Painted walls may lose their original color as a result of dirt, grime, cigarette smoke and aging. The result can be an old, dark and yellowing wall color that is less than desirable. In many cases, the best option for restoring the original color is to simply paint over the dingy wall. If your wall is painted with an oil-based paint, however, the odds are pretty good that you can restore the color by washing the wall because oil-based paints are resistant to water and staining. You can wipe stains off and leave little to no trace of water streaks.
Instructions
1. Remove the surface layer of dust and cobwebs with a clean dust mop. This will prevent you from creating mud with the cleaning water.
2. Add 1 cup of vinegar and 2 tbsp. of mild dish detergent to a cleaning bucket and then fill it with hot water.
3. Fill the second cleaning bucket with clean, hot water. This will be your rinse bucket.
4. Dip the sponge mop into the cleaning solution and wring out the excess water.
5. Scrub the wall with the cleaning mop using long vertical strokes until you are satisfied with the level of stain removal. Start in the corner of the wall and work your way across three or four feet of the wall at a time.
6. Rinse the mop head in the clean rinse water and wring out the excess water.
7. Brush the wall with the clean rinse water to remove the soap residue left by the cleaning solution.
8. Wipe the entire wall with a clean micro-fiber towel to dry the water and prevent water streaks. Drape the towel over a broom to help you reach the high parts of the wall.
9. Dip the mop into the cleaning solution and continue cleaning another three-foot section of the wall. Rinse and dry the wall as you did before.
10. Repeat the process of scrubbing, rinsing and drying three-foot sections of the wall until you have cleaned the entire room. Change the cleaning water and rinse water periodically to make sure you aren't spreading dirty water across the wall.
11. Inspect your work upon completion and scrub any remaining stains with a small sponge and dry with the towel.
