Is Pine-Sol Good for Cleaning Walls?

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Nothing spoils the look of a home like dirty walls. It’s an indicator of overlooking the cleanliness needs of the property over months. But cleaning walls isn’t that complicated – all you need is a quality wall cleaner.

It’s questions such as “is Pine-Sol good for cleaning walls?” that need answering before you begin.

Is Pine-Sol Good for Cleaning Walls?

Pine-Sol is good for cleaning walls, but this doesn’t mean it works great on all surfaces. The company warns customers from using the solution on metal surfaces. Pine-Sol is a strong household cleaner and can damage the finish of wall paint if left on the wall for too long. Furthermore, Pine-Sol is too strong to be applied to the wall without dilution.

To clean walls with Pine-Sol, mix about a quarter of a cup of the cleaner with a gallon of water. Grab a sponge or cloth and dampen it in the solution. Wring it out to remove the water from the cloth or sponge almost completely. Light wiping and scrubbing followed by rinsing with another cloth/sponge dipped in clean water is the right way to go. Don’t forget to wipe the wall dry after rinsing.

Person holding a yellow spray bottle

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Walls with Pine-Sol

The bottle of Pine-Sol does not indicate how to clean walls using the product. Many don’t do their due diligence and make mistakes that damage their walls. Here are three mistakes to avoid when cleaning walls with Pine-Sol.

#1 Mixing Bleach and Pine-Sol

This is one of the most dangerous mistakes you can make when working with Pine-Sol. Mixing the cleaner with bleach produces chlorine gas, which can damage your eyes and make breathing painful. Inhaling the gas may also make you vomit.

The fumes that arise after mixing these solutions can cause you harm even if you are in a well-ventilated area. Therefore, it’s best not to mix these solutions at all. What’s more, you don’t increase the effectiveness of these cleaners by mixing them. Every cleaner works well on its own, removing grime and killing germs.

#2 Mixing Other Cleaners with Pine-Sol

The manufacturer warns customers against mixing Pine-Sol with other household cleaners like Lysol. In addition to the reaction potentially producing harmful gases and harming your health, mixing cleaners does not increase the effectiveness of either of the products.

The Pine-Sol cleaner contains benzoic acid and propylene glycol, chemicals that are extremely effective in removing sticky residues from wall tapes, stains, and odors that your air freshener was unable to remove, while killing germs inside your home. Undiluted Pine-Sol will be harsh on the paint and ruin your walls, so it’s best to dilute it as recommended to clean walls.

#3 Mixing Pine-Sol with Water in the Wrong Proportions

Adding too little Pine-Sol to water makes a weaker solution that doesn’t get rid of germs and grime well. Adding too much Pine-Sol to water makes a strong solution that will damage the paint.

Mixing water with Pine-Sol in the recommended proportions is the only way to achieve an optimally potent solution for cleaning walls.

Conclusion

Just like using vinegar to clean your walls, using Pine-Sol and a water solution can clean walls effectively, removing dirt and germs from the surfaces. However, scrubbing too hard with a mop, sponge, or soft cloth will damage your walls. Make sure you clean carefully and rinse afterward, turning on a Bionaire window fan might just speed up the drying process.

Brett E.

Brett E. is the Owner of BarterDesign.co.  Brett comes from a long line of craftsman and foreman, and has been involved with the construction and renovation world ever since he was a boy while working for his families construction and remodeling company.  After graduating with a a degree in Interior Design, Brett is the go to guy for any interior design or remodeling questions!