How To Clean Your Walls Before Painting

Moving somewhere new (or freshening an existing space) can be thrilling from a design perspective. Sure, there are plenty of headaches that come along with it, but transforming a room simply through wall color is always something that leaves me feeling extra joyful. It's incredible what a good coat of paint can do to breathe new life into a room.

And if you're like me, once you've settled on a vision, it's full steam ahead. It's so hard to force myself to take those first few steps before diving headlong into a project. But especially with something as labor-intensive as paint, taking the time to do it right the first time will make the result so much more gratifying in the end.

If you've got a freshening up in mind, take a stroll through these steps and let your prep work make your hard work work for you. Here, learn how to clean your walls before painting for crisp results that will last.

Before You Begin

One of the most important things to check on as you're about to paint is how your walls are actually faring. Are they cracked? Water damaged? Buckling or bulging? Any of these could be signs that there's trouble in the wall itself, and throwing an extra coat of paint on a problem isn't going to solve it. Before painting, make sure you've repaired anything that might need attention.

What You Need

• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Dishwashing liquid (optional)
• Bucket or tub
• Duster/Swiffer
• Extendable mop or soft cloth and step ladder
• Screwdriver or drill (for removing hardware)
  
• A second clean, dry cloth

Step-by-Step Guide To Cleaning Walls Before Painting

Step One: Remove Hardware

First on the list is making sure you've taken all switch plates, curtain rods, and art (and whatever it was hanging on) off the walls. You'll want a completely clean slate for this project—not to mention, you'll have to remove these for painting anyway. Take five minutes to complete this step now, and it'll save you a little time down the road!

Step Two: Remove Dust And Debris

Ever been somewhere and noticed a bit of texture in a wall where there shouldn't be any? Not dusting beforehand is likely the culprit here. Using a regular duster or Swiffer pad, thoroughly sweep your walls from top to bottom to remove any dust, dirt, or debris that might be clinging to the surface. Even if you think your home is clean, you'll be surprised to see how discolored a duster becomes. No trapped hair or lint in your paint.

Step Three: Prepare Your Solution

Mix together a diluted solution of vinegar and baking soda (we recommend 1 c vinegar, 1 t baking soda, and 3 c water) to serve as your cleaning agent. Alternately, you can dissolve a dishwashing pod into several cups of water for a similar effect.

It's important to note that water should be your main ingredient, and the cleaning solution needs to play a supporting role here. This serves two important functions:

First, it keeps your solution basic as opposed to acidic. Too much cleaning agent could actually strip paint from your walls, which will hand you a whole host of other problems.

The second reason is that your solution needs to be mild enough that a single coat and removal with a clean, dry cloth will be suitable—no need to go back and do a second rinse. Too much solution will leave residue and create more work for you.

Step Four: Clean Walls

Use a clean cloth or extendable mop to circulate your solution across the walls. Ideally, you're not soaking your mop or cloth enough for your solution to drip onto your floors—just get the mop or cloth damp enough that you can see the solution moving across the wall. Bring out your step ladder to ensure your solution makes it all the way to the ceiling or molding in a room.

Step Five: Dry The Walls

Using a clean rag, dry any remaining solution from your walls. There shouldn't be any leftover solution dripping or visible residue (if there is residue, definitely go over the spot with a clean, wet cloth before drying). Giving walls time to dry is best practice before you begin to prime and paint—to that end, we recommend waiting at least two hours before moving on to painting.