By the Bouwsector België team, 97 in-house tradespeople · reviewed by Geert Jan Hendrik, director · updated
You clean painted renovation fleece via the paint layer: wipe dust off with a dry cloth and dab a stain with a damp cloth.
How far you can go depends on the wall paint. A paint with scrub class 1, such as Sigma Pearl Clean Matt, can according to Sigma be cleaned with a damp cloth without leaving shiny patches; abrasives and a steam cleaner should never go near renovation fleece.
Can’t get your renovation fleece clean any more? Request your quote
Our own tradespeople dust the wall down, repair minor damage and repaint the whole wall evenly.
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Always start as dry and gently as possible, and only go a step further if that isn’t enough. Try a new approach first on an inconspicuous spot, for example behind a wardrobe.
What is on the wall
Approach
Dust and cobwebs
Dry, soft cloth or feather duster
Fingerprints and light stains
Well wrung-out cloth with lukewarm water, dabbing rather than rubbing
Coffee, ketchup or lipstick on paint with scrub class 1
Damp cloth; Sigma says these stains are easy to clean with Pearl Clean Matt
The same stains on ordinary matt wall paint
Dab carefully; if the stain stays, have the wall repainted
Black or green spots that keep coming back
Don’t scrub them away: it could be mould, and then the cause is in the wall. See mould behind wallpaper
Work with a damp cloth, not a wet one. Fleece adhesive is sensitive to water: the Intervos one, for example, is a water-based dispersion. If a lot of water runs along a seam, the adhesive can soften and the edge comes loose.
Can’t you just wash renovation fleece?
Not really. You are not washing the renovation fleece, but the paint on it. Ordinary matt wall paint is not made to be scrubbed: rub hard and you quickly get a shiny patch that stands out more than the stain.
That is why Sigma explicitly names it as an advantage of Pearl Clean Matt that cleaning leaves no shiny patches. That paint has scrub class 1 under EN 13300 and is intended for rooms such as kitchens and hallways. We also paste and paint with Intervos fleece and Sigma paint ourselves.
Harsh products make it worse. Abrasives damage the paint layer, and steam softens the adhesive behind the fleece. In fact, that is exactly how you go about it when you want to remove renovation fleece.
How do you keep renovation fleece looking good in the long term?
Maintenance with renovation fleece is mostly about prevention and stepping in on time. A few habits help:
Dust regularly. Dust that stays for a long time is harder to remove.
Ventilate damp rooms well. Persistent moisture is bad for both the paint and the adhesive.
Have a loose seam fixed straight away. The longer an edge stays open, the more dirt gets behind it. If you see a thin line somewhere, have someone check whether the seams of your renovation fleece are still firmly attached.
Repaint when the wall looks dull. Renovation fleece is made to be repainted, without replacing the fleece.
Who repaints your renovation fleece when cleaning no longer helps?
Our own tradespeople, from a team of 97 on permanent contracts. They dust the wall down, degrease stains, fix loose seams and then paint the whole wall, so that no touched-up patches stay visible.
Painting walls costs €12.99 per m² with us for one coat in RAL 9010 or 9016. A RAL colour of your choice costs €1.50 per m² extra. For repainting renovation fleece, these painting prices simply apply.
Prices exclude VAT. For homes more than 10 years old, 6% VAT usually applies.
When you apply, tell us which walls are involved and whether any seams are loose. If you see black or green spots, mention that too, because we always assess mould on site first. That way repairs and painting are already in the free quote you get within 24 hours. During the site visit we assess the condition of the renovation fleece.
Want to talk first about whether cleaning or repainting is better?
With painted non-woven wallpaper and renovation fleece, the paint determines whether you can wipe the wall down. A wall paint with scrub class 1 cleans well with a damp cloth. For non-woven wallpaper that is not painted, whatever the manufacturer states for that wallpaper applies.
Can you repair damage to renovation fleece?
Minor damage can be repaired, after which the whole wall is repainted. A repair sometimes remains just visible in raking light. If the fleece is torn or loose over a larger area, replacing a strip is the better choice.
Can you use a steam cleaner on renovation fleece?
No. Steam softens the adhesive behind the fleece, which is exactly how renovation fleece is removed. Use a dry or well wrung-out damp cloth.
Which paint is useful for renovation fleece in the kitchen or hallway?
A matt wall paint that you can wipe clean, with scrub class 1. Sigma names Pearl Clean Matt as suitable for heavily used rooms such as kitchens and hallways. During the site visit, discuss which paint you want in which room, and it will be stated in the quote.
How often does renovation fleece need repainting?
There is no fixed interval. Have the wall repainted when it looks dull or when stains no longer come off with a damp cloth. The renovation fleece itself does not need replacing for that.
By the Bouwsector België team, 97 in-house tradespeople · reviewed by 
