White walls are so effortlessly chic, they go well with everything, they make any space look bigger, and most notably, are a right pain to keep clean! It seems that dirt is attracted to white like a magnet!
If you have white walls you will be very aware that one of the biggest struggles is how easily they stain and how easy it is for dirt to show on them. For some reason, dirty white walls look worse than any other color! But do not worry, for we have a solution for you!
It can actually be relatively simple to remove any dirt from your walls, and by following our techniques you will have those crystal-white walls again before you know it – honestly, it will almost look like they have been updated with a fresh lick of paint! So, let’s get into it, shall we?
We have put together six easy steps that will have your white walls white again in no time.
These are the same steps that the house cleaning pros at Mop Stars use to make homes look amazing!
Six Easy Steps To Clean White Walls
You will need:
- Duster or dust brush
- Dry Mop
- Magic Eraser
- Non-abrasive sponge
- Mild Dish Soap (Liquid)
- Warm Water
- Bucket
Before you begin, you should make sure you have everything you need in order to complete the process. These products are going to help you remove the toughest stains! Luckily, you may even have most of these products already lying around the house, or if not they are very easy to find in stores or online.
Step 1. The first thing you are going to need is a bare wall. White walls are quite plain, so you probably have some decorative items that you’ll need to remove before we start cleaning. Set anything that you had hanging on your wall aside, so that they can be put back up later. We need a blank slate to begin the cleaning process!
Step 2. Use a dust brush or duster to remove any dust – Once you have your empty wall, you want to use a dust brush to remove any dirt from the wall. This is going to pick up any surface dirt or particles that are sitting on top of the wall.
You can either use this method alone or brush your wall with a magic eraser or cloth as well. This is going to ensure that there is nothing left sitting atop the wall and will leave you with a smooth finish.
Step 3. The next thing we are going to need to do is to make up the cleaning solution. Gentle liquid dishwashing soap is best for this as it won’t contain any harsh chemicals that could react with the paint of your wall, or leave stains and blemishes.
Mix up a squirt of the soap with around a gallon of warm water in your bucket. The less soap the better, as it may leave a sticky residue if used excessively.
Step 4. The spot test – If you’ve ever dyed your hair, you will know that you need to do a ‘strand test’ before you dye your whole head. This is to test that you aren’t allergic or will have any other reaction to the dye. The spot test is pretty similar to that.
With your solution find a small space on your wall and test it out. It is best to do this in an area that won’t be seen much such as behind the couch or wall decorations, such as a painting!
This is purely to make sure that your walls aren’t going to get damaged after using your soap solution. It is also recommended that you wait a couple of hours after applying it, to see if there are any long-lasting effects or any discoloration.
Step 5. Dip a sponge or cloth in your solution and wring it out so that it is damp but without it dripping. If the cloth is too wet it could cause staining or watermarks, and we want to avoid that from happening. In circular motions, gently scrub your wall to clean off any of the dirt and stains.
Don’t go crazy with the scrubbing though, because you don’t want to damage the paint. Just make sure that your sponge/cloth is moving across the entire wall.
Step 6. Rinse your wall thoroughly with fresh water and a new, clean cloth or sponge. Make sure any soapy residue has been removed, otherwise your wall may end up sticky and attracting dirt! It is also important you do this so that the soap doesn’t pose a threat to damaging your wall.
When Should I Paint Over White Walls?
If you have truly tried everything but those stubborn stains just aren’t budging, it might be time to paint over your wall. Sometimes, dirt simply cannot be removed, especially when some marks and scratches have physically damaged and removed the paint.
If your wall has water or smoke stains or the paint is damaged, then it is best to paint over your wall, rather than trying and wasting time on trying to clean them. Essentially, if your wall is physically damaged, then it is time to get the paint out!
If you only have a few spots where there are scuffs or marks, and you still have the same paint leftover from when you first decorated, you will probably be able to simply touch up these marks without having to paint over the entirety of the wall.
Final Thoughts
White walls can be an annoyance to keep clean, but they certainly are worth it. They are beautiful and chic and never go out of style. The timelessness and simplicity of having white walls will always be worth having to give them a little scrub down now and then.
With these tips, your walls will be sparkling bright in no time at all, and you will be amazed at how different it will look after a simple wipe down! White walls help to make your space look bigger and brighter and are certainly worth it.