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PSA: Your walls get dirty too! (slrpnk.net)
submitted 3 weeks ago by to c/Cleanit@slrpnk.net
15 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I try (and I stress try) to clean my walls once a year and spot clean when I notice hand prints and dirty marks. I personally am a bucket and rag cleaning person but I've seen a few people use a flat mop with success.

My personal method: dust the walls first, bucket of water, minimal amount of either dilutable all purpose cleaner or, dish soap well mixed into the water. Use a rag to wipe down the wall, use another bucket of just water with a rag to rinse (unless your cleaner does not require a rinse).

If you have children or pets, you might need to wash the lower part of your walls more often.

I'm not shaming anyone who doesn't clean their walls annually. I know many people who don't. I just used to clean houses for a living so, I do this sort of thing annually.

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[–] 4 points 3 weeks ago (9 children)

I have brick walls. I have no idea how to clean them.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 3 weeks ago (8 children)

    By not getting them dirty! Lol totally kidding. I guess that depends on some factors. How well they hold up (like not crumbling), how dirty they are, if they're greasy and whether or not they're painted.

    As long as they're structurally sound, not chipping or turning to dust, a sheet of plastic on the floor with some towels over it, a bucket with a mild or brick/stone safe cleaner, follow the directions for dilution and such on the cleaner, and use a gentle scrub brush.

    If it requires rinsing you may need to get creative with a spray bottle and some rags. Personally, if it doesn't look gross/feel gross, I wouldn't do much but spot treat as needed.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

    Thanks for the guidance. They’re from the 1870s, so I’ll definitely do some research into options. They’re not crumbling in a scary way, but they’ve definitely got some special needs. I’ve never thought about cleaning them once a year, but I do live in a downtown area.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

    Something like that I'd probably stick to more of a dusting once a year and spot cleaning honestly. A vacuum attachment over it occasionally just to get some of that floating dust off the surface should be fine. As long as you're not licking the bricks 🤣

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  • [–] 3 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

    Oooh - great call with the vacuuming! Thank you.

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  • [–] [S] 3 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

    Honestly a fairly light stick vac with just a semi wide attachment at the end would probably be sufficient.

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    • [–] 4 points 3 weeks ago* (1 child)

    I hate textured walls for exactly this reason. ESPECIALLY if there are animals in the house. All that undercoat gets caught on the useless peaks and swirls, and you just end up with a fuzzy, dander-trap wall. It's a nightmare if anyone in your house has lung problems like asthma or COPD.

    The way my friend's eyes widened when 1) I took a broom and swept her walls and 2) the hour it took for the dust to settle so I could sweep the FLOOR and get it all out of the house.

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    • [–] 8 points 3 weeks ago

    You only need to clean wall dirt when it falls to the floor. Like and subscribe for more time saving cleaning hacks.

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    [–] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

    We probably clean our walls more often than that, but we have a small open-plan home, so dirt has less places to go.

    I've been thinking about getting some kind of air filter. Not so much because I want to clean walls less (although that would be nice), but because I don't like the idea of my family breathing in lint and dust while it's suspended in the air. I was vacuuming the other day which stirred some particles up and I saw them getting sucked into the hoover as I was holding it up.

    Probably worth its own discussion actually.

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 3 weeks ago

    Check our CR Boxes. The community is on reddit so I won't send you there but this is a decent resource. Mine is made out of a decently powered box fan and 20x20 filters from Costco. I will warn you not to use a cheap Walmart fan. The filters lasted longer than the fan.

    Maybe one day I'll make a fancy pretty one out of computer fans so I can save some floor space but 🤷‍♀️

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