Washing Vinyl Wallpaper

[Dan Lloyd]

A client of mine has a lot of older vinyl wallcovering they are trying to clean. Think probably 20 years old. They are putting a general purpose cleaner on it, and then using a steamer to clean. This process is cleaning the vinyl, but is painfully slow. Their steamer head is about an inch and a half wide. When they put a wider head on the steamer, it no longer has the power to clean.

Any ideas on what would clean this stuff up? It has various marks, and a lot of yellowing. They aren't looking for perfection, just improvement.

I suggested a more powerful steamer, but that is not in their budget for now. The wallcovering was scheduled to be replaced, but budget concerns for this hospital made them want to clean it instead.

I'm hoping you guys have some ideas.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[Ron Werner]

the old fashioned way? a mop and cloths? Or those microfibre cleaner cloths

 

[Harry Myers]

I wonder if they cleaned it with ammonia to cause the yellowing. Or could it be cigarette smoke. This is an interesting post to me because I have vinyl wall paper. I wonder how a safety solvent or mineral spirits would work on a terry towel or micro fibre towel.

 

[Dan Lloyd]

Well, just washing the old way doesn't make much improvement. Just doesn't touch the yellowing, while the steamer brightens it up.
I tried some rubbing alcohol on a patch. Did nothing. Then I tried some d-limonene. Didn't help the yellowing either.

I was hoping there was some "magic cleaner" out there for this very purpose.

Dan

 

[glenboy]

i believe CHEMSPEC made wall washing chems 94-95 when i was washingwalls not sure