By Andréana Lefton and Bob Vila | Updated 10:39 AM, December 4, 2020

Does your wallpaper look a little tired? Over time, dust and moisture will change color, making the paper-covered walls darker than the day they were covered. The wallpaper in the kitchen may be covered by cooking spray, smoke and evaporated oil, forming a sticky surface, and dust can easily stick to and cover the wall. At the same time, the wallpaper in the bathroom is exposed to high humidity and splashing water and may become mildew and mildew. If it is very saturated—for example, due to a leak or a pipe burst—water can also seep into the walls and release tannins from the wood below, staining your wallpaper.

Fortunately, you can use some of the relatively simple methods listed below to remove wear and dirt. Be sure to consider your specific type of wallpaper and what it can handle, and then read on to learn how to effectively clean the wallpaper.

Before proceeding with a deep cleaning, determine what type of wallpaper you have. Vinyl wallpaper is the most popular wallpaper, but due to the emergence of new materials and technologies, wallpaper is restarting. Therefore, there are more options to choose from, and each option has its own set of cleaning precautions, depending on the durability of the material. Here are seven things to know.

If your wallpaper is cellulose, fabric, bamboo, mixed wallpaper or removable wallpaper, please stick to step 1 (below) and only gently dust or vacuum the wall. Many natural fibers and fabrics can be damaged by water and cleaning chemicals, so please contact the manufacturer before dealing with stains.

Vinyl and fiberglass wallpaper-the most durable-are exceptions. You can use general cleaning sprays or the gentle cleaning methods outlined below for cleaning. Even so, please proceed with caution: use only non-abrasive chemicals (no powder) and soft cleaning pads or sponges (no scouring pads) to avoid scratches, tears or otherwise damage the surface. Do not use Mr. Clean Magic Erasers or any other melamine scrubbers that contain very fine abrasives.

All types of wallpaper must be wiped regularly with a microfiber cloth-at least once every two months. For places that are difficult to reach near the ceiling, please stick the cloth on the long-handled sweeper. You can also use the wall brush extension to vacuum the walls. Make sure that the vacuum head has no bristles, just vacuum, not wipe the wall. Starting from the ceiling, slide the vacuum tip down the wall in a long, smooth line.

Tips: For vinyl wallpapers that need to be cleaned, before handling stains, be sure to dust or vacuum the surface. If you use water and soap immediately, any dust or spider webs will become muddy, making your cleaning job more difficult.

In a bucket, mix 1 gallon of water with 1/4 cup of mild dish soap or castile soap. Then, soak a soft, non-abrasive sponge in soapy water, then knock it out until it gets wet, and then wipe the wallpaper.

If your wallpaper is in the kitchen, this soap mixture should remove most oil stains, but it may not be all oil stains. It may not solve the discoloration caused by water stains or mold. Take note of any deeper stains and resist the urge to scrub vigorously-we will tackle those lingering stains in step 3. Now, let the wall air dry or dry it by hand with a towel.

First determine the type of stain, and then determine the correct removal process.

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