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Although cleaning your wallpaper may seem like a huge task to undertake- after all, it is a BIG area to have to clean- it doesn’t have to be as hard as you think.
Many wallpapers are designed to withstand a whole host of everyday issues which often- and, let’s face it, almost always occur- regularly.
For example, stains from spilt coffee, mucky paw prints from those pesky pets, crayon murals from your kids, or even just general dirt build-up from years of wear.
There are so many different reasons why your wallpaper can become grubby and mucky, however thankfully there are so many ways in which you can clean it too. This means that, if you choose the right cleaning technique, you will be able to remove all of those pesky stains and mucky prints from almost all different types of wallpaper.
However, you must ensure that your wallpaper is able to be washed by checking the packaging for wallpaper symbols which will indicate what level of washing that your wallpaper can withstand.
If your wallpaper is not able to be washed with any form of liquids, then you can clean it with a vacuum cleaner or feather duster. How to clean wallpaper with just a feather duster or vacuum cleaner is outlined in our other blog ‘how to clean wallpaper’.
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Below are some frequently asked questions regarding how to DIY clean your washable wallpaper with detailed step-by-step instructions on how to do it:
How do I make my own DIY wallpaper cleaning solution with products I have available at home?
Depending on what individual wallpaper you have chosen, it can be very easy to create your own DIY wallpaper cleaning solution which will easily wipe away those pesky stains and mucky marks.
For many wallpaper cleaning solutions, just a few ingredients mixed together accurately can get the job easily done. All it takes is a little bit of scrubbing and persistence and et voila- you have your perfectly clean wallpaper back once more!
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1.) Make your own DIY cleaning solution!
Ordinary Stains
For wallpapers which have ‘ordinary’ stains such as light dirt stains, or other everyday stains, the solution below is perfect to clean with:
- I gallon of warm water
- Approximately a tablespoon- or more, depending on the density of your wallpaper- of normal dish soap/ washing up liquid
In order to reduce the amount of unnecessary bubbles you create whilst making your concoction, make sure that you fill a bucket with your warm water before adding the washing up liquid.
Heavy Stains
However, for wallpapers which have heavily stained walls- from either years of neglect, or various other heavily, ground-in stains which often occur on a day-to-day basis you must use this solution below:
- 1 gallon of warm water (as detailed above)
- Approximately 1 cup of nonsudsing ammonia
- 1 cup of white vinegar
- 1 cup of borax
Although some of these products may not be readily available in your cupboards at home- especially the borax in some cases- they are definitely a great investment for you to purchase for various DIY projects and/or cleaning solutions which you need to do.
PRO TIP:
- Always test a discreet portion of your wallpaper before applying either solution above to a large majority of your wallpaper. Some of these more discreet areas are located behind furniture, or even in a small corner which would be unnoticeable if damage did occur.
- You can check if the solution would be damaging by seeing whether the water applied is soaked up by the wallpaper, resulting in colour runs, or whether your wallpaper has hardly any reaction to the solution. If the latter is true, then it is safe to go ahead and clean your wallpaper this way.
Decorating Centre Online- Adalyn Luxury Damask Wallpaper Taupe - 2.) Wash your wallpaper from the bottom up to the top
Using a natural sponge, apply either of the above two solutions to your wallpaper, starting from the bottom and working your way up to the very top of your wallpaper. This is to reduce any mucky spillages which may occur during the cleaning process.
PRO TIPS:
- It is essential that you clean one section of your wallpaper at a time in order for you to keep track of which area you are cleaning. This will not only make the cleaning process efficient and easy for you, it will also ensure that every part of your wallpaper is thoroughly cleaned and no patches are left dirty.
- Make sure that the wallpaper does not get too damp as this may lead to damage to your wallpaper depending on the thickness as well as the strength of your wallpaper too.
- This tip also applies for excessive scrubbing which may also lead to some damages and/or decreasing in the vibrancy of the colour of your wallpaper in certain areas.
- If you cannot reach certain areas of your wallpaper- such as the very top corner- it may be wise to invest in a long broom, or other long tool, and placing your damp cloth on top of the end so that you are able to thoroughly those hard-to-reach spots.
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3.) Rinse off the cleaning solution from your wallpaper
After you have completed washing down your wallpaper you must make sure that you rinse off any excess soapy suds with warm water afterwards.
This is to reduce the amount of soapy residue left on your wallpaper after cleaning it, as well as to remove any smells which may have occurred as a result of perhaps using the solution for heavy stains.
This is because- although the solution is heavily diluted with a large amount of warm water- the white vinegar, as well as the borax, can sometimes leave an unpleasant smell.
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- 4.) Dry your wallpaper with a dry cloth
In order to reduce any dampness which may occur after cleaning your wallpaper with either of the above two solutions, you must dry off your wallpaper with some dry cloths after thoroughly cleaning ad rinsing it. This step will also ensure that your wallpaper remains as sleek and fresh-looking as the day that you pasted it to the wall.
Again, if you cannot reach certain areas, please follow the advice give about using longer tools in step 2.
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- 5.) Admire your handiwork!
Now that all of your steps are complete, your wallpaper should be looking as fresh and beautiful as the day you bought it!
There are also other ways to clean your wallpaper, as show in this handy little video!
However, if your wallpaper isn’t terribly dirty, and only needs a quick spruce up, please check out our blog post, ‘Step-by-step: How to DIY remove smudges from your wallpaper for more tips and tricks!
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