Is it time to clean the walls of our home? Get your supplies ready and follow these instructions from ServiceMarket. But if it seems like too much work, you can always hire a cleaning service in Abu Dhabi to do it for you. You’d be surprised by how much sparkle clean walls can add to a home. We promise that your home will look as good as new afterwards.
Frequency
Walls don’t get a lot of traffic, unless you have dogs and children. Even then the dirt will accumulate only upto a certain height and the rest will just be dust and cobwebs. Therefore, this cleaning task only needs to be done once or twice a year. If, however, your children decide that walls are the perfect canvas for their crayon art, you will find yourself cleaning quite frequently. Fret not, we have some tips on how to get rid of such wall art, but if worse comes to worst, you might have to repaint. If you are looking for painting companies in Abu Dhabi, ServiceMarket is the place to find the best ones.
Supplies
For a regular cleaning task, where your problem is just some dust and grime, all you need is:
- A vacuum with a broom brush attachment/a regular broom
- Two buckets
- Soft undyed sponges
- Warm water
- Soap
- Gloves
- Towels
Alternatively, instead of warm, soapy water, you can use a cup of distilled white vinegar in a bucket of water. Some people also like to use an all-purpose cleaner. If you decide to use one, make sure that you follow the dilution instructions to the letter to avoid ruining the paint.
Paint types and finishes
Before you start cleaning, find out what kind of paint is on the wall. The washability of the wall depends on the paint type and finish. For example, oil-based paints stand up to washing better than latex-based paints. You can even use a mild degreaser on them. So if your kitchen wall is oil-based, grab that degreaser and make it sparkle. Some paint finishes are more durable than others. Flat and eggshell aren’t as washable as semi-gloss and satin. So don’t scrub too hard or the paint may rub off. The easiest to wash is high-gloss. Once you know the paint type and finish of the wall you are planning to clean, your job will become easier.
However, we always recommend testing the wall in an inconspicuous area to check if its washable. So if you tested the degreaser in a corner and found out that the paint is coming off, your painted wall might not be oil-based after all. Switch to warm soapy water immediately!
Cleaning steps
The cleaning steps you should follow once you are sure that the products you are using to clean the wall won’t damage the paint:
- Put on your gloves. Make your cleaning solution in one bucket and fill the other with just warm water.
- Remove all artwork and photographs from the walls and move the furniture to the center of the room to give yourself enough working space.
- Dust the wall using the vacuum to remove dust and dirt. You might need a ladder to get into high corners. If you decide to use a broom, wrap a clean, white cloth around it to prevent the bristles from scratching the paint.
- Lay down some towels to catch any excess water that drips down the wall.
- Dip a sponge into your cleaning solution and wring it dry. Scrub the wall with the sponge gently from top to bottom.
- Dip another sponge into plain water and wring it dry. Gently run it over the walls to rinse the solution.
- Dry the wall with a towel.
- Rinse both sponges and repeat as needed.
Stubborn stains
For really stubborn stains or your child’s artwork, try one of the following:
- Scrub gently with a soft bristled toothbrush using white toothpaste.
- Scrub gently with a tea towel using a paste of baking soda and warm water.
- Spray WD-40 on the stain and let it sit for a few seconds before scrubbing it gently.
Remember to test an area before you try these cleaning tricks on your painted wall.
If you want cleaners to give your walls a new life, head over to ServiceMarket to get free quotes from reputable cleaning companies in Abu Dhabi.
