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5 Tips for Removing Marks on Wallpaper

mmanhoff • Sep 05, 2014

4064-101413-gs4064Daily living usually involves smudge deposits, fingerprints, and smears, especially in households with small children, which mar the beauty of your woodwork and walls. If your walls are papered, those bright colors and assorted textures help to enliven your rooms, but those features can also cause challenges when cleaning. To protect your investment, you should consider the following tips:

1. Follow manufacturer’s guidelines

Wallpapers vary in both content and coating, which means that manufacturers offer different kinds of cleaning methods for every design. You should, therefore, check the manufacturer’s advice for cleaning your type of wallpaper.

2. Removing grease on washable wallpaper

You can clean washable wallpaper using a natural sponge that is lightly dampened in a warm water and liquid dishwashing detergent solution. Before you start cleaning, test the mixture in an inconspicuous corner to ensure that it will not remove the coating or paper. When cleaning, scrub lightly and try to keep the paper from getting too wet to avoid damage. After rinsing, absorb excess moisture with cleaning cloths.

3. Removing Finger marks

You can use an art gum eraser to remove smudges. Rub them gently to avoid damaging the area. Alternatively, you can use commercial wallpaper cleaners to lift the small marks.

4. Removing ballpoint-ink inscriptions

Use a towel to apply some denatured alcohol and let it sit for 10-15 seconds before wiping gently with a clean paper towel. You may need multiple applications for stubborn stains.

5. Removing crayon marks

These are a little more difficult to remove because they are waxy. But you can still remove the using a dry-cleaning solvent or some prewash spray. Test a small area to ensure it does not ruin the paper, then use a clean, white cotton swab, sponge, or white cloth to apply the solvent. You may need several applications to get rid of the stain.

You should never clean wallpaper with abrasive cleaners, such as scouring powders or soft-scrub cleansers because their abrasive granules can scratch your paper. The Maids of Cleveland in Ohio can do it for you, as well as handle the housekeeping in general and give you free time for other important things in life like spending time with the kids.

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