What is sugar soap? It’s an easy to use, cost effective cleaning solution that’s ideal for DIY projects. Discover where and how to use it and make your own
What is sugar soap? It's the perfect companion for cleaning and degreasing walls, paint work and pretty much anything else. Preparation is key when it comes to DIY projects and sugar soap gets rid of dirt, dust and grease making sure a surface is ready for the next stage.
If you don't have a clean, dirt and grease-free surface when painting a wall or woodwork it won’t adhere properly, and it won’t be long before you see the paint bubble and flake.
Here we reveal how to choose the right ratio for a project and what you need to apply it properly.
What is sugar soap?
Sugar soap is a mild detergent that is ideal for cleaning paintwork to improve adhesion before you add any new paint. But the obvious question is, is there any sugar in sugar soap? No, it gets its name from the fact that in its powdered form it looks a bit like sugar – it's white and has small crystals.
It typically contains sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide. Both are water soluble and help remove dirt and grease from paintwork. You can get sugar soap in dried or concentrated liquid form with the dried form being slightly cheaper. This makes it ideal if you are cleaning down very large areas.
The liquid concentrate is the more popular choice as it's really simple to use. You simply add the concentrate to a bucket of warm water and it's ready to go.
A typical example would be around 150ml of sugar soap to 5 litres of water. But you can add a little more to get a stronger solution for stubborn dirt and grease. (Bear in mind, you should wear rubber gloves, especially if you have sensitive skin)
Sugar soap solutions for a deep clean
Bartoline Sugar Soap Concentrate
A non-toxic and biodegradable sugar soap. Add 50ml to 4.5 litres of water to use.
Everbuild Sugar Soap Ready to Use Spray
Ready to use sugar soap in a spray bottle. Refill with own mix when empty.
Dri Pak Soda Crystals, 1Kg Pack
Make your own own sugar soap solution using soda crystals and water.
How to use sugar soap
Once you have made up your sugar soap solution you will need a small sponge – a sponge or kitchen scourer is a good choice. You can use the sponge for general cleaning and the scourer if you hit a stubborn spot. Alternatively, use a clean absorbent cloth but not paper towels.
Dip the sponge or cloth in the solution, squeeze to remove some of the solution so you have a damp cloth and start wiping from side to side and work your way down. Once you have wiped clean the area with sugar soap, get a clean cloth and rinse the area with clean warm water and leave to dry.
How long after using sugar soap can I paint?
This depends on what surface you are cleaning with sugar soap. If you are cleaning woodwork, before painting skirting boards for instance, you will be able to start much quicker than if you are cleaning painted walls.
Once you have cleaned and rinsed woodwork you can wipe down with a clean dry cloth to speed up how long you need to wait. You should be able to start painting after 30 minutes, or maybe even sooner. Check the woodwork is completely dry before starting.
If washing down painted or wallpapered walls leave for around an hour before you start painting. Again check that the walls are completely dry, if not leave until they are. (Ventilating the room can help here.)
After cleaning and rinsing woodwork, wipe down with a dry cloth so you can start painting quicker (Image credit: Getty Images)
Should I use sugar soap before wallpapering?
If you have removed old wallpaper then there may well be old wallpaper paste residue left on the walls. If this is the case use sugar soap to scrub down the walls to get rid of it. Remember to rinse and leave to dry.
If you have nice newly plastered walls you shouldn’t need to wash them down with sugar soap. However, when painting new plaster you will need to apply a mist coat before you start painting to help seal the plaster.
FAQs
Does sugar soap clean gloss paint?
The simple answer to this is yes it does. You can use it to just clean your gloss paint, but after a few times it will start to take off the high sheen of even the best gloss paint. If using it to prep the woodwork for a new coat of paint then it won’t matter.
Can I make my own sugar soap?
Yes you can, and it's cheap and easy. Soda crystals, which you can buy on Amazon, (or washing soda in the US) are a quick, simple and cheap way to make your own version of sugar soap. They contain sodium carbonate, are biodegradable and you will typically find them in your local supermarket at a price that is typically cheaper than sugar soap.
All you need to do is add to warm water – like sugar soap. Add a couple of cups to a few litres of water and stir. Wear rubber gloves to protect your skin.
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Steve Jenkins is a freelance content creator with over two decades of experience working in digital and print and was previously the DIY content editor for Homebuilding & Renovating.
He is a keen DIYer with over 20 years of experience in transforming and renovating the many homes he has lived in. He specialises in painting and decorating, but has a wide range of skills gleaned from working in the building trade for around 10 years and spending time at night school learning how to plaster and plumb.
He has fitted kitchens, tiled bathrooms and kitchens, laid many floors, built partition walls, plastered walls, plumbed in bathrooms, worked on loft conversions and much more. And when he's not sure how to tackle a DIY project he has a wide network of friends – including plumbers, gas engineers, tilers, carpenters, painters and decorators, electricians and builders – in the trade to call upon.
