To wash or not to wash, to rub or not to rub

[patagonia]

I had hoped my decorating days were over (I'm getting past it) but when I used to do it I always washed everything down with sugar soap and rinsed. I have to say I never sanded walls, apart from obvious nibs. However, no decorator I have ever employed has ever washed anything but the present one did rub down walls and ceilings with sandpaper (hell of a mess with all the dust). What is the correct thing to do?

Also a decorator told me that he always lines walls which have previously been papered, after stripping, as paint reacts against the wallpaper paste and will bubble up. After my recent experience with a decorator, I am thinking of tackling a couple of bedrooms myself and replacing paper with paint. I really don't want to line them, however. Wouldn't a good rub down and a wash with sugar soap be sufficient?

 

[dcdec]

Hello again,

I always rub walls and ceilings down, it is messy but i like to de-nib and create a key for the paint. I rarely sugar soap the trim, i figure a good rub down is as good as a clean and i do rub stuff down properly (not a quick tickle), some decs would wash down as standard though, i just don't! (unless its filthy or stained with nicotine etc)

Previously papered walls are a lot of hard work to bring back to a paint finish as its vital to remove all the paste, 4 or 5 washes and rinse offs with sugar soap is how i do it. there is also a product by zinsser called diff that 'eats' the paste, i havn't found it any more effective than sugarsoap though. Zinsser also do a product called gardz which seals the paste but havn't used it yet.

I favour lining, but to be frank i'm good at it and you wouldn't know its lined, a bad lining job looks terrible and a lot of decs and diyers alike think installing lining is an excuse for no prep, its not!