. Wipe it off when you have removed the mark for a perfectly clean wall.
Cleaning Oil-Based Paint
For walls that are painted with an oil-based paint, you want to use a cloth or a sponge and dip it in a vinegar/water mixture. Be sure not to soak the sponge, but only get a little of the vinegar water on it to scrub at the walls. Once again, scrub gently so that you don’t remove the paint.
Cleaning Enamel and Semi-Gloss Paint
Walls painted with a flat paint like semi-gloss or enamel are the hardest to clean.
The dirt gets into this porous paint and holds on tightly. If you use normal scrubbing and cleaning methods, you can tear off the paint with the dirt. We suggest staring with the gentlest cleaning solution you can find and scrubbing gently on the wall. If that is leaving marks and stains behind, then move up to a tougher, more penetrating cleaner. Keep using harsher and harsher cleaners until you find one that works. You should be able to find a solution that cleans the dirt off but leaves the paint intact.
Hopefully, these cleaning tips will help you keep your walls looking their best and protect your paint for a long time to come.