If the interior of your home is designed with wallpaper and humans or pets live there with you, then it is highly possible that your wallpaper will get dirty over the passage of time. The majority of the wallpapers nowadays are vinyl-coated, and therefore are washable as well as easy to clean. You need to be extremely cautious while you are cleaning the wallpaper, otherwise, you can damage your wallpaper. There are numerous types of wallpaper, for instance, vinyl, fabric, acrylic, and much more. Your cleaning process will be totally dependent on the type of wallpaper you have. Vinyl-coated wallpaper is provided with a layer or covering of acrylic or vinyl on the surface. Vinyl is most resistant to grease, water, and other stains, therefore it gets cleaned very easily. It can be smoothly scrubbed, however, it's not suggested to use an abrasive cleaner, rough sponge, or anything that will irritate the material. You will usually find vinyl wallpapers in children's rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, as well as laundry rooms.
Step By Step Process Of Cleaning Vinyl Wallpaper
Vinyl wallpaper has exceptional durability that makes it a perfect option for homes with lots of action. It is possible that you will find handprints or footprints of children or pets on your wallpaper, however, you can generally scrub them right off. But, some of the stains, including crayons and cooking grease, will be more challenging to get rid of from the wallpaper. If in case you don't want to give access to small children or pets to elements in commercial wallpaper cleaners, then there is a need for a non-toxic alternative. Fortunately, several remedies exist when it comes to tough wallpaper stains.
- Mild Dish Detergent: First of all, make a mixture of mild dish detergent or castile soap(1/4 cup) with water(1 gallon) in a bucket. Clean your vinyl wallpaper using warm, soapy water as well as a soft sponge. Dry it with the help of a clean towel or permit it to air-dry.
- Baking Soda: Take a bowl & pour 1 tablespoon of baking soda in it. Add 1 teaspoon of water and mix to well in order to make a paste. Apply the paste over the stain with the help of a damp, non-abrasive sponge. Keep the paste over the stain for nearly 15 minutes, before wiping it clean with the opposite side of the damp sponge. Continue more than once, if required.
- Laundry Pre-wash Spray: Now, sprinkle the stain with the help of laundry pre-wash spray and permit it to sit for near about 15 minutes. Scrub it away with the help of a soft sponge and a small amount of elbow grease.
- Wear Gloves & Keep The Area Well Ventilated: Wear a pair of rubber gloves, open the windows & make sure the area is well ventilated before applying solvent to a tough stain like pen ink. Purchase a product that is particularly made for cleaning wallpaper stains or you can use denatured alcohol, that you will get from hardware stores. Use solvents as per the package directions.
- Wash The Area: Finally, wash the area with the help of soap and water again, after you use chemical solvents, in order to get rid of any residue. Permit it to dry & after that allow the children or pets to touch the wall.