If you hire professional painters in Perth like Elite Painting, you should get a fresh paint finish that will last for many years to come. However, some people are unaware that they will need to perform some routine maintenance from time to time to keep their paint surfaces looking great. Sometimes those dirty walls just need a decent clean to look fresh again.
There are some things to keep in mind though when it comes to cleaning your walls, as you don’t want to damage or mark the existing paint. It’s easy to take a wet sponge to the wall with a little soap and scrub away, but it’s also just as easy to accidentally rub away the paint if you aren’t careful. In this article, we will show you how to clean your walls without removing the paint and maximising the lifetime of the paint.
At Elite Painting as professional painting contractors, we might get asked to paint surfaces that only really need a good cleaning to bring them back to life. Over time, dirt, dust, and cobwebs can accumulate over your painted surfaces and leave them looking old and tired. This material is easy to clean away with a clean microfibre cloth and a long handled duster for hard to reach corners. If you dust your painted surfaces once every 2-3 months, you will notice that they look clean and fresh. Don’t forget to clean any wall mounted fixtures, such as photographs, paintings and candle holders at the same time as these will also collect dirt and dust deposits.
The walls and ceilings in areas, such as hallways, sitting rooms, and foyers, don’t collect much more than light dust and they can be dealt with using the technique shown above. Bathroom and kitchen walls will have steam and cooking residue to remove and will require washing.
It’s important to think carefully about the cleaning solution that you want to use; certain household cleaners and harsh chemicals can peel and damage your painted surfaces. In most cases, a simple mixture of mild soap and warm water will be enough to wash the paint clean, so long as you don’t scrub away too roughly. But not every surface is the same, and depending on the paint type they may need a different method of cleaning, we’ll cover methods of cleaning for different surfaces below.
The majority of people’s homes have flat paint and need to be cleaned gently. Harsh chemicals and rubbing too hard will strip the paint. Much like what was suggested before, use warm soapy water and scrub with a sponge or microfibre brush in gentle circular motions. Make sure your cleaning cloth or sponge isn’t too wet and avoid using excess water as it can soak into the paint and swell the material beneath.
Sometimes you might encounter more stubborn stains that just will not come out. Luckily there is a solution, but you have to be quick. If you notice a stain, you should try cleaning it as soon as possible, before you let the stain settle into the paint. Baking soda with some warm water should remove most of the stain. As before, gently scrub away with your damp sponge or cloth.
For latex wall paint use an all-purpose cleaner that doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals. If the all-purpose cleaner is in a spray bottle, spray it to the stained areas and gently scrub it with a damp cloth. If the wall is in any colour other than white, some of the pigments may rub away if you’re too rough, take it easy and take it slow with gentle circular motions.
Generally, glossy paint is a very durable paint and designed to last a long time in bathrooms and kitchens. A mild degreaser is a great way to clean almost any stain from it, just use a cloth or sponge to wipe the excess degreaser and stain away.
Sometimes marks and stains may be more than just a scuff mark or a splash from last night’s cooking. All kinds of things get onto the walls; from smoke, crayons, and even mould. There are different methods for removing them. So it’s important to keep know what exactly it is on the wall so you can clean it without removing paint.
If you have wood-burning heaters or smokers in your home, you may have to wash down the paint at least a few times each year. It isn’t very hard to do, apply the soapy water with a clean microfibre cloth and rub gently in circular motions until the surface becomes clean and finish by drying with a different cloth.
A giant white canvas is what a kid sees a wall as, and if they have a crayon in their hand, your wall will suddenly become their Mona Lisa. Unfortunately, crayon scribbles can be a difficult material to get off your interior walls. Firstly, if the crayon marks are light, try out the usual method of using baking soda, or dish soap and warm water, and doing gentle scrubs, and hopefully, that will remove it. If that doesn’t work, try non-gel toothpaste and scrub it gently with a toothbrush, this may take a while, so be patient.
Most wall-stains can be a nuisance and just look ugly, but mould can be bad for your health. Before getting started, wear a face mask to prevent yourself as much as possible from breathing in any airborne particles. To clear away the mould, pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a spray bottle that is around 500ml and fill the rest with warm water. Spray the vinegar water onto the offending spot and leave it for around ten minutes. Try to wipe away any dripping lines before it reaches your floors and leaves more stain marks to clean. Once you’ve waited about ten minutes or so, scrape away the mould with a flat piece of plastic, like an old business card being careful not to scratch away the paint. Now using the trusty baking soda and warm water clear away any leftover residue with a sponge in careful circular motions.
It’s a great idea to hold onto leftover paint from when you last had your home professionally painted. This will give you a ready made palette of colours to touch up damage that may occur later. Avoiding the need to colour match paint to your paint scheme will save you hours if you need to repair a paint chip or other damage. Always carry out minor paint repairs quickly; this will lessen the chances of the damage spreading and making the painted surface worse. Fill and sand larger holes before you apply some fresh paint and then feather the paint in carefully to match the surrounding surfaces. It may be necessary to apply more than a single coat depending on the quality and type of paint that you’re using. Be patient, follow the directions carefully and make sure that the paint layer is dry before you add another coat.
Sometimes your cleaning efforts just don’t go quite according to plan. Either you’ve rubbed too much paint away, or that ugly stain just will not remove itself. Not to worry though, get in contact with our professional painters in Perth at Elite painting for you all your painting services. Send us an email at michael@elitepainting.com.au or give us a call : 0404 681 371 for a no obligation quote.
