How to clean walls without damaging the paint

Of all the surfaces in a home that need cleaning, walls are probably way down on a to-do list. But like floors, countertops, furniture and other horizontal surfaces, vertical surfaces collect dust, fingerprints, and scuffs and scrapes, too. With an occasional cleaning, a home’s walls — whether painted or papered — can stay looking their best. All walls can be dry dusted, but only some are safe for wet cleaning.

Here are the steps, techniques and products we recommend for cleaning walls without damaging them. Products needed include a multisurface floor sweeper, liquid dish soap, a cleaning sponge and a dry cleaning sponge.

STEPS TO CLEAN A PAINTED WALL (WITHOUT REMOVING THE PAINT)

Before getting started, note that eggshell, flat and satin paint finishes are the most delicate and require the lightest touch. Gloss and semigloss paint finishes are more durable and can withstand a bit more pressure and stronger cleaners.

Step 1: Remove dust. The easiest way to dust a painted wall is with a long-handled dry floor mop that uses either a microfiber pad or a disposable cloth, like Good Housekeeping Seal star Swiffer. If possible, remove any artwork, photos and small mirrors before starting. Attach a clean pad or cloth to the mop, and with vertical strokes, go up and down the wall, overlapping passes and wiping along the baseboard and crown moldings as you move along. Check the pad or cloth regularly to see when it needs to be shaken out to keep it from depositing dust back onto the wall. Using the vacuum’s soft-dusting-brush attachment can also be helpful.

Step 2: Wash away grime and fingerprints. Areas around light switches and door jambs, as well as walls exposed to greasy dirt, need more than dry dusting. After removing surface dust and webs, take the following steps:

1. Mix a solution of mild dish soap and warm water. Keep a separate container of clear water to rinse.

2. Dip a clean sponge or cloth into the sudsy mixture, wring it well, and starting at the bottom, clean a 2- or 3-foot square section of the wall.

3. Rinse your sponge or cloth in the clear water, wring it well, and go over the same area to rinse. Let the wall air dry.

Be careful not to add excess water to the wall or scrub too harshly. Work your way up and across the wall in sections. Working from bottom to top may sound counterintuitive, but doing so keeps any water from causing streaks or dirty puddles should drips run down the wall.

Step 3: Erase scuffs and stains. If there is a surface smudge or stain that just does not wash away, try lightly buffing it out with an eraser-type sponge, such as GH Seal star Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Test it — and any stain remover — first on a hidden spot for safety, and rub lightly. You can also try removing stains, such as crayon marks, from paint with a baking-soda paste or hydrogen peroxide. Rubbing alcohol and vinegar also remove stains, but proceed carefully. Apply the stain remover with a cloth, and rub lightly in a circular motion. Wipe with a clean damp cloth to rinse, and repeat, if needed.

5 BEST CABINET PAINT BRANDS

Our top picks combine a smooth finish with durability and easy cleaning.

Because cabinets are such a strong focal point in the kitchen, changing them up can transform the look and feel of the entire space, but new units can cost thousands of dollars. The good news is, if you like the layout of your existing cabinets and they are structurally sound, you can achieve a new look for as little as $100 with a fresh coat of paint.

Certain cabinet styles and materials lend themselves to this project more than others. The best candidates are wood cabinets with simple fronts, often referred to as Shaker style. Cabinets with a lot of intricate details and applied moldings will be harder to paint, and our pros do not recommend this project for cabinets covered in plastic laminate or rigid thermofoil. Here are the best cabinet paints you can buy in 2022:

Best Overall Waterborne Alkyd Cabinet Paint: Benjamin Moore Advance. This paint was formulated specifically with kitchen cabinets in mind, as well as doors, trim and other hightouch surfaces in the home. Benjamin Moore is a favorite with professional painters because of its smooth application. The paint also cures to an exceptionally hard, furniture-grade finish that can stand up to the busiest kitchens.

Best Value Waterborne Alkyd Cabinet Paint: Behr Urethane Alkyd Semi-Gloss Enamel. Though many hybrid paints cost upward of $100 per gallon, Behr’s more affordable version is comparable to many high-quality latex paints. It boasts most of the same properties of other alkyd enamels, including excellent flow and leveling, meaning your cabinets will not be marred by brush marks. Paintbrushes and spills are easily cleaned with water, not the turpentine or mineral spirits that oil-based paints require.

Best Zero-VOC Cabinet Paint: HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Ovation Plus. While the shift to latex-based paints means that paints are less toxic than in the past, Zero-VOC are the healthiest of them all. Sherwin-Williams’ Ovation Plus line eliminates the chemicals for low-odor results without any compromise on durability. Sherwin-Williams also states that the paint’s antimicrobial properties protect against mold and mildew.

Best Cabinet Paint Sold at Walmart: Glidden High Endurance Plus. The competitively priced Glidden punches above its weight when it comes to coverage, especially if you apply a separate primer coat, as our experts recommend. While the base paint is zeroVOC, the VOC count might rise depending on which color you choose.

Best Luxury Cabinet Paint: Donald Kaufman Color. Luxury-paint makers insist that their formulas are unique, including Donald Kaufman, which touts “proprietary pigment combinations on each color’s own unique character.” In field tests, the brand’s semigloss paint held up extremely well on cabinets in a busy kitchen setting. The hard finish is scruband stain-resistant, with little fading despite receiving intense sunlight throughout the day.