How do you clean painted walls without damaging the paint?

Short answer: mild detergent, a soft cloth, then rinse the whole wall

The safe way to clean a painted wall is gentle, then even. Dulux's care guide for low sheen and matt walls runs in this order:

1. Mix a weak wash. Warm water with a small amount of mild detergent.
2. Work on the mark. Apply the solution to the stubborn spot with a soft cloth.
3. Wash the whole wall. Dulux says to wash down the whole wall or ceiling once the spot is clean, so it doesn't end up patchy.
4. Rinse and dry. Rinse with clean water and let it dry.

Start with the softest option. Dulux says to try the least abrasive material and the mildest detergent first. If you're using sugar soap, Selleys says to test it first on delicate or coloured surfaces, so try a spot behind the couch before the middle of the wall.

New paint needs time before any of this. Dulux says paint can take around a full week in normal weather to develop full washability. Our paint drying guide covers the other drying stages.

How much cleaning a wall takes depends on its sheen

As a rule, the shinier the paint, the more scrubbing it can stand, though the product counts as well. Dulux says the right way to clean a wall varies with the sheen, and Taubmans and Haymes say much the same in their own sheen guides. Here's what each maker says about cleaning each finish.

The reason is in the paint film. Dulux says high traffic areas may need low sheen, semi gloss or gloss rather than flat paint, because the extra gloss is less porous and stands up better to scrubbing. So go gentlest on flat and matt walls.

The product matters as well. Dulux says its Wash&Wear Matt gives a matt finish without compromising on washability or durability.

Everyday marks: what to use and what to keep off the wall

For scuffs, fingerprints and the odd splash, warm water and a little detergent is the right start on every interior sheen. Dulux gives that advice for flat and matt walls, and for semi gloss and gloss too. Here's the short list.

• Use: warm water with a little mild detergent.
• Use: a soft damp cloth or sponge with a non-abrasive cleanser, as Dulux's burnishing guide puts it.
• Use on semi gloss and gloss: Dulux names a damp cloth and Selleys Sugar Soap Wipes for stubborn stains.
• Finish with: a rinse of clean water over the whole surface, then let it dry.

• Avoid on flat and matt: rough abrasives, solvent cleaners, stiff scrubbing brushes and harsh caustic cleaners.
• Avoid on semi gloss and gloss: abrasives and caustic-based cleaners.
• Avoid everywhere: hard scrubbing with chemicals, brushes or scourers. Dulux says it burnishes the surface and leaves shiny patches.
• Never mix: Wattyl says not to mix cleaning chemicals, especially bleach-based products with ammonia or other cleaners.

Spot cleaning has a catch. Dulux says frequent washing and spot cleaning can make burnishing worse, especially on lower quality paints. Dulux also says to wash the whole wall after a spot clean, so it doesn't end up patchy.

Washing walls before a repaint: sugar soap, then let it dry

Yes, walls get washed before they're painted. Dulux says the surface must be clean, dry and free from dust, oils and grease before Wash&Wear goes on, and the Dulux, Taubmans and Haymes prep guides all include a wash.

1. Get the dust off. Dulux says to brush or vacuum up the dust first.
2. Mix the sugar soap. Selleys says to dilute half a cup of Original Sugar Soap in half a bucket of water (about 5 litres) for general cleaning, and to use it neat with a non-scratch scouring pad on tough stains.
3. Wash the walls. Dulux says to thoroughly wash the walls with Selleys Original Sugar Soap to remove grease and dirt. Haymes uses its Unikleen sugar soap and a scouring pad. Taubmans uses a mild detergent solution, then rinses thoroughly.
4. Wipe over. Selleys says sugar soap doesn't need rinsing off if you're repainting. It still calls a wipe-over with a clean damp cloth good practice, particularly on walls with nicotine stains or heavy grease.
5. Let it dry. Selleys says the wall must be dry before you paint it.

Notice the scouring pad. Haymes uses one before painting, and Selleys suggests a non-scratch one for tough stains, while Dulux's care guide warns that scourers burnish a wall you're keeping. A wall about to be repainted is a different job from one you're cleaning to live with. Our room painting guide covers the rest of the prep, from filling to spot priming.

If there's mould, treat it as a prep step before you paint. Taubmans says to treat it with a diluted bleach solution. Don't mix that bleach with ammonia or other cleaners.

Sugar soap: what it is and where to keep it off

Sugar soap is a strong household cleaner for grease and grime. Selleys calls its Original Sugar Soap a professional strength grease and grime cleaner, and says it's ideal prep before painting or wallpapering. Selleys says it's safe for most modern washable surfaces, and lists walls, floors, tiles and laminates. So yes, it can go on tiles.

Selleys also sets out where to be careful:

• Aluminium and brass. Avoid contact, and wipe it off straight away if it gets on them.
• Glass. Rinse it off well.
• Delicate or coloured surfaces. Test it first.
• Your hands and eyes. Selleys says it may irritate eyes, and to wear gloves if your skin is sensitive.
• A wall you're keeping. Selleys says sugar soap should always be rinsed off when you're cleaning and not painting.

If you'd rather skip the bucket, Selleys sells Instant Sugar Soap, a ready-to-use formula that needs no dilution. And if you don't have sugar soap at all, Taubmans' prep guide uses a mild detergent solution with a thorough rinse.

When cleaning won't fix it: shiny patches and soaked-in stains

Some marks sit in the paint film itself, and washing won't take them out. Four signs say a wall needs paint instead of a cloth.

• Shiny patches where you've cleaned. That's burnishing. Dulux says the gloss of paint can wear down from rubbing, scrubbing or things brushing against it, and that it's common where flat paint is used in busy areas.
• Paint coming off on the cloth. Dulux calls this poor scrub resistance: the paint film wears away when scrubbed with a brush, sponge or cloth. One cause Dulux lists is washing paint before it has had enough time to dry.
• Stains that have soaked in. Dulux says poor stain resistance is paint failing to resist dirt and stains, and puts it down to low quality paint or paint over an unprimed surface.
• A mark that comes back through new paint. Our guide to covering stains on walls and ceilings covers the stain blockers the makers name for each kind of stain.

For a small damaged spot, Dulux says leftover touch-up paint from your painter can be used to touch up the paintwork. For a whole hallway that's gone shiny or patchy, Dulux says areas that need frequent cleaning should be painted with a highly washable premium paint formulated for scrub resistance, and that busy areas may need low sheen, semi gloss or gloss rather than flat.

High walls, stairwells and raked ceilings need the right ladder or platform. If you can't reach the wall safely from the floor or a small step, stop there. Our room painting guide covers the ladder limits.

Washable paints for busy rooms and rentals

If a wall gets wiped every week, the paint you choose decides how well it copes. Dulux, Taubmans and Haymes each sell interior wall paints they describe as washable or easy to wipe clean. Here's what each one says.

Haymes says hallways and living and dining areas benefit from a durable, washable sheen such as eggshell or low sheen. Our guide to painting a rental between tenants covers what to ask a painter for, and the primer guide explains when new or patched walls need sealing first.

Getting walls repainted on the Sunshine Coast

When a wall is past cleaning, it needs the full prep before a repaint: a wash, then the filling, sanding and priming our room painting guide covers. Our interior paint finishes guide helps you pick a sheen that's easier to keep clean next time.

Our interior house painters work across the Sunshine Coast, and the suburbs we cover are on our locations page. We've painted Sunshine Coast homes since 1985 and hold QBCC licence 1281728. Get a guide price from our instant estimate, and we'll arrange a site visit if the job needs one.