How to Expertly Clean Flat Paint Walls in 5 Steps

A clean home just feels better, doesn’t it? If your once-pristine teal accent wall has seen better days, from toddler hands to dust bunnies, it’s time to break out the cleaning supplies. Learn how to clean walls with flat paint to enhance your home’s appearance in six quick steps.

Easy

You’ve got this!

1 hour

The size and number of walls that need cleaning will determine how long this project takes to complete.

$30–$480

Doing the labor yourself goes a long way.

What you’ll need:

TOOLS

• Step ladder
• Buckets
• Vacuum or brush
• Sponge or microfiber cloth
• Plastic tarps
• Paintbrush

SUPPLIES

• Dish soap
• Warm water
• White vinegar
• Touch-up paint
• Painter’s tape

1. Remove Wall Art and Furniture

   Before you begin cleaning your painted walls, make it easier on yourself by removing any wall art and rearranging your furniture. Doing this will open up the room more and help you get into those hard-to-reach areas.

   Also, ask family members or friends for help as you prep the room. Art and paintings can be on the heavier side, so having another person can help you avoid unnecessary injuries.

2. Eliminate Dust

   Don’t start breaking out your cleaning solutions and sponges just yet. You still have another problem to tackle: dust. If you dampen the walls without removing debris, you’ll spread grime all over.

   A vacuum cleaner with an upholstery brush or a duster can remove dust particles. Start at the top of the wall and slowly work your way down.

3. Start With Warm Water

   Hopefully, you aren’t sneezing too much after removing the dust on your walls. But now that it’s gone, we can move on to cleaning them. Before using a cleaning agent on the stains, try water first.

   Here’s what you do:

   • Fill up a bucket with warm water and dip your sponge or microfiber in it.

   • Wring it out to make sure there’s no excess water dripping.

   • Start from the top and work your way to the bottom of the wall.

   If you’re happy with the results, no further action is required. But if the stains remain, it’s time to bring out the cleaning agents.

4. Wash Your Walls

   Photo: Wattanaphob Kappago / EyeEm / EyeEm / Getty Images

   “A simple soap solution is highly underrated,” says Asya Biddle, Angi Expert Review Board member and manager of The Dust Busters janitorial company in Williamsport, PA. “Dish soap and water can be used to clean anything from windows, countertops, mirrors, sinks, and walls. Depending on the brand, it may also act as a disinfectant.”

   Before washing your flat paint wall, you’ll need to prep two buckets. One will have a dish soap solution, and the other will be for rinsing. To create a cleaning solution, squirt a little dish soap into a gallon of warm water.

   Take your sponge and gently scrub your walls in a circular motion. If you want to be more organized, you can clean the walls in sections to ensure they get a thorough clean. Don’t scrub too hard, though; if you’re also cleaning eggshell paint walls, you could lift the color, creating an even bigger issue.

   Once you’ve cleaned an area, rinse your sponge with warm water from your second bucket and wipe it down. After a few rinses, the second bucket may start to get soapy. So make sure that you empty it and fill it with some clean water.

5. Tackle Problem Areas

   You’re finally making some headway on your walls now that you’ve used dish soap to help with stains. But there are just some areas that need something a little stronger. In that case, you can create another cleaning solution using white vinegar and warm water.

   Add a cup of vinegar into a bucket of warm water and mix. Then, follow the same steps; start from the top of your wall and work in small areas until you get to the bottom. However, no rinsing is needed since you’re using vinegar.

   If you’re still having trouble with stains, you can use baking soda to substitute vinegar. Mix a half-cup into a bucket of warm water and wash the stained areas thoroughly.

6. Apply Touch-Up Paint

   After all your cleaning, there may still be a few stains that won’t come out no matter what you’ve tried. Scrubbing may have also left some scuff marks or removed some paint.

   You can cover these blemishes with a small amount of touch-up paint. If you want to make sure the new color matches the existing finish, feather the edges.

   But after all of your hard work, you may not have the energy left to apply the touch-up paint in a manner that will leave you satisfied. So another option would be to hire local interior painters to get the job done for you.

DIY Cleaning Flat Paint Walls vs. Hiring a Pro

The cost to clean walls ranges between $170 and $480. These costs depend on the size of your walls and the amount of dirt built up over time.

If you decide to DIY instead, you’ll spend roughly $30 gathering the necessary supplies if you don’t already have them at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can wipe flat paint clean, but you’ll want to use a light hand so you don’t remove any paint along with dirt and debris. Wipe the walls with a dry cloth and then run a sponge soaked with warm water over any stains. Don’t scrub. If the stain doesn’t lift, try adding a few drops of gentle dish soap or detergent. Trying a spot test first is always a smart idea.

Although bleach is often used to clean surfaces in homes, using it on walls can permanently damage the color. You’re better off using a light hand, some water, and potentially a gentle cleaner.

Isopropyl alcohol can liquify the paint, giving you an extra mess to clean up. Again, use some water and a gentle cleaner instead.