You might forget that your home’s interior walls are surfaces you need to clean. After all, they don’t get overtly dirty like bathroom mirrors, kitchen counters, or dining room floors. 

Instead, your walls accumulate dust and stains, diminishing the visual appeal of the paint over time. Even more dust will collect on your walls if you have textured paint, like knockdown texture. And every homeowner has to deal with wall scuffs and stains. 

You’ll appreciate removing any marks appearing on your wall and the film of dust—but you’ll need to be careful. 

Certain paint jobs can tolerate different levels of cleaner, and the last thing you want to do while cleaning walls is damage the paint. 

In this article, we’ll show you how to clean your walls without damaging different types of paint. We’ll also show you what to use to clean walls without removing paint and turn you from a fly on the wall to an official DIY wall cleaner. 

Why the Type of Paint Matters When Cleaning Walls

When cleaning your home’s interior walls, the overarching goal is to remove dirt and dust while protecting the paint. Certain paints will degrade with harsh cleaner or too much pressure. 

Therefore, the cleaning materials and methods you use will depend on the base substance of the paint (oil or latex) and its finish (flat to glossy). 

Wall Paint Base: Latex Versus Oil 

Latex-based or water-based wall paint is most common for interior walls, but it won’t hold up well to abrasive cleaners or high moisture. 

Oil-based wall paint is less common but more resilient. It tolerates all-purpose cleaners, mild degreasers, and more abrasive chemicals like borax. 

Wall Paint Finish: Flat Versus Glossy

Finish or sheen is a measure of a paint’s reflectivity, but it also correlates with its durability. 

Flat and matte paint finishes are the dullest and most vulnerable to cleaning. Try to be gentle when cleaning, and don’t use harsh chemicals.   

Eggshell and satin paint finishes reflect more light than flatter sheens. They are better for higher-traffic areas but still aren’t very durable to cleaning. Opt for non-abrasives and less moisture when cleaning. 

Semi-gloss and high gloss paint finishes suit kitchens, bathrooms, and doors well and reflect even more light, making them shiny. They’re also more durable and can take on high moisture and many cleaners without harsh chemicals. Just be mindful that abrasive tools can scratch glossy finishes.

In sum, don’t whip out powerful cleaners for flatter paint finishes. Instead, opt for a lightly damp cloth or sponge. And while glossier sheens are easier to clean, be careful with harsh chemicals and abrasive tools that can scratch. 

How to Clean Walls Without Removing Paint

This section is a step-by-step guide for cleaning your painted walls to gleam as they did when you first moved in. 

We’ll note the best ways to clean painted walls with oil- and latex-based paint where applicable throughout the steps. 

If you’re unsure whether you have oil- or latex-based wall paint and are concerned about trying one of the methods in these steps, test the method on a hidden spot on your wall first. Note how the paint reacts and continue accordingly.  

Step 1: Gather What You Need

Before you start, have easy access to the items below.

Tools

Materials

  • All-purpose cleaner
  • Baking soda
  • Borax
  • Dish soap
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Warm water

Step 2: Dust Before Cleaning Your Walls

Dust before you wet clean your painted walls to prevent loose particles from matting and spreading when you add moisture. 

Using a step ladder to start at the top of your walls, easily access the crown molding with your vacuum’s brush attachment. Suck in dust, dirt, and cobwebs from the top. 

If you can, remove any hanging decor from the wall. Then, use a dust mop or floor mop with replaceable pads, like a Swiffer Sweeper, to wipe the wall from crown molding to baseboards. Move in a vertical motion from top to bottom. 

Finish by vacuuming any extra dust on the baseboards. 

Step 3: Create a Homemade Cleaner 

The best cleaner for painted walls is one you make yourself. 

Fill one bucket with a quart (four cups) of warm water. What you add next depends on the type of paint your wall has. 

  • For latex-based paint: Add a teaspoon of non-abrasive all-purpose cleaner, like Simple Green, per quart of water.
  • For oil-based paint: Add a teaspoon of liquid dish soap and half a teaspoon of distilled white vinegar per quart of water. 

Fill your second bucket with water, which you’ll use later to rinse the mixture you made off the wall. 

Step 4: Wipe Your Walls With the Homemade Cleaning Mixture

Wearing gloves to protect your skin, dip a soft sponge or cloth into the bucket with your cleaning mixture and wring it out until it no longer drips. It should be just damp enough to be no longer dry. 

Note: Especially for flatter paint finishes, you’ll need to squeeze as much moisture as possible from your sponge or cloth before wiping the walls. Too much moisture on flat paint can leave streaks or remove paint. 

On your step ladder, start cleaning the top of the wall in circles with the damp sponge or cloth, then work your way down. Re-submerge the sponge or cloth in the cleaner and wring it out often.

(You may still need your cleaner for Step 6, so don’t throw it away yet.)  

Step 5: Give Your Wall a Final Rinse

Grab another clean sponge or cloth and douse it in the clear water from your second bucket.

Just as you did in Step 4, wring out the sponge or cloth until it no longer drips, then wipe the soap residue off the entire wall. 

Step 6: Remove Wall Stains Without Removing Paint

You may not have erased the most unwavering of your wall’s stains in Step 5. Smudges and blemishes from high-traffic areas like light switches, outlets, thermostats, and doors may take extra power to eliminate. 

To remove marks from your painted wall around light switches, outlets, and doorknobs, change your approach based on the type of paint:

  • For latex-based paint: Mix a few tablespoons of baking soda with a little water until you create a paste. Apply the paste to the stains and gently remove the mark with a non-abrasive sponge. Be careful not to apply too much pressure, as the paint might strip. 
  • For oil-based paint: First, add two tablespoons (one fluid ounce) of borax to the cleaning solution you made in Step 3, then repeat Step 4 in the areas of concern. If that doesn’t work, try a dampened melamine sponge,* like a Magic Eraser, to lightly buff out stains. 

For light switches and outlet plates themselves, start by turning off your circuit breaker to ensure your safety as you use moisture to clean. Then, add a small amount of baking soda to your dampened sponge or cloth to rid the plastic plates of any marks. Be sure not to use excessive moisture on or around these electrical components.

*A Note on Melamine Sponges: These sponges are highly abrasive, so softening them with water before use is important to prevent paint damage. Use them gently with gloves.

Extra Tips to Keep Your Painted Walls Clean

The following are some more tips to ensure your walls get the care they need between full cleanings:

  • Clean noticeable marks as they appear: You’ll have less to clean during your next full cleaning if you remove fingerprints and grime before they set in. 
  • Dust your walls regularly: Break up the buildup of dust and cobwebs with quick and frequent dustings between full cleanings. 
  • Avoid smoke in the house: Smoke from candles, cooking, incense, or otherwise can stick to your walls and turn them gray. 
  • Teach kids not to touch walls: With dirt and skin oils, your kids can leave unflattering, gray smudges on the walls. 
  • Keep extra wall paint nearby: For high-traffic areas that get unbeatable stains, you can brush over the marks with touch-up paint you store nearby. 
  • Use an air purifier to collect dust: These devices with HEPA filters trap particles in a room like dust, pet dander, and more and will lighten the accumulation on your walls between cleanings. 

FAQs About Cleaning Painted Walls

How do you clean white walls without removing paint?

You can apply the same steps we provide in this article to clean white walls without removing paint, namely dusting, cleaning with a damp and soapy sponge, and rinsing. The only difference is to pay extra attention when dusting and wiping, as dirt and dust will appear more noticeable against white. 

How do you clean walls without removing flat or matte paint?

The best way to clean flat or matte walls without removing paint is to use a slightly damp soft sponge or cloth and wipe very lightly. Avoid harsh chemicals, abrasives, too much pressure, and high moisture. 

Will rubbing alcohol damage wall paint?

Rubbing alcohol can remove latex- or water-based paint, so be very careful if applying it to your painted walls. Try other methods before rubbing alcohol if you can. 

How do you clean walls with wallpaper?

What you use to clean a wall with wallpaper depends on the type. 

For vinyl and vinyl-coated wallpaper, dust the wall and use a damp sponge or cloth. You can follow the same steps we provide in this article, specifically for latex-based paint, as highly abrasive materials can cause the wallpaper to fade. 

For grasscloth wallpapers made from natural fibers, use only dry cleaning. Moisture can cause grasscloth wallpaper to fade or bubble. Carefully use a kneadable eraser for difficult smudges and marks. 

Remove Your Wall’s Pain—Not Its Paint

If you’re finally getting to address years’ worth of scuffs and stains from your walls, this guide will help ease the process.

Remember to always test substances before using them to clean large areas of your painted wall. Overall, the best way to clean painted walls is with a dampened cloth or sponge and gentle wiping.
Cleaning your home’s many areas is important, but protecting against extra damage is just as crucial.