Is your wallpaper turning yellow over time? Do you notice a loss of color? White paper getting a slight yellow tinge? Don't panic, we have solutions to effectively clean yellowed wallpaper!
In this article, thewallpaper.com will explain point by point how to clean to restore as much brightness and color to your paper as possible. We will also provide simple tips to properly maintain your walls.
My wallpaper is yellowing: what are the causes?
If your wallpaper starts to yellow, there can be several reasons for this.
1. You smoke in your home. This is the most common case. Over time, and if your papers are light, the smoke from your cigarette can cause your wallpaper to yellow. This is due to the harmful substances contained within, which are not only bad for your health but also for your paper.
2. Grease from your cooking. If your wallpaper is placed near your kitchen, it may start to yellow due to the micro-particles of grease that can accumulate on it. Generally, it's the dust and all the impurities deposited on your wallpaper that allow the grease to stick to it.
- Humidity in your home and walls. Yellowing can also come from a humidity problem in your house or apartment. Indeed, on certain types of paper, which are less resistant to water, this can alter their color, leading to an unpleasant yellowish hue in addition to being problematic for your paper.
How to effectively clean yellowing wallpaper?
In many cases, when it comes to domestic cleaning, one thinks of a star product: white vinegar. This essential has two major advantages: it is economical, and it can work wonders. If your wallpaper has yellowed over a limited area, this is certainly one of the best techniques to regain your original color.
How to apply it? By diluting your white vinegar with water (tap water, for example), dip your sponge in this solution, then apply it to the yellowed areas.
If the yellowing comes from cigarette smoke, unfortunately, there isn't much you can do. However, for a problem related to grease stuck on it, this solution will work very well, in addition to wiping with a sponge and a bit of soap beforehand.
Caution: these techniques only work if your wallpaper is washable. Make sure to check before applying any liquid or solution on it.
How to know if my wallpaper is washable?
First of all, you must check (necessarily) whether your wallpaper is washable or not. How to do it?
The rule is quite simple, although there are some exceptions.
All vinyl or acrylic wallpapers are washable.
For others, the majority can be cleaned with a slightly damp sponge or with dry cleaning (cloth + powder).
What to do if it isn't?
In case your wallpaper is not washable, you should never, ever clean it with a liquid product. If you were to do so, it would start to warp very quickly, which would cause it to crumble, and necessitate removing all of it, buying new wallpaper, and then reapplying it.
Our advice: buy a cleaner that can be applied dry, from a supermarket, or use a grandmother's trick like with Fuller's earth or talcum powder, for example.
As in many other cases, baking soda is also your ally! Don't hesitate to put some on a dry cloth, for example, while rubbing very gently.
Good to know: always do a test. Take a corner of your wallpaper, or a less visible area, and test your solution (always dry) to validate its use or not.
