It has been more than a month since the first lockdown order announced on 18th March in Malaysia. This lockdown period is one of the precautionary measures to decrease the COVID-19 from spread across the country. While you must be wondering, what are the other things to do for this whole lockdown age? Apparently, the obvious answer to that is cleaning your house, or to be specific, cleaning your wallpaper.
Gentle cleaning
Wallpaper is an investment that needs to be delicately cleaned. Color and texture can easily be damaged if you’re not careful, especially with older, non-coated wallpapers, and in many cases, the damage is impossible to fix without fully replacing the wallpaper – and I’m sure that’s not what you really want especially during this lockdown period. For any wallpaper product, avoid scouring cleansers or abrasive cloths that can more easily score the finish or sand away color.
Dusting the wall
To clean wallpaper, always start by dusting the wall with a lambswool duster or a broom wrapped in a microfiber cloth.
Fingerprints and smudges can often be removed by spot cleaning with an artist’s gum eraser, but for older or more delicate wallpapers, opt for a “dry sponge” from a hardware store. The product will remove dirt without adding moisture to the paper. Use long strokes to remove dirt more gently with the dry sponge, rather than focusing on spot cleaning.
Scrubbable or washable wallpapers are more durable. Even with durable wallpaper, you still shouldn’t use an abrasive cleaner on the surface.
Natural sponge
Washable wallpapers can be easily cleaned with a natural sponge wet with soapy water, as long as it is wrung out very well. Wipe the sponge across the wall surface gently, being cautious so that the wallpaper doesn’t get too wet, and immediately follow-up with a dry white cloth to absorb extra moisture.
Guidelines
If you have access to the manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning the wallpaper in your home, be sure to reference them for additional tips and techniques.
