Painting Tips for Kid-Proofing Your Walls

If you have children, or even grandchildren, then you know just how messy life can be. Toys strewn around, snacks left uneaten, and all sorts of art projects are an everyday occurrence. It is pretty much an accepted part of having little ones in your life. But are there ways to kid-proof your walls and painted surfaces so that fingerprints, smudges, and smears are easy to clean or refresh? Let’s take a look at some painting tips for kid-proofing the walls in your home.

Choose Colors Wisely

Let’s face it, kids leave their marks on walls, furniture, and around light switches constantly. To combat the messes, choose a color palette that can hide the marks of crayons, fingerprints, and art supplies well. High traffic areas get especially dirty quickly, so choose a shade or two darker that can conceal the mess. Picking a bright white may be asking for trouble.

Choose a Good Sheen

When a mess occurs, you will want to be able to clean off the markings, smudges, or streaks easily and quickly. Choose a high-quality, washable, low-VOC paint in a semi-gloss or high-gloss finish. The higher the gloss, the easier it will be to wipe down and clean up.

Plan Ahead

The longer a stain, crayon streak, or paint mess stays on a surface, the harder it will be to completely erase it. Plan ahead and have wipes ready to make quick work of messes when they occur. Some homeowners find it easier to keep alcohol-free wipes in main living areas to use as clean-up-patrol. All you really need is warm water and soap to remove most marks.

Can’t Beat Them, Join Them

If the children in your home tend to draw on the walls or add their creative flair to the walls when they shouldn’t, maybe you should give them a space where this is allowed. There are some amazing paints on the market that allow children to write on them in chalk or erasable marker where the artistic side can be explored in a specific area of your home. Some homeowners create an art corner with a chalkboard wall to allow children to express their creative side, while still having an easy clean up after the fun is done.

Do you need more ideas for choosing the right color, sheen, or kid-proofing for your painted surfaces? Call Jerry Enos Painting at 978-546-6843, or visit our website to speak to our color consultants.

Categorised in: How-Tos, Jerry Enos, Painting Challenges