Tip of the week: How to keep walls clean

Remove the evidence. “Light switches, door frames, and stairways are all magnets” for fingerprints and hand smudges. “Your favorite all-purpose cleaner” should be fine to remove them. But to assure that washed areas blend with the unwashed, “go over the once-dirty spot again with a water-dampened sponge.”

Tackle trouble spots. A soft cloth and “citrus-based cleaner like Goo Gone” are what you need if your child has been inspired by Harold and the Purple Crayon and left a trail along your walls. Once the “waxy artwork” has dissolved, rinse the spot with soap and water.

Peel away the memories. Has your kid stuck decals all over his bedroom walls? Soften the adhesives with “heat from a blow-dryer (for 10 seconds or so), then peel.” Gently loosen any remaining gunk with a cotton swab and laundry-stain remover. Then “carefully scrape it off with a credit card or spatula.”

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Source: Good Housekeeping