As Amazon associates, we earn from purchases made on the website. If you make a purchase through links from this website, we may get a small share of the sale from Amazon and similar affiliate programs.

How Do You Clean the Wallpaper?

Over time, all the walls of the house eventually get dirty and you must find a way to clean them. Contrary to what you may think, wallpaper on walls is not difficult to clean.

To properly clean the wallpaper, it must be dusted first. The best way to clean the wallpapers is by using warm water and dish soap. Dipping a clean cloth into the solution, the wallpaper should be rubbed gently. Allow the wallpaper to completely dry.

How do you clean the wallpaper
How do you clean the wallpaper?

Wallpapers should be cleaned at least once a month. It’s important to note that you should research what type of wallpaper you have and how to clean it. Different wallpapers made from different materials require certain cleaning approaches.

What is the best way to clean wallpaper?

In case you are not completely sure whether your wallpaper can be washed or not, and if the labels from the packaging are not preserved, test on a small fragment of the coating located in a place that does not attract the eyes.

Watch what happens if you put water or a cleaning product on it. See how the structure reacts. If your wallpapers have a picture on them, inspect if it is stained, if the colors have faded out or smudged.

In case none of the above has happened, your background can be washed, and you can remove the dirt with a wet cleaning process.

Before you start the cleaning process, you must determine what kind of wallpaper you have. Wallpapers can be made from different materials and each one of them has different cleaning strategies.

Waterproof materials should be wiped with damp cloths without detergent. Clean washable wallpaper with a solution of soap and water. Each wallpaper package contains information about their brand and the possibility of contact with water. Before you start cleaning the wallpaper, it is necessary to consider its type and the material of production.

Vinyl wallpapers are the most common ones. They are affordable and resilient, designed to last up to 20 years. They are mostly used in bathrooms and kitchens because they are waterproof and resist dirt. That also means that they can withstand deeper cleanings.

Fiberglass wallpapers are extremely durable, and they are also fire-resistant. They are used sometimes to patch the wall cracks because they come in various patterns. They have a 30-year lifespan, but that also means that they are expensive. It handles soap and water, and gentle cleaning products.

The first thing you need to do is remove dust from your wallpaper using a microfiber cloth. That should be done at least once in two months. If you have a wall brush extension, you can even use a vacuum cleaner. It comes in handy to reach places near the ceiling and corners. Vinyl wallpapers should always be dusted and vacuumed. Make sure your vacuum cleaner does not have any bristles that can damage the wallpaper.

Clean vinyl and fiberglass wallpapers with soap and water. In 4 liters of water, mix one-quarter of mild dish soap. Use a cloth or a soft sponge and dip in the water. Make sure to wring out excess water, you do not want the sponge to be soaked, only damp.

If the wallpaper is in the kitchen, this mixture will wipe off any grease that was built upon the wallpaper. If you see that some stains or spots are not dissolving, resist the urge to rub harder.

Wallpapers made of paper cannot be cleaned with water. Search for a dry-cleaning chemical sponge to clean this type of wallpaper. These sponges can absorb smoke stains, dirt, and grime. Don’t use colored sponges because they can leave a trace of color.

Do not use any type of harsh cleaner on your wallpapers. Avoid products that contain bleach. If you use these products, you will damage the wallpaper and fade out the color.

When you’re cleaning the wallpaper, it should be in up and down motions. Use rubber gloves when you’re cleaning. Rubber glover will save you from irritating your skin and you will prevent dirt from getting on the wallpapers.

If the dirt from your wallpapers is not coming off after many attempts of cleaning it, it means that the dirt has penetrated in all layers. This result is expected if you haven’t been taking care of your wallpapers from the start. On the packaging of the wallpapers, you can find tips and tricks on how to care for your wallpapers.

If the wallpapers are turning yellow, peeling off, and scrunching up, think about replacing them. Wallpapers can handle a little water damage and dirt. If you don’t care for your wallpapers, you can decrease their lifetime.

How do you remove stains from wallpaper?

The cleaning process of stains depends on the type of wallpaper you have and what kind of stains you want to clean. Again, if you saved the packaging from the wallpapers, check for the label to see what you can use to wash them.

If you don’t have the packaging, contact the manufacturer and ask them what is safe to use. If the wallpapers are very old and you don’t know who the manufacturer is, you need to do a test on an inconspicuous part of the wallpaper.

Before you start with the stain-removing procedure, wash the wallpaper first. Make sure you remove dust and dirt.

To remove water stains, mix one part of bleach with two parts of water. Use a sponge or a cloth and dip a small area into the mixture and be sure to wear gloves. Gently dap the water stains on the wallpaper. Dab the stained part with a dry, clean cloth, to soak up the excess.

Remember not to apply too much of the mixture and avoid soaking the wallpaper. You don’t want to use more water to remove water stains.

The bleach should be left to sit for 5 minutes to dissolve the stains. You might have to repeat this process two times for darker stains. Make sure that the wallpapers are completely dry before repeating the process.

To clean stains from vinyl wallpapers, you can use baking soda. Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with one teaspoon of water to create a paste. Use a non-abrasive sponge and gently rub the paste into the stains. Allow the paste to sit for 15 minutes and use a clean sponge to wipe it off.

How do you clean nicotine off wallpaper?

Vinegar has been shown to be the best cleaning product to remove stains. You can fill a spray bottle with vinegar and spray the surface of the wallpaper you want to clean. If you want to have a lighter cleaning, mix vinegar, and water to weaken the effects of vinegar.

After you spray the surface, use a clean cloth to wipe the wallpaper. Don’t let this solution sit for too long, as it can damage the wallpaper. Avoid using bleach to remove nicotine stains. Bleach is a very harsh chemical, but it is not effective to remove these types of stains.

Also, avoid cleaning products that are designed to remove nicotine stains. These also involve harsh chemicals that can damage the wallpaper.

Light nicotine stains can be removed using a solution made of warm water and any washing-up liquid. Use a soft cloth and gently clean the wallpapers. The cloth you’re cleaning with should be damp, not completely wet.

Wallpapers that have delicate surfaces cannot be cleaned. That also means that you should not smoke in those rooms as well. If you want to smoke in the room, choose wallpapers that are darker in color. If you use wallpapers with light and pastel colors, light stains will be more visible.

If you have paper wallpapers, you can use a protective finish to make them washable. That means that you will be able to clean the nicotine stains. You do this by using latex paint to coat the wallpapers. But this should be avoided if you have a super-sensitive wallpaper surface.

To prevent nicotine stains from reappearing you must make a few changes. Every time you smoke, open a window to properly ventilate the room and let the smoke escape. Also, close the doors of the room you’re smoking in because smoke spreads easily. Remove the ashtray immediately after smoking. 

Can you remove crayons from the wallpaper?

Crayons are made of wax and you can remove them using a simple pencil eraser. If that doesn’t work, try using a damp cloth with gentle detergent and warm water. Warm water will dissolve the wax, while detergent will soak it up and remove color.

Vinegar can also be used to remove crayons. The acid in the vinegar will break down the wax and lift it from the surface. Dilute the vinegar with warm water so it’s not too strong and harsh for the wallpaper. You can use a gentle toothbrush dipped in vinegar to softly rub off the stain. Use paper towels to wipe off the excess and dry the wallpapers.

The best way to clean crayon stains from the walls is to use water and dish soap. Use a clean cloth and gently rub the stained area. It is best to use this method on fresh crayon marks that have not settled in the wallpaper.

If you don’t have super-sensitive wallpapers, you can use baking soda to get rid of marks. Mix baking soda with water and use a cloth to rub on stains. Don’t rub too hard because you don’t want to damage the wallpaper.

Wax is dissolved by heat. Grab a paper towel and an iron. Set the iron at a low temperature and turn off any steam settings. Put the paper towel on the wall and put the iron on top of it. Make a few strokes with the iron until the crayon mark has transferred to the paper towel.

Don’t use products that are high in acid, especially citric acid. These can damage the wallpaper and you will be left with no choice but to redecorate. Sometimes people suggest hairspray, but it will only leave a bigger stain, plus, dust will get trapped in it.

Also, avoid cleaners that have ammonia or alcohol. These can be found in window-cleaning products. Wallpapers from the ’70s recommend using sparkling water and a clean cloth to remove the stains.

If the methods mentioned above don´t remove the stains, It might be time to redecorate your home and remove the old wallpapers.

How Do You Clean the Wallpaper?
Scroll to top