How to Clean Painted Walls — Toronto Home Guide

Painted walls get marked up gradually — fingerprints near light switches, scuffs from furniture, grease splatter in the kitchen, crayon if you have young children. Cleaning method depends on the paint finish, since the wrong approach can damage the paint.

Know Your Paint Finish

• Flat/matte: Most delicate — absorbs cleaning solution easily, prone to watermarks and sheen changes. Use only the lightest touch
• Eggshell and satin: More washable than flat, common in living rooms and bedrooms. Handle gentle scrubbing well
• Semi-gloss and gloss: Most durable and washable — common in kitchens, bathrooms, and trim. Can handle more vigorous cleaning

General Cleaning (All Finishes)

1. Dust the wall first with a dry microfibre cloth or dry mop — this prevents dust from becoming muddy smears when wet
2. Mix a small amount of dish soap in a bucket of warm water
3. Dampen a soft cloth (not dripping) and test on an inconspicuous area — a closet wall corner — before cleaning visible areas
4. Wipe gently in circular motions or straight lines — avoid back-and-forth scrubbing on flat paint
5. Follow immediately with a clean damp cloth to remove soap residue
6. Dry with a clean dry cloth — letting walls air dry wet can leave water marks

Scuff Marks

• A melamine foam eraser (Magic Eraser) dampened with water removes most scuff marks from eggshell and higher finishes — use very light pressure
• On flat/matte paint, the Magic Eraser can dull the finish — use with extreme caution or test first

Grease (Kitchen Walls)

1. Apply a small amount of dish soap directly to the cloth and work into the grease stain
2. Let sit 2–3 minutes
3. Wipe clean and rinse with a damp cloth
4. For semi-gloss kitchen paint, a commercial degreaser diluted in water is safe and effective

Crayon and Marker

• Crayon: apply a small amount of WD-40 to a cloth, rub gently over the marks, then clean the oily residue with dish soap and water
• Washable marker: usually comes off with a damp cloth
• Permanent marker: rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball — test first, as it can lift paint