Clean carpet wall covering

[Joe Lenhart]

I want to clean my wall covering in my 25 year old Beaver motorhome.  The wall covering appears to be carpet glued to the wall. It's in very good shape, just in need of a good cleaning.  My question, can I clean the wall covering with a regular carpet cleaning steam machine.  My concern is the glue under the wall covering.  Has anyone had any experience with this?

Thanks,

Joe

[Lakota Wolf]

With carpeting on the walls,,(I am referencing a 79 Tioga that I had with the carpet on the walls behind the drivers area).. I used a steam cleaner on one side and a spray can spray on and scrub on the other. The steam machine apparently got it to warm and it made the glue seperate making the carpet seperate from the wall in different areas, Ended up using construction adhesive to reattach. The side I used the spray can carpet cleaner (I believe was *resolve brand) cleaned up fairly nice. Took some elbow grease and several applications.I have come across some glued materials that held better then welding, and others that came loose with very little effort. I would test a small area with a steam machine to see if its going to let the glue loose before I went all gung ho on the whole area just to realize its going to seperate.

Just remember, your working with 25 year old carpet,

[Joe Lenhart]

Thanks for the reply.  It is wall covering, but it does look like carpet.  Very short and tight nap.  25 year old glue is my concern.  The glue has work well all these years..  I don't know of any part of it that is starting to come off.  My thinking was the same as yours, try a small area out of the way and see how it works. 

[Lakota Wolf]

Forgot to mention,,, some thin grade carpet is glued and stapled to a backing board, like a panel board,, if thats the case,, keep from getting it to wet or the backing board will come apart pretty easy..  Good luck. L.W.

[John Maguire]

I also have a vintage Beaver with said wall covering and ceiling for that matter and my wife makes this hydrogen peroxide a bit of water and she uses an essential oil to make it smell nice but it did a great job of lifting the age collected tinge and several stains we had....I sprayed it on and let it work for a bit and then hit it with a vacuum and a very clean attachment...really brightened it up!

[Joe Lenhart]

Thanks for the reply.  I like the idea of your cleaning my wall covering using your method.  .  Did you use a measured amount of water and hydrogen peroxide or just a wild guess?

[John Maguire]

She uses a 50/50 blend but it is light sensitive so spray bottle she uses is opaque...old fantastic bottle...I like a lemon essential oil in it and the RV still smells clean and fresh after several months since I did areas around doors...took a few doses for that area where hand prints were heaviest but I'll be damned if it didn't work wonders...How's everything else been since you got that coach?