How to Clean Wallpaper

How you clean wallpaper depends on what kind you have. Modern washable vinyl can take warm soapy water and a cloth or sponge. Older non-washable paper tears the moment water hits it, so you have to safely clean it dry. The wrong cleaning solution on the wrong wallpaper turns a 10-minute job into a full replacement.

This guide shows you how to spot your wallpaper type, the right cleaning method to use to clean each one, how to handle set stains like grease, mold, crayon, and ink, how often to clean, and what to do if the paper starts to lift. The goal is to keep the wallpaper looking spotless without risking damage.

Identify Your Wallpaper Type First

Three groups, with less and less room for water:

  • Scrubbable wallpaper. Vinyl-based and built for busy or damp rooms. It takes repeat cleaning, light scrubbing, and mild soap. Often used in kitchens, bathrooms, and shops.
  • Washable wallpaper. Most modern wallpaper sold since the 1990s. It takes warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft sponge. It does not take scrubbing or harsh chemicals.
  • Non-washable wallpaper. Older paper wallpaper, hand-printed wallpaper, grasscloth, and fabric-faced wallpaper. Water damages the surface right away. Dry methods only.

How to tell which you have: check the roll label if you still have it. If not, run a water test in a hidden corner. Wet a small spot with a damp cloth. Wait 30 seconds. If the paper darkens, the color runs, or the surface soaks up the water, it is non-washable. If the water beads on top, it is washable or scrubbable.

One rule applies to every type: test a small hidden spot first to make sure you will not harm the wallpaper. If you are not sure of the type, the spot test settles it.

Tools and Materials

The kit is short. Most homes already have all of it, save maybe the dry cleaning sponge.

  • A soft microfiber cloth or two
  • A clean sponge (non-abrasive)
  • A bucket of warm water
  • Mild dish soap (Dawn, Palmolive, or any grease-cutting liquid soap)
  • A vacuum with a soft brush attachment
  • A dry cleaning sponge or wallpaper eraser (for non-washable wallpaper)
  • White vinegar (for tough spots and mildew)
  • A step ladder for high spots

How Often Should You Clean Wallpaper?

The care needs for home wallpaper are light.

  • Monthly: vacuum with a soft brush attachment to lift dust and cobwebs.
  • Quarterly: wipe down high-touch areas (around light switches, doorways, behind chairs) with a damp microfiber cloth.
  • Annually: full wall deep clean for washable wallpaper, dry sponge pass for non-washable.
  • As needed: spot clean any marks within a day or two of seeing them.

Kitchens and bathrooms need more care because of grease, steam, and damp air. Powder rooms and bedrooms can go a full year between deep cleans.

How to Clean Washable Wallpaper

This is the most common modern wallpaper type. Clean it like this.

  1. Vacuum the wall first with a soft brush attachment to lift loose dust and cobwebs.
  2. Mix one tablespoon of mild dish soap with two cups of warm water in a bucket. Stir gently to avoid heavy suds.
  3. Test in a hidden corner. Put the mix on with a damp (not wet) sponge. Wait 60 seconds. If the wallpaper holds up with no color run or texture change, go ahead.
  4. Gently wipe the wall in small sections, top to bottom. Wring the sponge out so it is damp, not dripping. Dampen the sponge only enough to leave a thin film. Drips can soak into seams and damage the wallpaper.
  5. Rinse with a clean sponge and clean warm water as you work. Do not let soapy water dry on the wall, and dab any pooled drops as you go across the wallpaper.
  6. Dry each section with a clean microfiber cloth before you move on. Air-drying leaves water marks.

For greasy areas (above stoves, behind chairs where heads rest), add a second pass with the same mix. Do not add more soap. Two gentle passes work better than one strong pass.

How to Clean Scrubbable Wallpaper

Same steps as washable, with two changes:

  1. You can use a soft-bristle brush in place of a sponge for caked-on grease or soap scum.
  2. Tougher stains can take a slightly stronger soap mix (up to two tablespoons per two cups of water) with no surface damage.

Scrubbable wallpaper is the only type that handles a soft brush with no surface damage. For washable but not scrubbable wallpaper, stick to a sponge.

What Makers Recommend for Wallpaper Care

The cleaning method changes with the wallpaper. The Tempaper "Frequently Asked Questions" page calls for install only on smooth painted walls. The same idea applies to cleaning and restoration: a gentle wallpaper cleaner on the right surface keeps the wallpaper looking new, while the wrong product can damage the wallpaper face. Vinyl-faced wallpaper can be wiped with a damp cloth. Uncoated paper and grasscloth need a dry method. The wallpaper type sets the rule. The stain method sits inside that rule.

How to Spot Clean Non-Washable Wallpaper

Older paper wallpaper, grasscloth, fabric-faced wallpaper, and hand-printed wallpaper all need dry methods. Water hurts the surface, lifts the ink, or makes the paper swell and tear.

  1. Vacuum well with a soft brush attachment. The vacuum is your main tool for non-washable wallpaper.
  2. For smudges or fingerprints, use a dry cleaning sponge (also called a soot sponge or wallpaper eraser). These rubber sponges lift dirt with no water. Wipe in one direction. Lift the sponge between strokes.
  3. For tough marks, try a kneadable rubber eraser like the kind used for charcoal art. Test in a hidden spot first.
  4. Do not use a damp cloth, soapy water, or any liquid on non-washable wallpaper.

If a non-washable wallpaper is heavily soiled and dry methods are not enough, the real options are pro cleaning and restoration or full replacement. Wet cleaning will not work, and you cannot get the wallpaper without surface damage if you try.

How to Spot Clean Specific Wallpaper Stains

Different stains, different methods. Always test the method in a hidden spot first.

Grease stains. For washable wallpaper, the dish soap and water method handles fresh grease. For older grease, sprinkle cornstarch or talcum powder on the stain. Let it sit 30 minutes. Brush it off. Then clean as usual. The powder soaks up the grease.

Mold or mildew. White vinegar mixed 50/50 with water. Put it on with a sponge to washable wallpaper. For mold past a small spot, fix the cause (damp air, water leak) before any cleaning. Mold on non-washable wallpaper means pro removal or full replacement.

Crayon. For washable wallpaper, make a baking soda paste (one part baking soda to three parts water). Rub it on with a soft cloth. Wipe clean. For non-washable, a dry cleaning sponge is the only safe option, and it may not lift all of the crayon.

Ink and marker. The hardest stains. For washable wallpaper, blot (do not rub) with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. Test first. Alcohol can lift wallpaper colors along with ink. For non-washable, ink usually means a set mark.

Coffee, juice, food spills. Blot fast with a dry cloth before they soak in. Then clean by your wallpaper type.

Smoke and nicotine. Heavy smoke film often needs more than one pass with the soap mix on washable wallpaper. For non-washable, dry sponge passes will lift surface film but will not pull out deep stains.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using too much water. Drips and soaked spots lift wallpaper at the seams. Wring the sponge out so it is damp, not wet.
  • Skipping the spot test. The 60-second test in a hidden corner saves you from ruining a wall.
  • Using harsh cleaners or scrub pads. Anything with grit harms the wallpaper surface, even on scrubbable types.
  • Letting soapy water dry on the wall. The film leaves streaks and dulls the finish.
  • Cleaning around outlets without cutting the power. Damp sponges near wires are a real hazard.
  • Using ammonia, bleach, or strong solvents. These strip wallpaper ink and can soften the paste under it.
  • Ignoring lifted seams. Cleaning over a part-lifted seam pushes water under the wallpaper and speeds up the lift.

What to Do If Wallpaper Starts Peeling While Cleaning

If you see a seam start to lift or a corner curl up while you clean, stop right then. More cleaning will make it worse.

  1. Dry the area with a microfiber cloth. Get any water off the wallpaper face and out of the seam.
  2. Wait 24 hours for the wall to fully dry before you do anything else.
  3. Re-glue the lifted seam with wallpaper seam glue (sold at any hardware store). Put a thin bead under the lift, press flat, wipe excess with a damp cloth, and weight it if needed.
  4. For bigger lifts (more than a few inches), use wallpaper paste in place of seam glue. Put a thin layer on the wall behind the lift, press the wallpaper back, and smooth from the inside out.
  5. If the lifted section will not stick, the paste under it has likely failed. The real options are a patch with new wallpaper from a saved roll, or pulling off and replacing the full strip.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the safest way to clean wallpaper?

Vacuuming with a soft brush attachment. The dry method works on every wallpaper type. It damages none of them. For more than dust, spot your wallpaper type first, then match the method.

How do professionals clean wallpaper?

Pros spot the wallpaper type, do a spot test, vacuum first, then use the gentlest method that handles the dirt. Dry methods first, damp methods only when needed, and never harsh chemicals.

Does white vinegar clean wallpaper?

Yes, on washable and scrubbable wallpaper, mixed 50/50 with water. White vinegar is good for mildew spots and as a streak-free rinse. Do not use it on non-washable wallpaper or on hand-printed wallpaper where the colors may bleed.

Can you use Zinsser on wallpaper?

Zinsser mostly makes primers, not cleaners. Their oil-based primers seal wallpaper before paint (see our guide on Can You Paint Over Wallpaper?). They are not for cleaning wallpaper.

How do you clean different types of wallpaper?

Vinyl and washable: warm water plus mild dish soap, sponge damp not wet. Scrubbable: same plus a soft brush for tough spots. Non-washable: dry methods only (vacuum, dry cleaning sponge, kneadable eraser).

How often should you clean wallpaper?

Vacuum monthly, wipe high-touch areas every three months, full wall deep clean once a year for washable types. Kitchens and bathrooms need more care. Bedrooms and living rooms can go longer between deep cleans.

Our Take

Most wallpaper damage from cleaning comes from one of two slips: wet methods on non-washable wallpaper, or too much water on washable wallpaper. Both are easy to avoid with the spot test and a wrung-out sponge. The cleaning is gentle work. The prep and the touch matter more than the strength of the mix.

If you are looking at wallpaper that already shows damage from past cleaning, our guide on How to Remove Wallpaper covers the four methods that work for almost every wallpaper type when removal is the better call.

Last updated: May 2026.

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