topic Re: WASHING WALLS in Home

WASHING WALLS

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 02:50:29 GMT

A friend of mine is moving into a new apartment...the cleaning person is quarantined for 10 days due to covid. I told her I would help her clean so she can get moved in.

The walls need to be washed...not scrubbed but cleaned and possibly they will be painted, hoping that is not the case.

I looked on line about washing walls, since that is not something I do but I have gotten two different answers....wash from the bottom up and another to wash from the top down. From what I understand if it is done wrong there could be streaking...so which was is the best?

We are only going to use hot water and a little bit of dawn dish soap.

...any comments appreciated.

Re: WASHING WALLS

Still Raining — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 03:00:37 GMT

If she is renting, this is NOT for her to do. Management must do it. If they are that dirty she should not start her lease.

Since you have no way to know about the type of paint, you can make it worse. Poor quality paint will wash well.

Re: WASHING WALLS

dimin — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 03:18:25 GMT

I do bottom to top to catch the drips before the streak.

Re: WASHING WALLS

Katcat1 — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 03:19:13 GMT

@Mom2Dogs Always wash from the top down. If there is any dirty water it flows downward but I would change the water if it got dirty. My mom always washed walls when I was growinig up and us kids would help her. She used Spic n Span because you did not need to rinse it. I am surprised that people still wash walls but I was thinking about it myself because the landlord does not redecorate once you're in.

Re: WASHING WALLS

January121 — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 03:52:48 GMT

WOW!!! .... I never heard of or knew anyone who washed their walls .... if I was renting a new apartment I would expect the landlord to have the appartment cleaned & painted with fresh paint. 🙃

Re: WASHING WALLS

Mellyg — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 03:58:35 GMT

You are a kind friend for offering to help @Mom2Dogs ; and I go from bottom to top. BUT.... like others have said, it isn't her responsibility to do this. If the walls are dirty the management company should have it painted. In her lease, there may be a "cleaning fee", if she's paying that and they aren't fulfilling their duties, they should waive that.

As with most businesses, Covid has been challenging for many landlords and management companies. I'm sure the helpfulness from you and your friend is appreciated.

Re: WASHING WALLS

homedecor1 — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 04:20:07 GMT

In my cleaning business many people had walls & baseboards done once a year. This was never anything I enjoyed especially those with big houses 😉.

I recall the ladies always started at the bottom and worked upwards same as when washing windows.

I don't recall any streaks. Only streaks I liked were when room was cleaned vacumned rug as backing out of room.

I love a fresh clean house, but, no longer have the stanima to be this fussy!

As for renting I thought it was a law apartments needed to be re-painted and fully cleaned before more-in.

Re: WASHING WALLS

Snowpuppy — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 04:41:29 GMT

Agree that cleaning/painting is the landlord's responsibility. I did suite prep in college. I cleaned and painted vacant apartments in exchange for free rent on my unit.

That said, she should strike a deal if this is a small landlord. "Hey, Covid and all, I'll clean/paint/ready the unit in exchange for the first month's rent".

I've done this with success a few times over.

Re: WASHING WALLS

haddon9 — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 04:42:41 GMT

@January121 wrote:
WOW!!! .... I never heard of or knew anyone who washed their walls .... if I was renting a new apartment I would expect the landlord to have the appartment cleaned & painted with fresh paint. 🙃

I feel the same way on both points...it's the landlord's responsibility to provide a clean apartment. I can't imagine renting a place and having to do it myself. I would hire someone before moving and ask the landlord to pay for it.

I also don't know people who usually wash their walls. I can see dusting them but why are they so dirty that one needs to wash them? As for marks, I use Mr. Clean wipes to get any dirty marks near light switches, etc.

I read that washing walls became a regular thing years ago when people had coal heat and walls really did get dirty & covered in soot.

Re: WASHING WALLS

Foxxee — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 07:34:01 GMT

We always start at the top and work our way down. We never had streaking when we dusted the walls with a long mop every month and washed yearly with dish soap.

It does depend on the type of paint that was used and how old it is. Old flat paint needed special care. Despite streaking, my experience has been it also had a tendency to become somewhat shiny after washing.

If the paint is old, I would want the walls painted with newer washable flat/matte paints on the market.

Re: WASHING WALLS

ValuSkr — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 09:37:45 GMT

This has been an eye-opener. I clean windows from the top down and would do walls the same - if I did walls. But the consensus here seems to be that bottom up is better.

Re: WASHING WALLS

haddon9 — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 11:56:55 GMT

Curious...for those who "wash walls" do you do the ceilings too? They must get dirty from the air as well.

Re: WASHING WALLS

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 12:03:25 GMT

Thanks for the replies.....generally the landlord would have the apartment cleaned but the cleaning lady is in quarantine for 10 days....the landlord will reimburse my friend for cleaning the apartment herself.

She does not want to wait to move in and if she waits the 10 days for the cleaning lady I won't be able to help her much, as I will be back at work.

Re: WASHING WALLS

henderson — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 16:02:41 GMT

@Mom2Dogs wrote:
Thanks for the replies.....generally the landlord would have the apartment cleaned but the cleaning lady is in quarantine for 10 days....the landlord will reimburse my friend for cleaning the apartment herself.

She does not want to wait to move in and if she waits the 10 days for the cleaning lady I won't be able to help her much, as I will be back at work.

THE LANDLORD CAN'T FIND ANOTHER CLEANING LADY? I suggest using TSP on the walls to clean them.

Re: WASHING WALLS

wagirl — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 16:06:41 GMT

I always used TSP in hot water with a few big sponges. but if this is a rented unit, man alive, I would get management to do that job------

Re: WASHING WALLS

ALRATIBA — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 16:17:31 GMT

Every so often, I'll "wash" the wall above the stove.

I just put some Mr. Clean type liquid stuff (whatever I have on hand) in a pail of water and use the sponge mop to do a quick once-over.

Doesn't take long and with the sponge mop - no drops / streaks.

Re: WASHING WALLS

Imaoldhippie — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 16:25:13 GMT

That is mangements responsibility and the walls will be re-painted. Thats standard procedure before renters move in.

Most likely the management will not let her wash the walls because of insurance rules.

Since Dawn needs rinsed, you would have to re-wipe the walls to rinse.

@Mom2Dogs

Re: WASHING WALLS

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 17:07:36 GMT

@Imaoldhippie ....While I agree about repainting, the landord said they were painted 2 years ago and will not repaint...there is nothing in her contract that states they will paint....only clean and like I said it will be at least 10 days before their cleaning person is off her covid restrictions...landlord will compensate my friend for cleaning the place on her own.

I see that spic and span does not need to be rinsed to that's a better option.

This is not a large apartment complex, and we are in a small town...landlord is a local owner that own a few apartments...I did check on line for the state rules about cleaning, painting, etc..for renters.there was no mention of painting being a must before a new renter moves in. I do agree they SHOULD HAVE TO PAINT when they get a new renter.

Re: WASHING WALLS

JYWilliams — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 17:26:31 GMT

@homedecor1 I also wash my walls and baseboards down once a year. They get dusty. Even the walls especially when running a fan. I don't like doing it either. LOL!

Re: WASHING WALLS

Imaoldhippie — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 18:51:03 GMT

@Mom2Dogs ...................Im glad you checked it all out. Since its a private owner evidently they dont do the re-painting each time someone new moves in.

Good luck to both of you and Im glad you are not going to use Dawn. While Im an avivd Dawn fan, I do wash my kitchen cabinets with it since it cuts the cooking grease and them I rinse them down with vinegar water.