Have you checked on the condition of the walls in your grooming space lately? Chances are, they have some grime that needs attention.
The walls in our grooming areas get blasted with moisture regularly, especially near the bathing and drying areas. Moisture captures dust, hair, and dander (so much dander), and it all sticks as the walls dry out again.
If your walls are textured, they will be challenging to clean, but it can be done.
- Use a clean bristle brush head on your vacuum for regular maintenance and go over the walls regularly, from ceiling to floor. The combination of the bristles and suction will remove a lot of the yuck that is stuck.
- Spray the walls with a disinfectant cleaning product such as The Original 256. Start at the ceiling and work down. Let it sit for ten minutes before wiping. This stuff cleans as it disinfects so that it will save you steps.
- Use a clean sponge mop (keeping one used only on the walls is a good idea) and wipe from the top down. Overlap your strokes slightly so you don't miss any spots. Rinse the mop head often for best results.
- If this job has been neglected for a while and needs a major overhaul, try some TSP from your local hardware store. This product dissolves dirt and is used to prepare surfaces for painting. Wear gloves; it is not gentle on the skin. Follow the dilution instructions on the package. You should check it on a spot that is not very visible to make sure it does not damage your paint.
- A spinning mop can save you lots of time if the walls need actual scrubbing. You can find them at hardware stores or online.
- Steam cleaners work well on walls. Small handheld models are also handy for cleaning tubs, crates, and more, making them a reasonable business expense.
- You can find special mops with long handles explicitly designed for walls and ceilings. The ones with removable, machine-washable pads for the head are handy.
- Magic Erasers are great if you have stubborn stains to remove.
- Once your walls are washed, try draping a terrycloth towel over the head of a push broom and dry from the top down. The towel will dry, and the broom's bristles will keep it in place while catching any remaining debris.
Smooth walls are easier to clean than textured ones. Once your walls are scrubbed, you may decide they would benefit from a coat of fresh paint. Buy satin, semi-gloss, or glossy paint rather than flat paint for grooming spaces where the surfaces will be cleaned regularly. The shinier the paint, the more scrubbing-friendly it will be.
Washing walls is not a pleasant chore, but once you have accomplished the deed, your space will look, feel, and smell good.