Imagine the image: you have just redecorated your interior, you have painted the walls with refined and sophisticated colors… and now your little one has decided to try it. Unbeknownst to you, she thought a little scribble would add character to these walls, which were too bland for her taste. Oh! This pencil stroke pierces your heart. Don’t panic, you don’t have to go broke to get your pretty colored walls back. Whether it’s oil paint or latex, these homemade solutions should get you out of a bind.
Don’t consider scrubbing the stains with your favorite spray cleaner, you can make the situation worse. These are the recommendations of Hervé Meunier, professional painter who shares some tips to catch up naturally and safely.
Girl drawing on the wall – Source: spm
How to clean interior walls painted with latex?
According to the specialist, the cleaning of the walls depends above all on the type of paint used. Also, to safely clean latex-painted interior walls, follow the steps in this simple and effective method.
These are the ingredients you will need:
- dishwashing liquid
- Water
- Tray
- Vinegar
- Sponge
How to proceed ?
- Mix three to four drops of dish soap into the bucket half filled with water. If you want, you can try the old method of cleaning with vinegar: pour two or three tablespoons of vinegar in a bucket with 4 liters of water. This solution is surprisingly effective.
- Dip the sponge into the mixture and wring it out before using it on the wall. This gesture is important to avoid dirtying the wall with the drops of water that overflow from the sponge.
- Wipe the stains directly, rinse the sponge and repeat the operation again if necessary.
NB : This method works for all types of latex paint (matt, semi-gloss and gloss).
Attention : Make sure the sponge is wrung out well before cleaning around electrical outlets, switches and other telephone connections.
Cleaning an interior wall – Source: spm
Since oil paints are a bit tougher than others, in addition to using detergent or a mixture of vinegar and water, it is safe to apply a mild degreaser. Special for degreasing kitchen walls.
Therefore, you will need:
- Dishes soap
- Water
- Tray
- Vinegar
- Sponge
- A mild degreaser
How to proceed ? The procedure is similar to that used for latex walls. So just follow the instructions above However, be sure to read the degreaser’s packaging carefully to apply it safely and remove any grease or grime on the walls.
Cleaning an exterior wall – Source: spm
And the cleaning of the exterior walls?
Have you finally decided to make those dark walls that spoil the landscape of the garden shine? Good initiative. It is time to take the hard way to recover the lost whiteness. With the following method, your walls will be vibrant again… at least for a while. Because, between the dust and the dirt outside, you have to repeat the operation more often!
What you will need:
- a garden hose
- A pump garden sprayer
- An outdoor degreaser
- bleach
- Water
- A scrub brush (ideally soft)
Here’s how to apply it:
- Start by wetting the walls. Then, using your garden pump sprayer, lightly spray them with a mixture of 1/2 cup outdoor degreaser, 1 cup bleach, and enough water to fill the container.
- Let the mixture act for 15 minutes. Then scrub with the scrub brush. This will remove mold and other dirt at the same time.
- Then rinse the walls with a garden hose.
NB : When cleaning a two-story house, the garden hose may not reach the high walls. In this case, you can use a pressure washer, but only if you don’t use pressure. Because the latter risks damaging the paint. So you just need to spray the water as it comes out.
read also How to remove mold from walls and end the problem permanently
