As most of you know, I am a SHE (in FlyLady speak, that means someone who isn't one with the dustrag). For years, I had a collection of fans on my dining room wall and a few weeks ago, I decided I was tired of them. Of course, now I have lovely fan-shaped marks on my wall from them having been there so long.

So on Sunday I am going to attempt to wash down my dining room wall so that I can hang some new art. I am not sure what cleaning solution or product is best to use for that. The wall is painted white in a flat paint.

Would Formula 409 mixed with warm water be okay? If there's a better way, would appreciate assistance from those of you who have done this before.

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Originally posted by Brie:


The wall may have faded though around your fans and may need to be re-painted.

This is my guess too.

Even if the paint is washable (not a flat finsh) the color may have fadded over time. This might be especially probable if there is a fair amount of sunlight that comes into that room.

Thanks, ladies, for your great advice! I knew you guys would have an answer for me!

Sheri, I've had similar results with the magic erasers. While great for getting weird spots off the fridge, I've found they leave a weird residue on many painted surfaces, like walls. It works in a pinch, like in my stairwell for those scuff marks, but I'm a little worrisome about what really makes these 'magic'.

I read about a Mr. Clean solution though for painted cabinets. You might check the label on that and see if it works on other painted surfaces.

My vote is repainting yourself or asking your complex to freshen up that room for you.

Ok, I'm going to be the descending vote on the magic erasers....I used one on a wall that was textured (just normal texturing...nothing rough or anything) and not only did the stupid thing come apart and leave little pieces on my wall, but it also took my paint away with it!

I also use TSP for washing wall, but you definitely do need to test it because it can (and will) remove some paint.....esp. if it's older paint. Something that I have found that works really well in my kitchen, where the wall gets slightly greasy and sticky is a solution of 1 cup white vinegar, 1 tbsp. liquid dishwashing soap (the kind that you wash by hand with), and a gallon of as hot of water as you can stand. This works beautifully in my kitchen. I use it once a year.

I third the recommendation on spot testing and then using magic erasers.

The wall may have faded though around your fans and may need to be re-painted.

I agree with the others, on TSP, and if you are going to repaint, I read and heard that Benjamen Moore and Behr's Paint has a washable flat paint. (kinda pricy though)

Another thing I do to avoid those marks on the wall, I take my pictures or whatever I have hanging on the wall's (every couple of months) take them down and dust the walls, all it is accumulated dust behind the picture that ends up sticking to the wall. whcih makes that part of the wall look defferent then the other walls

Carole

I second the vote for TSP. But definitely wear gloves.

You could also try those Mr Clean Magic Eraser scrubbie things. They work pretty well too, but test in an inconspicuous corner first.

When you wash, start from the bottom of the wall and work your way up. that way you can avoid streaking on the lower portion of your wall that would be near impossible to remove. I just use whatever all purpose cleaner I have on hand at the time. I've never bought 409 so can't comment on that. Just don't rub too much, it will ruin the paint. Oh, and the magic eraser from Mr. Clean (I think) works great on walls...we use it all the time with just plain water. Good luck!

You'd need to test it, like Denise said, but we used TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) to wash the walls in our house before we painted anything (there had been a heavy smoker in the house for quite some time and a layer of sticky had built up, especially in the kitchen--primer wouldn't stick to the walls, it was so bad). You wear gloves and don't want to actually get it on anything, but it does clean walls. It's sold at most home improvement stores (near the paint, I believe) and the directions are pretty easy.

Or....you can see what the property's policy is on repainting; meaning, if they typically paint between tenants, and you've been there for years, see if they'll re-paint that room for you OR give you the go-ahead to repaint one wall or room with primer (if it's really WHITE WHITE, that might be all that's on there anyway) and an approved paint color.

I washed a wall once in a rental house and I think that I used a 409-ish kind of product and it RUINED the paint job and made it all streaky and yucky. (That will teach me to clean... )

We buy paint that is "washable"... but believe it or not... some paint isn't. I'd do the "hidden" corner test, like try the wall behind the couch or something first.