Learn how to clean walls with flat paint without streaks and without removing any paint!
Harsh chemicals or excess scrubbing can make the dye discoloured, uneven, and even remove the colouring itself. Understanding how to clean walls with flat paint is important to make your home walls look cleaner and brighter.
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What is a wall with flat paint?
Before you start cleaning the wall properly, you need to find out what type of colouring dye is on them. The word flat or matte does not describe the texture but the sheen of the colouring. If you notice that your wall reflects light rather than absorbing, then the dye on the wall is not flat.
If you cannot see the reflection of light from the wall, then it is flat. It is also called ‘matte’, which is available with satin, eggshell, semi-gloss, and high gloss finishes.
Common Mistakes
Before we jump into how to clean walls with flat paint, we must need to be cautious about the common mistakes that people make when handling them.
- Be careful not to apply any detergent or soap directly to the wall, as it can now leave the soap on the wall and damage the colourant.
- Always gently scrub the wall while cleaning the stains, or else you can damage the wall.
- Never scrub the wet wall with a towel while drying. Instead, pat the wall to make it dry faster.
Once you’re cautious about these pitfalls, your knowledge of how to clean walls without removing paint and without streaks is almost complete.
Cleaning Equipment
The following equipment and items are those that are needed for steps on how to clean walls with flat paint,
Bucket and a clean rag
You can opt to use a towel, Clean rag or soft cloth. The bucket is important for you to hold the water or cleaning solution.
Warm water
Most of the time, plain water can remove stains easily. Moreover, it decreases the risk of damage, and you can remove instant stains with it. If you are not pleased with the outcome, then move on to using stronger cleaning detergents
Cleaning Agent
Usually, a mild detergent or soap is a recommended ingredient in the process of how to clean walls with flat paint.
You can add vinegar to the detergent solution to get rid of mold and mildew from the wall.
You can also apply a store-bought foam cleanser if the vinegar doesn’t work. Follow the steps from the cleanser container for the best results.
Other optional items
- Cleaning pad or eraser
- Other Streak-free glass cleaners or Windex
- Ammonia
- Borax
- Bleach
- Touch up colouring dye and paintbrush
How to Clean Fingerprints Off?
Here are some ways on how to clean fingerprints off flat painted walls,
- Tidy the fingerprints with mild soap and water by using a soft cloth.
- You can use soda water to wear off the fingerprints.
- A soft cloth with white vinegar is a good option to tidy the fingerprints off.
- Streak-free glass cleaners or Windex are good alternatives for washing off fingerprints.
Tips
You should start the process by gently wiping all the fingerprints with a damp cloth. Also, have mild detergent by your side throughout the whole fingerprint removal process. After the whole process of how to clean walls with flat paint, make sure you polish the wall with a sheepskin cloth.
How to Clean Watermarks Off?
Watermarks on parts of your walls can seem odd-looking, which are unpleasant. Here are some DIY ways to clean watermarks on flat paint,
- Use a 1:3 ratio mixture of bleach and water to wipe the watermark’s area. It will stop the growth of mildew and mold.
- Mix a quarter of a cup of vinegar, one tablespoon of ammonia, and a quarter of one cup of borax with one gallon of water. This mixer can remove watermarks precisely but remember to apply it gently on the painted walls.
- Some watermarks on flat paint can happen from ketchup, wine, mustard, and such. These marks can be dealt with by a sponge damped in clean water.
- You can use the sponge with dishwasher soap to wipe off watermarks.
Tips
Find out the leak source and seal that as soon as possible. You will need to find the source of the leak to completely resolve the watermark issue.
However, in terms of how to clean walls with flat paint, a good solution would be to cover the watermark with good paint.
How to Protect Your Painted Walls?
Here are some must-do steps on how to protect flat painted on walls,
- Sweep your walls a couple of times a month with a microfiber dust cloth.
- Vacuuming the wall corners with a soft brush can keep them dust-free.
- White cloth wrapped all over the head of a broom is a good equipment to fight debris.
- Start from the bottom, gently get every part of the wall cleaned, and then dry it with an old towel.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid and 1 cup of borax in warm water to make a good wall-washing soap; this soap is very effective.
- Focus on how to clean walls with flat paint on the high-traffic areas to protect them for an extended period.
- Use two coats of lead paint to seal your wall colouring.
How to Clean Walls with Flat Paint?
Equipment
- Clean rag
- Cleaning sponge
- Bucket
- Towel
Materials
- Warm water
- Mild detergent
- Vinegar
Instructions
- Start gentle rubbing with plain warm water with a clean, damp sponge or cloth.
- Add a little vinegar to the spine or cloth and continue scrubbing gently in a circular motion. For tougher stains, try using an eraser sponge along with the cloth.
- If the above how to clean walls with flat paint steps do not work, you should use diluted detergent, dish soap, or laundry detergent. In a bucket, mix one tablespoon of detergent with a gallon of water. Dip your rag or old cloth in the mixture and gently scrub the wall to remove the remaining stain.
- After applying soap solution, make sure you clean the wall with warm water as you do not want to leave stickiness or residue. Use a towel to pat the wall dry to make sure it is completely done.
Notes
- Remember never to scrub the paint with the towel while drying as it can damage the colouring.
- Wondering how to clean apartment walls easily without mess? Remove all the items and move furniture away from the walls. It will make cleaning your work easier and effective.
- Before you apply any cleaning liquids or fluids, it is ideal for cleaning off the dirt and debris from the wall. You can use a dry towel or feather duster and sweep lightly over the area to get rid of dust and debris.
- After going through every how to clean walls with flat paint step, repainting is the only way if the walls are still stained. If you have leftover original dye and a brush, then cover the spot with it. Alternatively, you can recolour the whole wall with more durable and easier to clean flat paint.
Next, learn how to clean the glass surfaces used in your furniture, bathrooms and smartphone screen protectors!