Yes, You Can Steam Clean Walls and Ceilings — Here's How

We all know that our floors need to be cleaned and have a basic idea of how to go about doing so. But when it comes to our walls and ceilings, things may seem a little more out of reach. Luckily, steam cleaning is here to help.

Why Do I Need to Clean My Walls?

Though they may not seem like they get much contact at first thought, if you consider it more, you'll realize that's not necessarily true. Your pets rub up against them, children can smudge or even draw or paint on them, and adults lean on them or grab onto corners.

Think about the wall behind where your cat's litter box might be, for example, or whether you've got a dog who used to like to mark their territory inside. Maybe one of your home's previous residents was a smoker and now your walls have nicotine discoloration and a tar residue that could be hazardous to your health.

Plus there's all the accumulated detritus of humans just existing in a space—dirt kicked up off the carpet when you walk on it, shedded dead skin cells, cooking residue. Even if there isn't any obvious dirt on your walls, they still need to be cleaned. You may be surprised by what their actual paint color looks like.

Can You Steam Clean Walls?

Yes! Steam cleaning is safe for your walls and won't impact the other members of your household. It also offers plenty of other benefits, including:

• Minimal streaking. Because the Ladybug system uses dry steam, there is a lower possibility of liquid running down your walls and leaving unsightly drying patterns.
• No chemicals involved. This both contributes to the lack of streaking and means that the process is friendlier toward children and pets.
• No ladders needed. The included extension handles keep the process ergonomic, no ladders or uncomfortable bending and stretching necessary.

Is It Safe for Paint?

Mostly yes, but that depends on how your walls were painted.

As with any other surface, you should do a spot check in an inconspicuous place first to make sure that the paint will hold up. The spot check is extra important here; if your walls weren't prepared properly before the paint was originally applied or the paint isn't of good quality, then the paint may come off.

The real variable here is time. How long you let the heat sit on the painted surface will determine how much you remove—whether you're just taking off dirt or taking the paint off along with it. Don't stay in the same place for too long and your paint should be fine.

How Does It Remove Paint?

The longer you stay in one place, the more will come off the wall, paint included since the heat will keep working. If you'd like to remove improperly prepped paint from your walls and start over, this might be a good time, since you can use your steam cleaner to remove paint on purpose.

It can also remove wallpaper as well if you're looking to start a room afresh, though that is a different topic entirely.

How Do I Use Steam Vapor to Clean My Walls?

If you're using the Advap Ladybug system, just follow these easy steps. If you have a different system, be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions, but the basic process will likely be fairly similar.

Step 1: Clean.

Much like how you move your furniture and vacuum your floors before you clean them, you want to make sure you're set up for success. Pull furniture away from the walls so you can make sure to clean the whole surface and do a quick dusting to knock off any larger particles. Always start from the top and work down.

Step 2: Assemble.

Put together two extension handles, then attach the large floor brush, filler pad, and a terry towel.

Step 3: Unlock.

If there is a lock on the floor brush, click it off. You want the brush to be able to swivel as you move it so that you can easily move it up and down the wall and cover the entire surface.

Step 4: Get steaming.

Start at the top of the wall and work your way down, making slow passes over the wall. It doesn't matter what kind of pattern you work in, as long as you're working from the top down.

Step 5: Keep moving.

Keep the brush moving over the wall. If there is a particularly stubborn spot that won't come off, don't linger; just move on and come back to it later. Staying in one place too long will remove the paint.

Though the steam alone is usually enough for a solid cleaning job, if you have any especially greasy areas, you can try Advap's Formula 212 Cleaner. Follow the instructions that come with the product, which is a concentrate that you can spray on greasy areas for extra removal help, with minimal quantities needed.

What About the Ceiling?

The same process should work on your ceiling as well. (And yes, you should also be cleaning your ceilings—do you want to be accidentally knocking down dust and dirt that's been floated up there?) You should actually clean the ceiling before doing your walls since gravity will bring the dirt downward. Always start high and work down.

The steps are the same as for cleaning walls. If you have especially high ceilings, you may need to use three extension handles rather than just two.

Will This Remove My Child's Unauthorized Art Installation?

Maybe. The answer here ultimately depends on what materials your budding artist was working in. Crayon may stain, rather than coming clean, but washable crayons should be no problem. Magic marker and paint, however, probably won't come off unless you're taking the rest of your paint job off with them.

Why Should I Use the Ladybug System?

The Ladybug steam vapor system comes with everything you need to clean your walls and ceilings. All the included accessories are high quality and they, along with the ergonomic design, will help you get into hard-to-reach corners with minimal stretching or muscle strain.

Because the Ladybug system is equipped with TANCS, your surfaces will not only be clean, they will also be fully disinfected.

The Bottom Line

Steam cleaning can be as good for your walls and ceilings as it is for your floors. The dry steam process is chemical-free, safe for children and pets, and easy on the joints—no ladders or stretching required.

And thanks to the TANCS system, all your surfaces will be disinfected as well as sparkling clean.