How to clean painted walls without damaging the paint

Step by step

1. 1

   Dust the walls first

   Go over the walls and ceiling with the vacuum's dust-brush attachment or a tack cloth, paying attention to corners and the tops of trim.

   Why: Dust turns into muddy streaks as soon as it gets wet.

2. 2

   Test on a hidden spot

   Wipe a small area behind furniture or a door with your sponge and water, let it dry, and look at it from an angle. If the paint looks even and there's no water mark or shiny patch, carry on.

   Why: Some finishes, especially flat paint, lose color, burnish or show water marks when wiped.

3. 3

   Start with plain warm water

   Wring a non-abrasive sponge until it's just damp and rub gently in small circles, one small section at a time. If water alone doesn't shift the dirt, add a few drops of mild dish soap to the bucket.

   Why: Water and mild soap clean without attacking the paint film. Too much water or pressure damages low-sheen paint.

4. 4

   Rinse and towel dry

   Wipe each section with a clean cloth dampened in plain water, then dry it with a towel before moving on, overlapping the areas slightly.

   Why: Leftover detergent dries as a dull film and streaks.

5. 5

   Work so drips don't streak

   Sources differ on direction. The American Cleaning Institute and one paint maker say to start at the bottom and work up; another paint maker's streak-free tip wipes from the top down. Either way, catch drips straight away with your towel.

   Why: Dirty water running down a soiled wall leaves streaks that are hard to remove. Both methods aim to prevent that.

Why the sheen decides how hard you can clean

Interior walls are usually latex (water-based) paint over drywall. The sheen is a sign of how smooth and tough the paint film is. Satin, semi-gloss and gloss have a smooth, hard film that tolerates washing, which is why they're used in kitchens, bathrooms and on trim. Flat, matte and eggshell have a rougher, more porous film: scrubbing polishes it into shiny patches (burnishing), rubs off color, or leaves water marks.

So on low-sheen walls, use the least water and pressure that works, and spot-clean rather than wash. Skip glass cleaners and heavy-duty spray cleaners: one paint maker says their strong solvents can damage the finish. Abrasive pads scratch and dull any sheen. And new paint needs about two weeks to cure before washing, though one maker allows careful spot cleaning of urgent marks after 4 to 6 hours.

Scuffs, grease and marks that won't wipe off

For scuffs, one paint maker suggests a paste of baking soda and water, rubbed gently and rinsed off. It's mildly abrasive, so test it on flat paint. For kitchen grease, use a grease-cutting dish soap in warm water. If cleaning has damaged a spot, the fix is a touch-up with the original paint in the same sheen, applied with the same kind of tool (roller or brush) so the texture matches.

How often: dust walls regularly and wash or spot-clean as marks appear. Kitchen and bathroom walls get dirty fastest.

By situation

Cleaning painted walls before repainting

Dust and wash the walls first, using the same water-and-mild-soap method. For very dirty walls, New Mexico State University Extension lists stronger alkaline cleaners such as sodium metasilicate; wear gloves and eye protection, rinse well and let the wall dry fully before priming or painting. Kitchen walls usually need a grease-cutting wash.

Cleaning painted walls after smoke

Smoke particles and sticky residue cling to walls and keep releasing odor. Wash all walls and hard surfaces, including inside closets and behind hangings, with mild soap or another suitable cleaner and rinse. For tobacco residue, the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center describes washing with acidic (diluted white vinegar) and alkaline solutions separately, never mixed. Primer and paint can temporarily trap tobacco odor but don't remove it, so clean first. Heavily smoked homes may need more than cleaning; see smoke smell in a house.

Cleaning painted walls in a bathroom

Bathroom paint is usually a washable sheen, but humidity feeds mildew. Wash mold spots off with detergent and water and dry the wall completely. Run the exhaust fan during and after showers, and keep humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50, as EPA suggests. EPA points to professional help for mold covering more than about 10 square feet.

Flat or matte walls

Use only water at first, a barely damp sponge and very light pressure, and blot rather than rub. Expect to touch up rather than scrub out stubborn marks.

Holes and drywall anchors

Removing old wall anchors and filling the holes is a small repair rather than a cleaning job, and the cleaning sources used here don't cover it. If you're prepping to repaint, deal with anchors and patching (following your patching compound's label) before you wash, then clean, let it dry and touch up in the same paint and sheen.

What not to do

• Don't use glass cleaner or heavy-duty spray cleaners. One paint maker says their strong solvents can damage the paint finish.
• Don't scrub or soak flat, matte or eggshell paint. The porous, less durable film burnishes, loses color or shows water marks.
• Don't wash freshly painted walls for about two weeks. The paint hasn't fully cured and can be marked or altered.
• Don't use abrasive pads or scouring powder. They scratch and dull the finish.
• Don't mix vinegar, ammonia or bleach-based cleaners. Bleach with ammonia or acids releases toxic gas. See never mix.

Other methods that work

Baking soda paste for scuffs

A paint maker's suggestion for scuff marks: rub gently with a paste of baking soda and water, then rinse.

Caution: Mildly abrasive. Test on low-sheen paint, where it can leave a shiny spot.

Alkaline wall cleaner before painting

Sodium metasilicate or similar heavy-duty cleaners remove grease and grime that would stop new paint from sticking.

Caution: Wear gloves and eye protection, rinse thoroughly, and use it only before repainting, not for routine cleaning.

Touching up instead of cleaning

When a mark won't come off without damaging the paint, a touch-up with the original paint and sheen is often the better fix.

Stain still there?

Shiny patches appeared where I cleaned

That's burnishing from rubbing low-sheen paint. It can't be washed out; touch up the area with the original paint in the same sheen.

The wall looks streaky after drying

Usually soap residue or dirty drips. Wipe again with a clean cloth in plain water, change the rinse water often, and towel dry each section.

Smoke smell returns after washing

Residue remains in spots you missed or in porous materials. Wash again, including ceilings, closets and the backs of furniture; heavily smoked drywall may need professional remediation.

Safety

• Wear gloves and eye protection with heavy-duty alkaline wall cleaners.
• Never mix vinegar, ammonia and bleach-based cleaners.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

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