Distemper is a cost-effective paint commonly used to coat interior walls, especially in Indian homes. While it is a durable substance that provides a solid layer of protection, distemper painted walls are often susceptible to the many things that make them look messy or dirty.

Distemper Painted Walls

Dust and grime if not cleaned on time settle permanently onto these walls. Moreover, ink stains, crayons, wine spillage or even greasy hands can wreck havoc on the beautiful sheen of the distemper painted walls.

Thus, it is necessary to maintain the walls by cleaning them on a regular basis. Let us look at some ways in which you can clean distemper walls at home in a simple manner:

1. Equipment

Distemper Painted Walls

Before you begin to clean your walls, arm yourself with everything you will need for the process:

  • A pair of rubber gloves is important; you don’t want chemicals or dirt touching your skin.
  • Wear a worn out pair of jeans and an old t-shirt. There can be accidental spillages and you don’t want your clothes to be spoiled.
  • Use a ladder. There will obviously be places on the distemper painted walls you won’t be able to reach otherwise.
  • Keep your cleaning equipment and products handy, like in a trough or a bucket where you can easily reach them.
2. Method

Distemper Painted Walls

The process should be optimized so that it consumes as little time and energy as possible:

  • If you are attempting to clean an entire wall or walls, make sure you have a mop lying around to regularly clear away the excess water on the floor. You don’t want the water to splash back on the clean walls.
  • Always start from the top and go down. Work sideways in a calculated manner so that you do not over clean a part or leave a portion the wall by mistake.

Distemper Painted Walls

  • This is of course not necessary if you are cleaning a specific stain or area. But in case it is a colored stain, make sure that you have a container filled with water at hand to squeeze out the excess liquid. Sometimes, the process of cleaning results in further stains if one is not careful.
  • Always clean in gentle, uniform, circular strokes as hard rinsing can cause the color or paint to come off.
3. Product

Distemper Painted Walls

It is imperative that you use the right products for cleaning your distemper painted walls:

  • Dusting: Vacuuming your wall with a small vacuum cleaner is a good idea. It cleans the dirt, grime, cobwebs and the lighter dust. You could also opt for an electrostatic duster to get rid of dirt.
  • Regular Cleaning: A mild detergent mixed with water can work as a good cleaner. Alternatively, a homemade solution of vinegar mixed with water works as well. Take care to not use copious amount of liquid on the walls. Use a soft dry cloth to clean the distemper walls and then use a kitchen towel or tissues to pat it dry.
  • Stains: A mix of baking soda and water can easily treat crayon, marker or ink stains. Also, toothpaste when applied and left for a few minutes on dark marks can be cleaned in a jiffy.
  • Rigid stains: You can always use baby wipes. If you are using normal wipes, then ensure you clean the walls a little gently. A cleaning agent like Mr. Clean Magic Eraser makes things easier as well.

The trick to cleaning distemper painted walls is to do so gently and with perseverance. Follow this maxim and the steps given above and you will have perfectly clean walls for years to come.