Brown stains on your wallpaper look ugly and may be a sign of worse underlying problems. Wiping the stains with dish soap and water several times makes the stain less noticeable. You need a weak bleach solution (one part bleach, two parts water) to remove stains entirely. Be aware that you might remove the color from the wallpaper.
Before cleaning off the stains, find the cause and eliminate it. Otherwise, the brown stains will likely return.
Water Stains
A leak in the exterior wall or roof can make the wood behind the wallpaper wet. The tannins in the wood soak through the wallpaper and stain it brown. The wallpaper may also bubble, peel, or smell musty. If the brown stain has black spots mixed in it, you may have a mold infestation along with the staining.
Find the leak and stop it before trying to clean the wallpaper. If you suspect mold, or if the leak has soaked the wall insulation, be prepared for a more extensive renovation.
Improper Installation
Brown stains can appear on recently installed wallpaper. Too much paste or the wrong type of paste can soak through the wallpaper before it dries. If the stains are the result of poor installation, the wallpaper will likely start peeling off soon. Be prepared to remove the wallpaper and do it again.
High-Traffic Areas
Brown stains appear on wallpaper in high-traffic areas. They are usually a buildup of dirt, dust, and grime–especially if kids run their wet greasy hands along the walls. Wallpaper requires regular cleaning in high-traffic areas to remain stain-free.
Smoke Stains
The visible part of smoke consists of unburned fuel, oils, tar, and chemicals. They adhere to anything they contact–including wallpaper. All combustion produces smoke–cigarettes, cooking, fireplaces, wood stoves, candles, etc. If you have smoke in your house, you have brown stains on your wallpaper. The worst staining occurs near the ceiling. Regular cleaning is the only solution.
Bug Stains
Some insect pests leave brown stains on wallpaper. These include:
- Stink Bugs. Leave a trail of brownish-orange fluid behind when disturbed.
- Cockroaches. Leave dark brown or reddish smears where they crawl.
- Boxelder Bugs. (Also called Maple Bugs) Have orange-tinted feces.
- Silverfish. Feed on wallpaper and leave yellowish stains.
- Bed Bugs. Feces are brown and they leave reddish-brown stains when crushed.
It is best to eliminate the pest infestation before cleaning the wallpaper or the stains will continue to reappear.
