How to easily maintain the walls of your home

Different wall surfaces require different methods of care. Here's a list of many common wall surfaces and how to easily clean them with inexpensive materials.

• Dust walls and ceilings regularly.
• No feather duster? Tie a dust rag to a broom.
• Spray your feather duster with water to help better adhere spiderwebs.
• Suck up spiderwebs with the crevice nozzle on your vacuum cleaner.
• Test all cleaning products on an inconspicuous spot before removing stains. This is important because if the product stains the wall and it cannot be removed, at least it will be hidden from view.
• If you plan to put up wallpaper, go for the scuff-resistant variety. This will make cleaning much easier, and will cut down on time spent on maintenance.
• If you have to wet-wash the walls, be extra safe and shut off the electricity.

• Remove dirt or stains on walls painted with oil paint with soapy water. Use turpentine to carefully dab off ink and grease marks.
• Wash walls painted with latex with soapy water containing a couple of dashes of ammonia, then wipe with water and pat dry. You'll find a soft scrub sponge helpful around light switches.
• Wipe down walls painted with lacquer from top to bottom with a small amount of warm water. Never wet-wash whitewashed walls; it will take the colour off.
• Rub fresh stains off painted walls or rugs with a rubber eraser or a fresh piece of white bread.

• Dust plaster moldings and decorations regularly, preferably with a feather duster. Use a soft paintbrush to clean corners and curves.
• Wet-wash stucco only when necessary. First check that the finish is solid enough, then spray it with a little soap and water so you're able to reach even the cracks. Finally, spray with a small amount of water and dab up all liquid with a dry cloth.

• Brush brick walls occasionally with a scrub brush and sweep up loosened grout.
• Do not wet-wash brick walls — the moisture will soak into the porous masonry, possibly leading to mildew and potentially other damage.