How to Wash Your Painted Walls with Simple Green?

If you have pets or children running around the house, you know that the walls of your home should be cleaned regularly.

It may not seem that important at first, but cleaning the painted walls every so often will keep the home looking good and help protect the paint.

You can use materials that are often found in the kitchen to clean the paint.

Baking soda and vinegar are perfect for removing mineral deposits, soap scum, and any odorous materials that have made their way to your walls.

However, combining baking soda and vinegar will leave behind a white film that may take some time to clean away from already painted walls.

No matter the type of paint, you should use a non-abrasive cleaner to keep the walls clean.

One of the better products is Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner.

This type of cleaner not only works well in removing dust, dirt, fingerprints, stains, and more, but it also protects the paint quite well.

Cleaning Painted Walls with Simple Green

The Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner is biodegradable, non-toxic, and free of TSP, making it safe and easy to rinse.

Because the product is available in a ready-to-use format, you can start right away.

Step 1- Prep

Before you start cleaning, remove any items hanging on your walls. This means artwork, wall hangings, and the like.

Next, move any furniture close to the walls towards the center of the room.

Now, dust and vacuum the side of the walls to have a clean surface. And then, lay down towels or drop cloths if you do not want any of the cleaning solution to reach the floor. 

You are now ready to use the cleaning product.

Step 2- Mix and Start Cleaning

Mix the Simple Green by putting one ounce with four cups of clean water into a bowl or similar container.

Choose a wall section that you want to start – move from section to section after each is done.

Now, apply a small solution to a clean rag or towel to a small part of the wall hidden from view.

This should let you know if the Simple Green affected the paint’s color.

Start by dipping the clean cloth or rag into the solution, ring it out, then apply it damp to the wall.

Try to be as careful as possible when rubbing the solution on the paint.

In addition, you’ll want to be mindful of any plug outlets, phone jacks, and light switches to minimize the chance of an accident.

Step 3- Heavy Scuff Marks

For stains that do not readily come off the wall, soak the Simple Green solution on the scuff mark for at least a minute or so.

Then, wipe with a clean cloth to take away the scuff marks.

Step 4- Wiping Down the Walls

Now you can wipe down the entire wall.

Use a non-abrasive cloth that is damp first and wipe gently from the top down.

Using circular motions will minimize any potential marks you may leave behind.

Keep in mind that the type of paint will dictate the effort you put into cleaning it. For example, satin, eggshell, or flat finishes are rather delicate.

So, you must be careful when wiping or rubbing to clean away the dust and dirt.

Step 5- Dry

Use a dry, non-abrasive cloth to wipe the walls down yet again. This will remove any streaks that otherwise might form on the walls.

Now you are ready to move to the next section of the wall. Keep going until it is all complete.

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Can You Clean Grease Off Walls in Kitchen with Simple Green?

Simple Green is quite effective at cleaning grease off the kitchen walls without damaging the existing paint layer.

And that’s the reason why experts like Sherwin Williams also recommended it for paint prep and regular cleaning.

The more often you use Simple Green to clean the kitchen walls, the less the grease will build up over time on the painted walls.

Otherwise, the grease will attract dust and dirt and only make cleaning the kitchen walls even harder.

Mix two cups of warm water with one ounce of Simple Green and pour the solution into a spray bottle.

Spray on the wall where the grease, oils, or ketchup stain is located and wipe down using a damp cloth or paper towel.

Once the solution and grease are removed, wipe again with a cloth that is damp from clean water. Allow the area to dry completely.

And that is how you clean grease off the kitchen walls using Simple Green.

What Other Household Things Can You Clean with Simple Green?

Simple Green is a popular cleaning product that has been used in homes for nearly 45 years.

It’s ideal for washing a variety of different surfaces such as walls, floors, baseboards, stone, ceramic, limestone, granite countertops, and much more.

You can also use Simple Green products to clean delicate objects like glass, jewelry, cosmetic brushes, ceiling fans, and baby toys.

Not only that, but you can also use the product for cleaning carpet stains, even in a carpet cleaning machine for deep cleaning carpet fibers.

That said, Simple Green products are not recommended for use on materials such as suede, leather, unfinished/untreated wood, opals, or pearls. It can also be harsh on certain types of plastics.

So, when using Simple Green, always remember to test a small, inconspicuous area of the surface first to check for any adverse effects.

Related FAQs

What’s in Simple Green?

The ingredients in Simple Green are:

• Water
• Citric acid
• Sodium Citrate
• Sodium Carbonate
• Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
• Methylchlorosiothiazolinone, etc.

Depending on the specific products, scents like lemon and lavender can also be added.

The manufacturer of Simple Green also adds several unspecified dyes that offer their products its characteristic dark green color. A complete list of ingredients can be found here, just in case you need to check.

Are Purple Power and Simple Green the same?

Purple Power and Super Clean products are strong degreasers used chiefly to clean aluminum car parts.

These are specially designed to be powerful cleaners and degreasers to penetrate grease, oil, and dirt on contact so that even the toughest stains can be wiped away in just seconds.

Simple Green can also be used for cleaning automotive parts and road grime, but it’s not as strong as Purple Power.

What are the different products offered by Simple Green?

SIMPLE GREEN® is not flammable and safe for use on the skin.

This means you can use it around the house without worrying about toxic fumes or hurting children and pets.

It is also non-toxic, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly.

The company offers a variety of cleaning products both for household and industrial usage, including:

• All-Purpose Cleaner
• Concentrated All-Purpose Cleaner
• Stone Cleaner & Polish
• Outdoor Cleaner Plus
• Laundry – Sunshine Fresh
• Multi-Surface Floor Care
• Outdoor Odor Eliminator
• Bike Cleaner & Degreaser
• Heavy-Duty Industrial Cleaner & Degreaser

While all these products do not irritate most users, it’s good to avoid getting the product in contact with the eyes and mouth.

The bottom line

Simple Green is an all-purpose cleaning product that is excellent for use on walls that have been painted.

You can even use it to prep and clean your walls before painting.

You can also use the product to clean up spilled paint on floors and remove the paint from paintbrushes or rollers after painting.

Make sure you follow the proper steps and instructions.