Cleaning House: Tips for Washing Walls

Are you thinking of repainting your painted walls because they look dingy or dirty? If you're otherwise happy with the color and condition of your walls, you don't have to paint them. Washing walls is by far the cheaper alternative, and with helpful tips, it's really very easy.

Washing walls is a task no one enjoys, but hiring someone to wash dirty walls is almost as expensive as hiring a professional painter. Fortunately, there are very useful tips for washing walls that make the job much less of a chore. These tips will help you rid your walls of dirt and grime, and you'll have them looking like new in no time!

Tips to Make a Difficult Task Easier

Have you ever washed walls or something else high above and ended up with dirty soapy water running down your arms? Water running down your arms and soaking your clothes is very uncomfortable to say the least. Prevent water from running down your arms by wearing terrycloth wristbands. If you don't have terrycloth wristbands, pin rolled washcloths around your wrists. They'll catch the water long before it has a chance to reach your armpits.

For best results, wash the walls with white absorbent rags. The dye in colored rags can bleed into the cleaning solution and onto the walls. This is especially true of the typical red shop rags sold in home improvement and hardware stores.

Having to constantly change the water is one of the most time-consuming aspects of washing walls, and if you don't change the water, you'll be adding rather than removing dirt from walls. This is one of the best timesaving tips for washing dirty surfaces. Make the job easier on yourself by filling one bucket with cleaning solution and one bucket with clear water. Use the second bucket to rinse the dirty rag or sponge during the washing process. Your cleaning solution will go much further while washing. Ask a family member to help change the water when it becomes necessary so you don't have to stop what you're doing.

Although it might be tempting to start at arms height, always start washing at the top. If you don't, dirty water might run down onto areas you've already cleaned.

To Rinse or Not to Rinse?

Some cleaning products require rinsing while others don't. One of the most useful tips is using your own judgment when deciding whether or not to rinse. Look for streaks after a test area has dried. Inspect walls at an angle in different variations of light, and look for telltale marks. If you find streaks, it will be necessary to go over the walls with clean rags and clear water. Dry the walls with absorbent white rags or towels for a beautiful streak-free finish.

Don't Forget the Baseboards

Tips for washing walls sometimes fail to mention baseboards. The baseboards collect a lot of hair, dust, and grime, so take the time to wash the baseboards while washing walls. Your home will smell clean and fresh, and your walls and baseboards will shine.