If you don’t think you need to wash walls and ceilings in your office, take a look around and pay close attention to the corners and high-touch areas. Chances are, there are smudges around the light switches and cobwebs up in the corners. But that’s only the beginning.
Your office walls and ceilings are likely coated in a fine layer of smudge, dirt, dust, and grime. This buildup is often responsible for what professionals call sick building syndrome. Employees and guests in buildings with this syndrome tend to feel allergy-like symptoms when they’re at work, with the symptoms fading as soon as they leave the building. For most, the initial concern is dangerous mold lurking around the office. But more often than not, mold isn’t the culprit; it’s dust.
The good news is that you can reverse the problem and keep your staff from getting sick by cleaning your office thoroughly, and particularly by washing the walls and ceilings. Here’s a look at five easy ways to get them clean.
Before You Start
Before you even start cleaning, the first step is to gather your supplies. You’ll need the following items:
- A soft, natural sea sponge. These are gentle on paint and won’t damage your walls.
- Plenty of dry towels to catch water dripping down walls and from ceilings.
- A large bucket with a handle.
- Rubber gloves to protect your hands.
- A feather duster.
- A pair of goggles to protect your eyes.
- A long-handled mop or a ladder that’s tall enough to reach your ceilings.
- Soap or cleaning agent, depending on which method you choose to wash walls and ceilings.
Prep The Walls
Once you’ve gathered all your supplies, your next step is to prepare the walls and ceilings. Remove artwork and wall hangings from the walls. Move furniture at least four feet from the walls, if possible. Turn off the electrical current that runs to ceiling fans and chandeliers.
Now grab the feather duster and get to work dusting every inch of the walls and ceilings. You’ll save yourself a lot of scrubbing and elbow grease by dusting before you get anything wet, so be thorough and make sure you get into the corners to remove any cobwebs.
After prepping your walls, you’re ready to tackle a cleaning method. Here are five easy cleaning options to choose from; pick the one that makes the most sense for your workspace.
1. No-Rinse Soap
Some cleaners on the market boast the ability to remove dirt and grime from your walls and ceilings without needing to be rinsed off. This is an easy and fast option to get things clean since it cuts your cleaning time in half. Simply mix the cleaning solution in a bucket with hot water, dip the sea sponge in the solution, and ring it out.
Place the extra towels under the wall or ceiling where you plan to start cleaning and get to work. We recommend doing the ceiling first, and then the walls. Start at the corners and work your way toward the middle, being extra cautious around light fixtures and wall fasteners. If your office has baseboards, clean them last.
2. Bleach, Laundry Detergent, Water
This homemade cleaning solution is surprisingly effective, and the bleach does a great job of sanitizing and disinfecting your walls and ceilings. As a bonus, this solution doesn’t require rinsing either. Fill your bucket with hot water, add a splash of bleach, and about a tablespoon of powdered laundry detergent. Using this solution, follow the same steps as above for freshly cleaned walls and ceilings.
3. Hot Water and Dish Soap
Dish soap makes an excellent cleaning solution, especially for walls in kitchens, break rooms, or other areas where grease accumulates on surfaces. Mix a few drops of dish soap in a bucket of hot water to make a warm, soapy solution. The cleaning method will be the same, except you will need a second bucket of warm water and another sponge to rinse the solution from the walls and ceilings— a soft microfiber cloth will work, too.
4. Use a Long-Handled Mop
Scrubbing every inch of your walls and ceilings by hand might seem like an impossible task. If that’s the case, grab a long-handled mop with a large mop head and use that instead. Soak the mop head in hot water and use your choice of cleaning solution. Use caution and avoid putting too much pressure on the mop head to avoid damaging the paint.
5. Ammonia and Water
Ammonia has long been used to keep walls and ceilings clean, and for a good reason. It’s inexpensive and gets the job done. Simply mix a 1:1 solution of ammonia and warm water, and clean as listed above—no need to rinse. If you choose to go this route, there are a couple of things to remember. First, the smell of ammonia can be pretty intense, so make sure to ventilate your work area properly. Second, never mix ammonia with bleach; this creates toxic fumes. Avoid mixing these chemicals at all costs.
Dirty Walls and Celinings? Call The Experts at Town & Country Office Cleaning
Does your workspace have dirty walls and ceilings? The experts at Town & Country Office Cleaning can help! When grime accumulates the surfaces in your office, it can become a health hazard to you, your employees, and your clients. Thankfully, you can keep your staff and customers healthy with professional office cleaning.
For over 40 years, the trusted and skilled cleaners at Town & Country Office Cleaning have provided exceptional office cleaning and janitorial services to businesses in the Salt Lake City area. We offer a full range of commercial property maintenance services, such as cleaning break rooms, bathroom facilities, reception areas, office spaces, and more. We’re happy to wash walls and ceilings, clean your carpets, and provide any other cleaning services your office needs. You can get your office cleaning quote by contacting our team today!
