As I walked down the hall the other day, I noticed something quite disturbing.  My walls are not quite the pristine white they were when they were first painted.  In fact, they are a collection of crayon marks (thanks, daughter), dog tail prints and other unmentionables.  While I try to spot clean when I notice things are starting to look a little dingy, wiping down the entire wall is a little daunting and something I am excellent at putting off.  Once you get going, though, cleaning walls really isn’t too difficult.

To start with, you will need to mix up a mild detergent.  Make sure your paint isn’t going to wipe away with your cleaner by testing it in a hidden location.  A diluted vinegar or ammonia solution works very well for cleaning walls.  If you have kids, get them involved too.  Everyone can have their own rag, dipped in cleaner, and have fun wiping down the areas they can reach.

You don’t have to do all the cleaning with a rag, though.  A mop works excellently for ceilings and up high on the walls, and can even be used on the lower walls with a bit of maneuvering.

Your best bet for actually accomplishing the entire task is to break it up room by room.  It isn’t a job that needs to be accomplished in one day, so try aiming for one room a week, or as you have time.  It is really amazing how much dust and dirt you can remove from walls that don’t seem to be that dirty.