If you have been looking for ways to clean emulsion surfaces, the good news is that you don't need a very strong solution. In fact any liquid multi-purpose cleaner will do. A portion of 4 tablespoons (60 millilitres) of soap can be quite effective when mixed in 5 litres of hot water.
Cleaning solutions are readily available and can be bought as ready to use solutions off the shelf, or may require dilution before use. Skin irritation is usually not an issue with these cleaners, so you will be fine using cotton gloves that absorb extra water rather than using rubber gloves. Solutions with mild scents can also be found, which can also make your task a little more pleasant.
Sugar soaps are also very effective for washing walls, but they are considerably more expensive than detergents used for occasional cleaning. Considering the cost, sugar soaps are best for occasions when you want to remove all trace of detergent residue, such as when you are repainting the room.
For washing ceilings, sponge mops are highly effective. Stubborn spots can be dealt with by tying a towel over the mop and using it to scrub the spots repeatedly until they are clean. As for walls, you can get good results using a sponge. Even a slightly worn sponge usually works well.
In order to prevent streaks, both mop and sponge must be well wrung. Make sure you have a clear area to work in and make sure that that there is minimal interference in your work area to avoid both inconvenience or even hurting yourself. Keep any water sensitive items out of the way, such as electrical appliances or anything that can be damaged by dripping water.
Cleaning should start with the removal of light surface dirt. Brushed lamb wool is ideal for this task.
When cleaning ceilings, take the same approach as you would for mopping the kitchen floor-first clean around the perimeter, taking special care to clean corners where it likely that you will find the most accumulated dirt.
Clean the ceiling by wringing out the mop or sponge, dip it into the cleaning solution and then wring once again. Then work across the ceiling in sections, passing the mop or sponge back and forth in lines in each section. Depending on the height of the ceiling, you may need to choose sections that will be easier to manage. Don't try to mop in long strokes that cause you to overreach or overbalance.
When washing a wall, the best way is top-down. This way you get the drips that run away from you. The most effective way is to first wash the top section along the length of the room. This first part will be a little tiring. Then divide the wall into more manageable sections. For each of these sections, first do the baseboard and a few inches above as this tends to be the dirtiest and can take longer to clean.
Then look for any prominent stains or marks on the wall and get them out of the way. The area around light switches can be especially dirty. You may be required to spot clean these areas with a drop of all purpose cleaner on your sponge.
Now comes the easy part-the middle section of the wall. This can be done relatively quickly and with less effort required than in the previous steps. Clean this area with up and down sweeps which will slightly overlap with top and bottom sections covered in the previous steps.
Repeated washes can wear out the top layer of emulsion paint, leaving a dull appearance. This tends to happen especially in rooms like the hall and lounge. You may find that you need to repaint after a handful of washes.
