TSD Cleaning Articles

Cleaning Wall Paper is Easy

The darker your wall paper and the more intricate the design the better it is at hiding dirt. And since the dirt build up is so gradual, you often don’t notice how dirty it has become. Cleaning your wallpaper can often lead to surprising results when you see how fresh and bright the room looks. While most people leave this job to their commercial cleaning services, there’s nothing to stop you from doing it yourself, if you suddenly realize the room is looking dirty and there’s no time to call in the cleaners.

Before starting, you need to check if the wallpaper manufacturer has given any cleaning instructions. If you do not have any with you, you can always check on the company’s website. If there are specific cleaning instructions, always follow them.

The first thing you need to do is cover the floor with plastic sheeting to prevent water dripping down or spilling onto the floors. Once this is done, use a soft or medium brush to brush away all the surface dirt from the wallpaper. Do not use a hard brush as this may scratch the surface. Do one wall at a time starting from the top and working your way to the bottom. Once all the walls are done, clean off the dirt from the plastic sheeting (water dripping can turn it into mud) and replace it on the floor.

Now you need a bucket half filled with warm water. Do not use hot water as this could affect the glue holding the wallpaper in place. Add very little mild detergent to the water – just enough to get a few bubbles when the mixture is agitated. Too much detergent can leave to wallpaper sticky and more prone to dirt. Take a clean sponge and dip it in the water and detergent mixture. Wring it dry and using the damp sponge wipe down the wallpaper in smooth long strokes from top to bottom. Never use a wet sponge since water seeping into the wallpaper can damage it and also loosen the glue holding it in place.

Clean or replace the sponge if it starts to get dirty. Once you finish cleaning a few square feet of a wall, use a soft clean towel to gently mop up any excess moisture that may remain. Do not rub with the towel; just use it as a mop.

Once the room is finished leave the windows open to allow any remaining moisture to dry up.