It is a good idea to regularly clean painted walls to remove marks, scuffs, dirt, dust, and fingerprints. Clean interior walls will help a house look bright and fresh. Remembering to wash walls on a regular basis will sometimes prevent difficult-to-remove stains.

To clean painted walls, you should first regularly vacuum and gently brush cobwebs and dust off the walls with a soft brush, working from the top down. This will ensure that you are not spreading dirt and creating streak marks when you eventually get the walls wet. You may also want to vacuum along the baseboard to pick up any dirt or cobwebs that came off the wall, so you do not redeposit them later.

It is also a good idea to spot-test an area first. Some experts warn that satin paint can be damaged by water. Satin paint is a type of paint finish that isn't high gloss. Trying the washing process in an inconspicuous location will help ensure that any potential negative effects will be relegated to a hidden location.

You'll also want to protect your floors. It is a good idea to place a towel on the floor so that as you wash and the water runs down the walls, your wood or carpeted floors won't be damaged. Also, be sure to wring the water out of your sponge or rag to make sure that too much water doesn't drip down, sopping your floors.

The actual process of cleaning painted walls is not difficult. Experts often recommend using a simple all-purpose cleaner mixed with warm water, a Borax-and-water solution, or dish soap mixed with warm water. Do not use abrasive cleaners to clean painted walls as they can ruin the paint finish. Also, prepare a second bucket of plain warm water to rinse the wall after you wash it with soapy water.

It is best to start at the bottom of the wall and work your way up. This way, you will not have streaks of dirty water running down the walls. These streaks can actually be difficult to remove.

Gently wipe the wall with a soft, damp sponge dipped in the soapy water. Never use an abrasive scour pad or anything that could scratch the walls. Wash a small area at a time. Repeat this process with the sponge dipped in the plain, warm water to rinse the wall. Once you have finished washing one area, wipe it dry with a soft towel and move on to the next small area.

Even if you regularly clean painted walls, some marks can be more difficult to remove. It is often possible to remove scuff marks or crayon on walls with the Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser®. Others suggest using a dab of lighter fluid, WD-40 or even toothpaste to remove crayon marks. As always, when working with flammable materials, be sure to use with caution. To clean painted walls naturally, a damp sponge dipped in baking soda will often do the trick.