How To Clean Wallpaper

Decorating our homes is one of the most rewarding processes. Not to mention, a decorated home can influence our moods. Though, it is a difficult process that takes lots of work. Putting up wallpaper is one of the trickier tasks when decorating a room. It is rather messy and time consuming. However, the end result is worth all of the trouble.

Over time, the decor in our home can start to look a little worn. Surfaces might be scratched or your wallpaper might be looking a little dull. As we live our lives, accidents happen and our wallpapers can also take the hit. Whether that is kids drawing on them or food splattering on the wallpaper. Well, there is a solution. There are many ways we can clean our wallpapers. In this guide, we are going to walk you through the step-by-step process on how to clean wallpaper.

If your wallpaper has started to look a little dull and dirty, but there aren’t any marks or stains on it, then there might be a build up of dust. Textured wallpaper is especially prone to dust building on it since the dust particles can get caught in the ridges of the wallpaper. Dust can often go unnoticed on a wallpaper, as we don’t think to dust our wallpapers regularly. Since dust build-up will gradually change the way the wallpaper looks, it can be even harder to spot when you need to dust.

• So, to keep the dust build-up to a minimum, then we would recommend dusting at least once every month.
• If you have pets, then you may want to do it more regularly as hair strands or dirt from outside will contribute to more dust.

Dusting your wallpaper might seem like a strange task to complete and you might be worried about damaging the wallpaper. However, if you are careful and gentle then it is safe to dust any type of wallpaper without causing any damage. There are two main ways you can dust your wallpaper, manually and with a vacuum.

If you are going to use your vacuum cleaner to dust your wallpaper, then we highly recommend using the brush attachment. This is because the bristles will be gentler on your wallpaper, compared to running hard plastic along the wallpaper. If you are worried about damaging your wallpaper when using the vacuum cleaner, reduce the intensity of the suction on the vacuum cleaner. This should still allow for dust to be removed but will ensure that your vacuum cleaner doesn’t get stuck on the wallpaper.

MANUALLY DUSTING

If you would rather not use the vacuum cleaner, then there is always the option to use a microfibre duster. In order to effectively dust your wallpaper using a duster then you need to start at the top and work your way down. This makes the job easier for you, as dust will fall down as you dust the top of the wall. If you are going to manually dust, then we would recommend doing this more regularly to avoid having to remove large clumps of dust.

Method Two: Washing The Wallpaper

If you notice that there are stains on the wallpaper then dusting your wallpaper will not remove them. So the alternative option is to wash your wallpaper. However, before you start applying soap to your wallpaper, you need to make sure that your wallpaper is suited to being washed. If you are not sure whether your wallpaper can be washed, then it is a good idea to perform a test strip on part of the wallpaper that is hidden. Apply the soapy solution to the wallpaper and watch for any immediate damage, such as the color starts to run or the wallpaper completely soaks up the water. This is going to cause damage to your wallpaper as you wipe away dirt, for example, tearing.

The simplest way to wash your wallpaper is to mix dishwasher soap and warm water. The solution only needs a small amount of soap. Once the mixture is combined, take a sponge and dip it in the solution to make the sponge damp. Make sure the sponge is not dripping with water. Lightly wipe the sponge on the wallpaper but make sure to avoid scrubbing. Then use a clean cloth or sponge that is wet with water to remove the soap from the wall. Dry the wallpaper with a towel by patting the wall, not scrubbing.

DRY WASHING WALLPAPER

Alternatively, if your wallpaper is not able to be washed, but you need to remove some stains then you can dry wash it using wallpaper dough. It might also go by the name paper cleaner. Wallpaper dough can be purchased at most hardware stores or online, but make sure it is a dough not a paste.

To use wallpaper dough, all you have to do is take a small amount and roll it into a ball. Then you roll this ball over the dirt on your wallpapers. As you roll the wallpaper dough ball it should lift the dirt. If the surface of the dough is not picking up any more dirt, then roll the ball again so the dirt is in the middle of the ball.

REMOVING INK FROM WALLPAPER

Removing ink from wallpaper seems like an impossible task. If the ink has completely dried, this task is much harder. However, there are a few things you can try to remove the ink. If there is permanent marker on your walls, then wiping it gently with rubbing alcohol might help to lift this stain. Always do a patch test first, as you don’t want to cause further damage. Rubbing alcohol should only be applied to wallpapers that are extremely durable, which unfortunately is not recommended for our wallpaper.

Final Thoughts

Keeping your wallpaper clean is vital for keeping your decor fresh and bright. Cleaning your wallpaper regularly will help to maintain the lifespan of your wallpaper. We hope that this guide has helped you find a way to clean your wallpaper. Please share this guide with others who might be interested. Thank you for reading!