How to Wash a Wallpapered Wall

Every wall in the house gets dirty eventually and you will have to find a way to wash it. A wallpapered wall is not as difficult to clean as you might think. Follow these steps and you will be able to breeze right through difficult stains on your wallpaper.

Things You'll Need

• Sponge
• Soft cloth
• Dish washing liquid
• Cleaning putty

Instructions

1. Consider some mild cleaning products you can use to wash the wall. A good one is a mixture of a small amount of dish washing liquid in a bucket of water.

2. Select the cleaner you want to use. Check a small area on the wall to test clean (behind a piece of furniture is a good idea). Use a damp sponge and rub in a circular motion. If it comes clean with no damage to the wallpaper (streaking, fading or staining), you can go over the entire wall with the cleaner you selected. Be sure to follow up with clear, clean water as a rinsing agent.

3. Wash the wallpaper area only when necessary. Too much washing will actually be bad for the wallpaper. Use only a soft cloth to wipe with; scrubbing pads are bad as well. If you are not successful with homemade solutions, try buying a cleaning solid from the wallpaper store (similar in looks to clay). You still need to test the area before using the product on the entire wall.

4. Clean the soiled wallpaper from the bottom to the top. Wipe in vertical motions and wash gently. Lightly pat the area dry using a soft terry-cloth towel.

5. Treat stubborn stains further. Try a few of the following tricks to clean gunky stains. Use a cloth and a hot iron to remove crayon marks. You can also use denatured alcohol on a cloth to remove crayon as well. If you have dirty hands touching your wall, use the clay-like cleaner for fingerprint marks.

Tips & Warnings

• Try vacuuming the spot or using a dry sponge if your wallpaper material cannot be washed.

• You could end up with a water stain from cleaning the wallpaper.

• Mildew does not come out of wallpaper. If this is your problem, you will not be successful merely washing the wallpaper. The mold will grow through the paper to the wall beneath and continue to penetrate there.