You might panic, thinking that there is no way to clean Japanese wallpaper and that you will end up getting charged a lot of money for some small marks when you move out. Do not fear! We’ll help you figure out whether you need specific cleaning products like wall cleaner or stain eraser, or whether there are other ways to go about cleaning Japanese wallpaper.

Walls in Japanese apartments

Before looking at how to clean Japanese walls, let’s discuss the walls themselves since there are some ways you can prevent having so many wall problems. Walls in Japanese apartments are pretty much paper-thin, you’ll feel pretty close to your neighbors! This means that the wallpaper can easily be damaged. It’s best to avoid sticking or hanging things on Japanese wallpaper since this will probably cause some damage that you’ll have to pay for when moving out. The walls can get damaged from scratches very easily too.

Japanese wallpaper is prone to damage from water so it’s best to keep your liquids far from the walls! Humidity damage and mold are some issues that people can experience with Japanese wallpaper, so that doesn’t always bode well for the humid Japanese summer. If you have a very humid apartment it might be worth considering investing in a dehumidifier for preventative measures. You might even have a dehumidifier setting on your air-conditioning- this will come in handy in the hot summer and rainy season!

The walls are incredibly delicate so please be as careful as you can with them, in the hope that you won’t need to clean them as often. That being said, accidents always happen, and it’s natural for marks and dirt to appear in any lived-in space, so the inevitable will also happen in your Japanese apartments too.

How to clean Japanese walls

Not only are the walls very thin, but they can also be quite hard to clean since they are so similar to paper. If you’re confused about how to clean Japanese walls, it isn’t as complicated as it might seem. The most important thing is to be really careful with getting the walls wet. This means that you should try to avoid using any water to clean the walls, unlike what you would do with a bathroom wall cleaner.

A common cleaning solution for small marks on Japanese wallpaper are specific cleaning wipes sold at the 100-yen stores, such as Daiso and Seria.

One popular wall cleaner is a stain eraser. You can easily find a stain eraser at most 100-yen stores, there is a stain eraser for all kinds of specific cleaning purposes, including sinks and, of course, walls.

Our favorite wall cleaner is the magic sponge. The magic sponge says it all in the name. These little sponges are essential to cleaning in Japan, you’ll even see school children using them in cleaning time too. This wall cleaner is an exception to the water rule. You’ll need to wet the sponge with a little bit of water before lightly scrubbing the wall. Make sure you keep the water as minimal as you can and stop rubbing as soon as you’ve got rid of the mark, if not it could end up causing more damage. The magic sponge is a great way to get rid of marks such as food stains which you might get from any splashes bouncing onto the wall when you’re cooking!

Like the stain eraser and wall cleaner wipes, you’ll easily find magic sponges in 100-yen shops.

Damaged Japanese wallpaper

If you do have some scratches on your wallpaper, it’s not all over yet. You can also find some wall repair kits at some 100-yen shops which might work for any smaller scratches. These repair kits could also work for some discoloration too. The 100 yen is probably worth a try because if it doesn’t work you will likely have some hefty repair fees when you come to move out of your apartment!

To summarize, prevention is best when it comes to the delicate walls in Japanese apartments! Try to keep any liquids away, as well as anything that could mark or scratch the wallpaper. Try and keep the humidity levels low, this isn’t just beneficial to keep Japanese wallpaper mold-free, but it will help you maintain a mold-free apartment too!

How to clean Japanese walls: steer clear of water when possible and try some of the specific wall cleaner products available at most 100-yen stores, such as the stain eraser, magic sponge, and wall repair kits.