Walls
Walls require more routine cleaning than ceilings, mainly because it's a lot easier for fingerprints, crayon marks, and scuff marks to land on them. Using a brush attachment, vacuum walls when you clean the room. Go behind pictures and mirrors with the small brush attachment. Remove cobwebs monthly or as needed.
When you vacuum, be careful not to press cobwebs against the wall. When you're ready to wash the wall, use an all-purpose cleaner for cleaning washable walls. Test the product to make sure it does not harm your wall covering by washing an inconspicuous place first.
Here are some additional suggestions:
Decorative tile: Self-sticking decorator tiles, which are often vinyl-coated, are grease- and stain-resistant. A quick wipe with a sponge dipped in an all-purpose cleaning solution is usually all that is needed to keep them fresh and bright.
Metal tile: Metal tile can be wiped clean with a cloth dampened in an all-purpose cleaner and then buffed with a soft cloth.
Mirror tile: These wall tiles, whether clear or smoked, are cleaned in the same way as wall mirrors. Use glass cleaner on a paper towel or piece of newspaper to quickly remove spots and spatters. Do not use soap on mirror tile; it will streak and leave a film.
Some walls have coverings. In the next section, we'll find out how to clean wallcoverings.
Here are some additional suggestions:
- Wash walls from the bottom to the top, overlapping the cleaned areas to prevent streaks.
- To prevent water from running down your arm when washing walls, make a bracelet from a sponge or washcloth held in place with a thick rubber band.
- Lift crayon marks off a painted wall by rubbing them carefully with a cloth or sponge dampened with mineral spirits or lighter fluid. Remove any shine by sponging lightly with hot water.
- To remove transparent tape from a wall without marring the paint or wallpaper, use a warm iron. Through a protective cloth, press the tape to soften and loosen its adhesive backing.
- Remove smudges while they are fresh, but do not scrub with much pressure or use synthetic scouring pads or abrasive cleansers.
- To clean textured walls, old nylon stockings are better than sponges or cloths because they won't tear and leave difficult-to-remove bits and pieces on the surface.
- Slight smoke stains above a fireplace opening are quickly removed with abrasive cleanser. Scrub the powder into the moistened brick and then rinse well with clear water to make sure that no white residue remains. If cleaning changes the color of the brick, even out the color by rubbing another brick of the same color over the discolored surface.
Decorative tile: Self-sticking decorator tiles, which are often vinyl-coated, are grease- and stain-resistant. A quick wipe with a sponge dipped in an all-purpose cleaning solution is usually all that is needed to keep them fresh and bright.
Metal tile: Metal tile can be wiped clean with a cloth dampened in an all-purpose cleaner and then buffed with a soft cloth.
Mirror tile: These wall tiles, whether clear or smoked, are cleaned in the same way as wall mirrors. Use glass cleaner on a paper towel or piece of newspaper to quickly remove spots and spatters. Do not use soap on mirror tile; it will streak and leave a film.
Some walls have coverings. In the next section, we'll find out how to clean wallcoverings.
