While there's no way to clean deep stains and heavy grime from non-washable painted walls without ruining the surface, there are ways to minimize the damage; and if you're careful, you should be able to clean small scuffs and marks without leaving any evidence.
Things You Will Need
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Dust or vacuum the wall first, even if it doesn't look dusty. Cleaning will rub even invisible dust into the porous painted surface, leaving a dirty-looking mark.
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Rub scuff marks and small blemishes gently with a dry dirt eraser sponge designed to remove stains and marks from painted surfaces without the use of water.
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Mix a mild cleansing solution in a clean bucket, such as one part white vinegar to three parts cool water, or 2 tbsp. Borax to a gallon of water. Fill another bucket with clean cool water for rinsing.
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Clean the wall using the cleaning solution and a clean rag or sponge. Start at the bottom and work up to the ceiling working in approximately 3-foot wide sections. Use very light pressure while cleaning.
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Squeeze excess water from the rag in your rinsing bucket and rinse each section as you go, working from the ceiling to the bottom of the wall.
The Drip Cap
- Non-washable painted walls are usually paint with flat paint or the dreaded "builder paint" in new homes, which will often wash right off the wall with even a mild cleaning.
- While there's no way to clean deep stains and heavy grime from non-washable painted walls without ruining the surface, there are ways to minimize the damage; and if you're careful, you should be able to clean small scuffs and marks without leaving any evidence.
- Clean the wall using the cleaning solution and a clean rag or sponge.
Check out this related video from Homesteady on Youtube.