If you need to know how to clean wallpaper, look no further than Mrs Beeton’s words of wisdom.
(From my gran’s 1894 publication of ‘Mrs Beeton’s Cookery Book and Household Guide’ – see this post for more information.)
WALL PAPER, TO CLEAN.
If not very dirty, tie a soft clean cloth over a long soft broom and brush the walls with it in straight lines ; if, however, the paper be very much soiled, stale bread should be used to cleanse it. Cut a stale quartern loaf in thick slices and rub the paper very lightly with it, going always in one direction and discarding the bread when dirty. Dough may be used instead of bread ; and in either case it is best first to take off all the dust from the paper in the way described above with a broom.
