How to Wash Walls After Interior Painting
The Best Way to Clean Your Walls
Dixon Painting has helped countless customers elevate their homes since 2003. But what happens after we’ve left your home, and what’s the best way to clean walls? Our Atlanta, GA painting company can help. It is essential to ensure your walls stay clean and look fresh. Whether you choose a classic off-white or an eye-popping yellow, proper maintenance keeps them looking vibrant longer. Fortunately, cleaning walls isn’t difficult. Learn more about cleaning painted walls and keeping your house looking fabulous.
Get Set Up Before Cleaning Painted Walls
Interior painting can make a huge difference in how your home looks. Keeping them clean keeps them looking beautiful. Cleaning painted walls starts with gathering the right supplies and organizing everything for easy access. Doing so will keep you from making mistakes and make the project easier. Before you start, get the following supplies together:
- Soft, Large Sponges or Washcloths: Don’t use abrasive towels or tools during cleaning. Soft sponges or washcloths clean walls without scratching them.
- Mild Soap or Dishwashing Detergent: Harsh chemicals are a no-no. The best way to clean painted walls is to use mild cleaning solvents to remove dirt and grime.
- Warm Water: Warm water dissolves soap better than cold water. Hot water might be hard on your walls and uncomfortable on your hands.
- Buckets: You’ll want plenty of buckets. Try to have one for mixing cleaning solutions and another for holding water.
- Microfiber Cloths or Dry Cloths: We strongly suggest using microfiber cloths instead of a regular towel. They will dry your walls without causing streaks.
- Protective Gloves: Even though you won’t use dangerous chemicals, some soaps can irritate your skin the longer you use them. We suggest rubber gloves.
How to Clean Walls: A Multi-Step Process
You love how your home looks and your walls are the unsung heroes of every room. But you would be surprised how easily dirt can set in and make cleaning harder. Dixon Painting recommends you go through the following steps once every six months:
- Wipe Away Dust: Use a dry microfiber cloth or a dusting brush to remove cobwebs, dust, and loose dirt, ensuring your cleaning solution doesn’t turn the dust into mud.
- Check for Mold and Mildew: Use a mold-killing spray or a mixture of bleach and water (one part bleach to three parts water) to clean it off. Bathrooms and kitchens are the most likely locations.
- Clean All Surfaces: Fill a bucket with warm water and mild soap or dishwashing detergent. Dip a sponge into the solution. Wring until damp, and gently scrub the walls in a circular motion.
- Dry Everything: Use a clean, damp cloth to remove soap residue. Then, dry the walls thoroughly with a dry towel or microfiber cloth to prevent water spots and streaks.
How to Wash Painted Walls and Get Rid of Smoke Damage
Making time to wash painted walls is crucial when there is smoke damage. Smoke stains leave a musky odor and discoloration on your walls. To neutralize smoke stains, mix equal parts white vinegar and hot water solution. Then perform the following steps:
- Dip a sponge into the vinegar solution and wring it out.
- Gently scrub the affected areas.
- Rinse the walls with plain water and dry them with a clean cloth.
Keeping the Most Used Room in the Home Looking Great
Cleaning food stains, especially grease or red sauce, is tricky. You need to purchase a soap designed to remove oil. Most dish soaps can do that. The steps aren’t that different from cleaning any other wall. For instance:
- Mix a bucket of warm water with a few drops of dish soap.
- Use a sponge to scrub the stained areas, applying more pressure to greasy spots.
- Rinse the walls with clean water to remove soap residue and dry them with a towel.
Enjoy Your Home Forever with Regular Wall Cleaning
We are proud of our work, and our team wants you to enjoy your home. Knowing the best way to clean your walls is essential. And cleaning them is worth an afternoon’s work. You don’t need to clean the entire home in one day. Plan to do half one weekend and the other half on a different day. Either way, we suggest keeping up with a regular schedule. Our team can travel throughout the region. We serve Atlanta, Marietta, Roswell and Milton, GA. We have also repaired and installed countless roofs in Dunwoody, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, and Kennesaw, GA. Contact us today to learn more about what we have to offer.