Five Pro Tips for Caring for Painted Walls

October 30, 2013

If you have kids and pets, you know how difficult keeping your interior paint looking good can be. Choosing durable, quality house paint is your first line of defense, but food stains, crayons, scratches, and other oopses can definitely affect the beauty of your walls. Cleaning painted walls isn’t as easy as scrubbing, which can cause shiny patches or other unsightly spots. That’s why we have 5 tips for caring for your walls no matter what life throws at them:

Use the right finish. The glossier the paint, the better it will be at resisting stains because it presents a smoother surface. An eggshell or satin finish is fine for bedrooms and the living room, but for moist areas, trim, or walls near food prep, use semigloss and gloss paint.

Clean gently. Abrasives and elbow grease can strip paint. Water on a soft rag plus some gentle rubbing may do the trick. Next try mild dishwashing liquid. Then soap. If nothing works, Mister Clean Magic Eraser will probably get the job done. Always rinse with plain water after cleaning.

caring for painted walls

Treat stains and sticky stuff ASAP. Waterborne spots – think ketchup or wine – can be wiped away with water. Oil-based spills or crayon will likely need mild dish soap.

Take care with permanent marker. Typically the only way to remove permanent market is with an abrasive, though try the Magic Eraser first. Both methods may strip paint – apply a stain-blocking primer if you’re painting over marker.

A dab will do you. When you do have to paint over a stain, dab paint on rather than brushing a patch. This will make the contrast between old and new paint less obvious.

This story originally appeared in our monthly newsletter, Prime Time by Jerry Enos Painting company in New England – to subscribe, contact us!

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