The pictures we take, the memories we capture, the world we travel, the house we live in and the walls we paint, with time all these colors of life fade away. It’s just a simple fact of life. You love the place where you live, interior and exterior of your house. But the frustration comes in when you have spent several days on painting your house walls, doors, and trim and you see the walls getting dirty-or start giving up old-rotten look months later.
At the exact time, the only idea that can freshen up look is washing the walls. So, what is the best way to clean the painted walls? Will washing your painted walls ruin them? A quite simple answer to this question is it may be. It depends on what kind of paint is used on your walls, what wall cleaning tools and the cleaning solutions you are using to make them dirt-free.
What Should I Do?
Though you might have done weekly and monthly cleaning with pressure washing through the paint wall cleaners who offer these services. It’s the best approach to save yourself from spending dollar bucks on paint. Therefore, to take you out of this dilemma, we have broken down some useful tips on how to wash the painted walls.
Identify What Kind Of Paint Is Used On Your Walls
Before embarking the washing process of painted walls, you need to check which type of paint is used on them. You need to look at the sheen (glossiness) of the paint too. As a general principle, the shinier the paint, the easier it would be to clean the painted wall. The flatter or more matte the paint is, trickier it would be to clean up the wall.
How To Wash The Bathroom and Kitchen Painted Wall
Usually, the wall paint in your bathroom and kitchen is satin or eggshell finish. This finish is right in the middle of the spectrum of glossiness. Such finishes are used in high-traffic areas in your home. The gloss in the finish hardens gets shiny and helps to close the pores of your walls. The main purpose of the paint is to absorb the greasiness, grime, and dust from everyday life.
Mix a few drops of dish detergent in 0.5 gallons of water. Soak a sponge in the solution and apply it on the kitchen and bathroom walls. Or you can also use a mild degreaser in your kitchen. Take a degreaser agent and wipe it down with a slightly damp sponge.
How To Wash The Trim and Baseboard Painted Walls?
Semi-gloss or high-gloss paint is used on trim and baseboard. Higher glow draws the eye to the trim whereas it is easiest to clean. In addition to this, walls in the bedroom possibly painted with matte or flat paint which is tough to clean.
After washing the painted walls, open the windows and doors and give the area a plenty of time to air dry. Avoid drying the walls with towels or any other dry cloth.
Identify The Type Of Cleaner You Should Use
When you decide to wash the painted walls, select the proper wall cleaner. Take a bucket of clean water, add some mild dish soap/ white vinegar and if possible the baking soda for tough spots. Don’t use a scrubby or steel wool or any kind of textured scrubber. Use the soft sponge to wash the walls gently.
If you will clean the semi-gloss or high-gloss paint, add a few drops of dish soap to the water. All the doors, windowsills, trim or baseboards can be washed easily with little effort. However, for satin or eggshell finish, add a few drops of dish soap to the bucket water. Shower the water on the walls and wring out the sponge in a circular manner. And wring it out until it is practically dry while leaving the paint behind. Even though these finishes are durable, they can still scratch. Hence, using the best sponge will protect them.
The easiest way to keep the walls looking neat and clean is dirt and grime. You can remove it using a soft sponge that has been dampened with a warm water and cleaner mixture. And for stubborn stains like kitchen grease, you should use a stronger dishwashing detergent with warm water to cut the grease spot. After applying on a surface, remove the residue with a clean, damp cloth later on.
Never Mix Water With Matte And Flat Paint
Flat and matte finish is difficult to clean, therefore make a three-pronged approach. Be sure to use a very durable enamel finish when painting woodwork. Take the vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment and run it over the walls. It will remove the dirt and dust from the walls, door frames, and baseboards.
In the next step, dip your sponge into your water with just a little bit of gentle soap. Note that you do not use any abrasive or harsh chemical products. Using cleaners with strong chemicals can soften the paint film or scar/scuff the film causing permanent damage. Hence, gentle pressure with the right kind of cleaner is the key, not excessive elbow grease. It is recommended to gently rub the wall with a sponge.
After washing the flat paint, take a dry, lint-free cloth and dab it to dry. If the wall still is dirty, repeat the same process and gently clean the spotted area. If the wall still won’t come clean, you will need to repaint the walls.
House Walls Stained With Crayon
If your house walls are stained with crayons, they are nearly impossible to remove. The best way to keep your painted walls clean is to carefully choose the type of paint you use from the beginning. At, Total Care Painting, we know everything you need to know about paint and how to clean those painted walls. We will wash the walls with the perfect cleaners through our Cape Cod Painting Contractors.
If you are located in Cape Cod, and you need help with your painting or pressure washing project through the professional hands, you can contact us at (774) 327-9118 to clean up on your next paint job.