Finding the perfect paint color for the interior walls of your home is almost as important as choosing cabinets! Chances are, you pondered over several swatches and painted a few patches in each room before you got it just right. And while keeping your cabinetry clean is a given, most homeowners go on to neglect their painted walls. To keep your paint looking its best, give your walls a little TLC! Here, we’ll talk about some of the things you should keep in mind when cleaning painted walls.

Vacuum Walls To Keep Them Dust-Free

Don’t stop with your floors the next time you vacuum. Vacuuming painted walls is actually a great way to maintain them in between cleaning, as it will keep them dust-free. Just don’t use the same attachment that you use to vacuum your floors! Instead, use the soft brush attachment when vacuuming walls. Finish the job by going over walls with a dry cloth mop or a dry sweeping pad.

Spot Treat As Needed So That Soil Doesn’t Sit

We know washing your walls isn’t an everyday thing. It’s okay to get by with spot treatments when any kind of soil appears. Like when choosing cabinets, the paint color you pick will determine how easily dirt shows. Just keep a cloth handy to quickly wipe away smudges and debris that can come from dirty hands, pets, or splashes. You should not need to use a cleaning solution, and don’t overdo it with water. Just slightly dampen the cloth, and scrub until the soil is removed.

Know That Different Paint Types Require Different Cleaning Methods

While vacuuming with a soft brush and spot treating with a damp cloth is okay for all painted surfaces, how you clean deeper will depend on the type of paint used.

For walls painted with latex paint, you will want to just use a sponge, non-abrasive all-purpose cleaner, and warm water. Dilute the all-purpose cleaner with warm water following the product instructions, and dip a clean sponge into the solution. Ring dry and then scrub the wall gently. Keep a fair distance from any electrical outlets, switches, or cable jacks. If it is necessary to clean close to any electrical connections, shut off the circuit breaker first, as a safety precaution. After the wall has been cleaned, follow by wiping down the wall again with the sponge and just clean water. If a stubborn spot won’t dissolve, try making a paste with baking soda and water to loosen the grime.

If you used an oil-based paint for your walls, you’ll want to use diluted dishwashing liquid rather than the all-purpose cleaner. Other than that, you can clean the walls in the same way. For your solution, measure a teaspoon of liquid dish soap to a quart of warm water. You can add a ¼ teaspoon of white vinegar for an extra cleaning kick.

If you’re not sure what solution to use, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Clean a small section in a hidden area to see if there are any adverse effects to the paint, such as bubbling, peeling or chipping. While often overlooked, cleaning walls helps to prolong the life of your paint, and keeps your home looking its best.

At The RTA Store we help make your dream home a reality with RTA (Ready To Assemble) and Pre-Assembled cabinets and accessories. Whether it’s your kitchen bathroom, laundry room, home office, bar room or TV room, we offer the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store, but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call and let us make your dreams come true with the help of our free room design tool!