Wallpaper and Wallcoverings - Cleaning Wallpapered Rooms - Tobacco Stain Problems

My tenants just moved out of my former home. All my beautiful wallpapered rooms are overlaid with a dirty tobacco/dirt glaze. Each removed picture is outlined and visible. The house is in escrow. I want the new owners to receive it in as pristine condition as I left it several years ago. But how do I clean it. There is so much area! I've tried several products. Strangely, the best so far was a vinyl swimming pool liner cleanser. Even it is slow going and I wonder if chemically it could do unseen damage now that will show later. Any suggestions would be met with great appreciation, even enthusiasm. MsMacAngus

You might try a dry chemical sponge. They're about the size of a brick. Look in your yellow pages under chemicals or look on the web; I don't remember where I bought mine. Good luck! There used to be a wall paper cleaner available that looked like clay, and you rubbed it over the paper then kneaded it so the dirt was inside. When I asked for this in wallpaper stores recently they had no idea what I was talking about.

have you tried the citrus cleaners available at home depot? They generally cut grease and oily residue fairly well and they will leave it smelling nice. Chances are, even though you are enamored with the wallpaper, the new owners will remove it eventually(maybe even right away-happened to me). Another cleaning material that is just amazing is a product called Castrol Super Clean(available at Target or Walmart $5.00-$6.00 a gallon. It will cut grease and oil with ease and appears to be pretty non reactive. You may even want to try this first as it is cheap and goes a long way. I don't think the sponge will do it for you as it will still leave some residue or staining.