Before washing the walls, you'll want to dust them to remove dust and cobwebs. The easiest way to do this is with a dust mop or long-handled duster. Dust from the top down.
Washing Walls
Use a mixture of lukewarm water and mild soap, gently rubbing in a circular motion. Rinse your walls using a slightly damp cellulose sponge. Tip: Check that your walls and trim are thoroughly dry before applying painter's tape to your trim.
Professional painters use mild detergent and warm water when washing walls prior to painting for the best results.
Cleaning a surface before painting it is crucial for several reasons. First and foremost, it helps to remove any dirt, grime, or debris that could affect the quality and longevity of the paint job. Paint adheres better to clean surfaces, which means that a well-cleaned surface will have a better finish and last longer.
After sanding a piece of wood, you'll need to clean it before adding a stain or paint. You can use a variety of tools and techniques to remove sanding dust from your wooden surface.
If you look online, which I did, there are 2 methods to removing drywall dust. 1. Brushing it off the wall and vacuuming (repeated 3x) or 2. Use a barely damp rag to wipe it down.
The wall cleaner you'll use is safe, effective, and readily available—all you need is dish soap and salt. The dish soap cuts through grease and dirt while the salt acts as an abrasive to remove stains and grime. Combine one cup of dish soap and one cup of salt to mix a thick, gritty paste.
Should you dust with a damp cloth? We at Castle Keepers find dusting with a plain, slightly damp microfiber cloth the best way to remove dust from the home, much superior to dusting with oils or sprays. “Damp dusting” is also much easier than dry dusting and more effective because it catches more dust.
Dirt, grime, and oil prevent good adhesion causing the possibility of chipping, peeling and flaking - all signs of a failed finish.
The main thing is to use something to get the majority of dust off such as a broom, Swiffer, vacuum etc. Once this is completed you can use soap and water to really clean the walls and make sure the dust is gone.
Before applying spackle, you must clean and otherwise smooth out the area around the hole or crack so that the surface is optimized for proper spackling paste adhesion.
While sanding is not required for every paint project, rough spots on walls, whether they have been previously painted or not, need to be sanded before they are painted to ensure the paint goes on smoothly.
Ensure that all sanding residue is removed by wiping your whole piece down with a damp microfiber cloth or sponge.
Thoroughly brush down and vacuum all surfaces after sanding to remove any dust, dirt and grime. To clean the wood, use a sugar soap wipe, or a sponge, to liberally apply sugar soap across all wooden surfaces that you plan to paint.
Attempting to paint your home when it's covered in dirt and grime will yield a rough, bumpy, uneven finish, far from your desired outcome. Conversely, cleaning your home before embarking on exterior painting will provide a smooth surface for your fresh coats.
Use a sanding sponge with 100-grit sandpaper. Or, to speed up the work, use a pole sander. Wipe down the walls with a damp cloth when you're done and allow to dry before proceeding with your next step. Patches are porous, so the primer readies them for paint.
Professional Painters Usually Don't Wash Walls.