No one is immune to accidental spills and splashes. Whether it's a little red wine missed during dinner or a fresh coat of paint that was meant to go on the trim but accidentally spilled onto the wall, sooner or later everyone will have to face a stain on their walls. In most cases, these stains can be removed fairly easily with some simple tips and tricks. Keep reading for some quick advice on how to remove common stains from walls!

What Are the Most Common Stains on a Wall?

There are a variety of different stains that can occur on a wall, but some of the most common include water damage, smoke, grease or oil, dirt or dust, and mold. In general, the best way to prevent these types of stains is by keeping your walls clean and dry.

If you do happen to notice any stains on your walls, it's important to address them as soon as possible. The longer they're left untreated, the harder they will be to remove. In most cases, you can either remove the stain yourself or hire a professional to do it for you.

Should I Wash My Walls?

There are a few ways to clean your walls, but the most common is to use a mixture of water and vinegar. You can either use a spray bottle or a bucket. Simply mix one part vinegar with nine parts water and spray or sponge it onto your walls. Let the solution sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off with water. You may need to do this several times to get all the dirt and grime off your walls. Just be careful not to use a scraper and use an appropriate amount of water-vinegar mixture as the excess liquid can damage your walls.

Getting Rid of the Most Common Stains on a Wall:

Water Damage:

There are a few ways to get rid of water damage stains on a wall. If the wall is painted, you can try painting over the stain with a matching color. If the wall is unpainted, you can try priming and painting it with a water-resistant paint.

If the water damage stain is severe, or if the paint has started to peel or chip away, you may need to remove the paint and wallpaper completely and start from scratch. In this case, you'll need to sand down the surface of the wall, apply a primer, and then re-paint or re-wallpaper it.

Smoke:

One way to get rid of smoke stains on a wall is to use a vinegar and water mixture. You can either sponge the mixture onto the wall or spray it on. Be sure to test the mixture on an inconspicuous spot on the wall first to make sure it doesn't discolor the surface.

Another way to remove smoke stains from a wall is to use ammonia. Be very careful when using ammonia as it can be harmful if inhaled. Ammonia can also discolor some surfaces, so test it in an inconspicuous spot before using it liberally.

A third method is to use baking soda. Make a paste with baking soda and water, apply it to the stain, let it sit for a while and wipe it away.

Grease:

There are a few ways to remove oil stains from walls. You can try scrubbing the stain with detergent and water, or you can use a commercial cleaner specifically designed to remove oil stains. If the stain is particularly stubborn, you may need to treat it with a solvent before cleaning it.

Pencil Marks:

If you have pencil marks on your wall, there are a few ways that you can try to remove them. One way is to use a damp cloth or sponge to gently rub the pencil mark. Another way is to use an eraser to try and erase the pencil mark. Lastly, you can try using baking soda or toothpaste. Put some baking soda or toothpaste on a damp cloth and rub it over the marks until they disappear. If these methods do not work, you may need to repaint the area of the wall where the pencil marks are present.