Cleaning Wall Coverings

• Share
• Email
• Sharebar

• Share
• Email

The term ‘wall covering‘ has many applications but mostly narrowly refers to wallpapers (vinyl-coated papers, solid papers, foils, flocked papers or murals); vinyl fabric coverings (fabric-backed or paper-backed); and textile wall coverings (linen, silk, grass cloth or cotton toile). Wall coverings need to be cleaned periodically like ordinary walls though their general griminess may not be readily apparent because their patterns and colors tend to hide dirt. A quick dusting a couple of times a year may be all you need to do to prolong the life of most wall coverings and maintain much of their original brilliance. To dust, follow the same procedures we’ve recommended for dusting painted walls. Other steps to revive the appearance of wall coverings depend largely on the kind of wallcovering you have and the type of stains you want to remove.

Wallpapers

Most modern wallpapers are washable, thanks to the transparent vinyl coating applied by manufacturers. The coating makes the wallpaper somewhat water and stain repellent. Which makes it relatively easy to remove grime and simple dirt. Use a mild cleaner and rub gently with a sponge to wash such wallpaper. Try using commercial wallpaper dough which is available at paint and wallpaper stores for a dry technique. Simply knead the dough and roll it into a ball, then roll the ball along the soiled area. Once the dough becomes dirty, roll the soiled part into the center of the ball, reshape it and continue the cleaning process. Delicate hand-painted wallpapers remain ‘nonwashable.’ The delicate dyes involved in the screening process cannot withstand being wetted. If your nonwashable wallpaper is badly soiled, you might try cleaning it with commercial wallpaper dough. You may find isolated areas that need spot-cleaning even when the wallpaper is generally clean. The most common stains on wallpaper are smudges and fingerprints. You can simply wipe them off using a dry sponge. What doesn’t come off by this method will probably yield to a common artist’s eraser.

Tomorrow we will give you some tips and methods on how to remove difficult spots and stains on wallpapers.