There are countless ways to clean walls, depending on the type of surface. They can be vacuumed or if they are very dirty (and washable) - wash with a suitable preparation. Please note, that the walls are washed from bottom to top. Otherwise, dirty streaks will form, leaving traces difficult to remove.
Fingerprints must be removed, before they penetrate deep into the wall coating.
Brick walls are washed with soapy water; if they are really dirty, you can use bleach with water. Some stains around the fireplace can be scraped off with an abrasive powder, but the cleaned place must be rinsed thoroughly, to remove any powder residue.
Wallpapers. Periodic vacuuming will keep the wallpaper looking good. Use a brush attachment. It is worth washing and drying it thoroughly beforehand, so as not to get more dirt on the walls; you can also use a freshly washed and dried nylon broom, with a soft bristle wall brush or a brush wrapped in an old towel.
Vinyl wallpaper, semi-washable and washable should be thoroughly vacuumed first. Then dip the absorbent cloth in a warm detergent solution, wring out and washing the wallpaper, starting from the bottom, long, with simple strokes.
Each piece must be immediately washed clean, finishing the treatment with a clean damp cloth, to remove any residual dirt and suds. The wallpaper must not be wet. Even the most washable one, when it becomes soaked, it may bulge and come away from the wall.
When in doubt, whether the wallpaper is washable, you need to test the invisible part of the wall. First, vacuum the selected area, then wash off as described above, rinse and leave to dry. Assess the results carefully: if the color has faded? Has it disappeared? Whether the wallpaper has bulged or has come off the wall?
Not washable paper wallpapers only need to vacuum. Many dirty marks can be removed, rubbing the inside of the crust of white bread. Crumbs fall off with dirt, so they will fall all over the place. Therefore, cover the floor with newspapers. You can also use a pencil eraser for this purpose.
The oily stain can be removed, if you cover it with a white paper towel and press it down with a fairly warm iron. When the grease soaks into the paper, you have to take clean. Invoiced wallpaper may require a different procedure. It is best to make a paste of powdered starch, talcum powder or powdered chalk and a small amount of dry cleaning fluid or carbon tetrachloride. Apply a small amount to the stain and let it dry.
Remove dry powder with a vacuum cleaner or a clean clothes brush. Repeat the entire procedure if necessary. If the wallpaper is very dark, first make a test in an inconspicuous place; some surfaces may leave traces of white powder. The stained fragment can also be covered with a patch from the same wallpaper.
Another method of removing greasy stains from the wallpaper is to gently clean it with a ball of kneaded bread with a few drops of purified kerosene. The traces of the wax crayons are removed, rubbing the wallpaper with a damp cloth with a little toothpaste. Wipe clean, with a damp cloth.
Fingers wandering in the dark in search of contact often leave visible traces on the wallpaper. You then have to use a fresh bread unit sprinkled with literally three drops of dry cleaning liquid. You can also cover the "sensitive" area with a self-adhesive square, clear plastic.
Plant pollen from flower arrangements often stains wallpaper. Contact between fresh flowers and wallpaper should be avoided. These traces can be washed off from wallpapers protected with vinyl or semi-washable coating, otherwise, nothing can be done.
Wallpapering the walls, it is worth keeping the ends of the rollers, or even a full roll in case of emergency repair. It is rare to find a new wallpaper to match the old one, because the dyes are different, and the patterns and colors are constantly changing.
The wallpaper darkens over time and the pieces from the spare roll tend to be lighter in color and more vivid colors. The new patches can be aged quickly, by exposing them to the sun. Some darken faster, others take a few days to do so.
Wallpaper patching. The patches are almost invisible, if you put them on properly. It is not necessary to remove the stained piece, only wash off greasy stains with a fat solvent.
First, cut a suitably shaped piece of wallpaper from the roll, slightly larger than the stain.
The prepared patch is placed on a clean one, flat surface and tear all the way around, leaving irregular, tissue-thin edge. Then transparent glue is applied, trying to thoroughly cover the edges with it, then sticks the patch to the wall, keeping an eye on, that the pattern fits exactly. If necessary, squeeze out air bubbles by rolling with a rolling pin or pressing against clothes with a clean brush. The patch applied in this way rarely comes off and blends well with the old wallpaper.
Practical advice:
Patches
Patches must have uneven edges, because simple, sharp edges are more visible against the pattern background, and also accumulate dust and darken.
Ways to remove stains from wallpaper
Mix 1/4 glasses (60 ml) baking soda, 1/2, glasses (125 ml) vinegar and 1 a glass (250 ml) ammonia. Wash the walls with this solution. Protect hands with gloves. Use alcohol, because sometimes it helps to remove black stains from the wall. First try it on a small scrap, whether it does not discolour the wallpaper. Traces of wax crayons can be removed with a cloth soaked in a slightly weaker solution. Rub gently.
Some stains can be removed with a pencil eraser. Caution: some wallpapers cannot be washed - check the manufacturer's recommendations.
Removing wallpaper
Old wallpaper is easier to remove, if you run over it two or three times with a paint roller dipped in hot water (4 liters) with liquid detergent (1/2 glasses - 125 ml). Detergent makes, that the water seeps better. When the paper gets wet, it can be removed in large pieces.
