How to Remove Spots, Marks and Stains From Wallpaper

By: Natasa Shepherd

Hanging wallpaper is by no means an easy task. The sheer frustration of trying to get a wet piece of paper to stay up on your wall without looking terrible is enough to make a grown-up go insane. So unless you absolutely love hanging wallpaper, you'll want to make sure that your walls remain free of any spots or stains that could make the neatest home look unsightly. With that being said, it's inevitable that your walls won't remain spotless for their entire life span. Culprits of wallpaper range from animals and children to yourself and the passing years. At some point, you will have to remove a mark or two.

One of the more commonly known techniques used to remove stains is the use of a mild detergent. Dilute just enough detergent in a bucket to make a few bubbles, no more. Next, depending on the type of stains you have, you will either spot-treat or cover large areas of the wall. For dust and dirt in general you should gently brush your wallpaper down with a soft brush to get rid of loose dirt. Then take a sponge to the detergent solution, making sure you squeeze it out well because you do not want it to be wet, just damp. Wipe your walls down with the damp sponge, working side-to-side and top-to-bottom. It is best to work in sections, as you will want to wipe up excess moisture from the wallpaper with a dry towel as soon as possible.

For spot-treating most of the stains, you will use the same detergent solution and this time use a cloth, dipped into the water, and rub the stain gently until it disappears. This will get rid of a majority of regular stains; if it doesn't, you should try taking a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to them. Even if you have to go out and buy one, it's a worthwhile investment.

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