When professional painters first paint the interior walls of your home, everything looks bright, fresh and aesthetically pleasing.

The result is an inviting living space, whether it be a lounge room, bedroom, or somewhere else in the home.

However, to keep the paintwork looking great, freshly painted walls in Northern Virginia homes need cleaning and maintenance.

This article offers practical tips and advice on taking care of your paint job, extending its lifespan and keeping surfaces looking new and vibrant for longer.

Keep Walls Fresh: 3 Tips From Northern Virginia Painters

Discover how cleaning, touch-ups and preventing damage achieve this outcome.

1. Cleaning

Keeping your walls clean and free of marks is the first logical step in maintaining the look of your paintwork. Most paint designed for walls is washable.

You won’t damage your paint when cleaning if you follow these tips:

• Gentle cleaning: Using mild soap mixed with water, clean the walls with a soft cloth or sponge, applying gentle pressure in a circular motion. Avoid using abrasive cleaning products such as harsh chemicals or scouring pads. These can mar the finish.
• Stain removal: Inevitably, there will come a time when walls get stained, especially in high-traffic areas. Try wiping the stain away using the above method first. If that doesn’t remove it, apply a little vinegar or baking soda with a damp cloth and gently work on the stain until it’s gone.
• Erasing marks: Scuff marks and fingerprints are common occurrences on walls. One way you can attack these marks is with a pencil eraser or magic eraser. Be gentle. Apply light pressure to remove fingerprints, palm prints and scuff marks.

Here are some added tips for different types of painted surfaces:

• Flat or matte paint: Adopt a very gentle approach to this type of paint. Too much cleaning and rubbing can damage the surface.
• Satin paint: Easier to clean than matte, but still requires a gentle approach.
• Semi-gloss and high gloss: These paints can withstand more vigorous cleaning and rubbing. Semi-gloss and high gloss paint are also more stain-resistant.

Related article: House Painter In Virginia: A Guide For Hiring Professionals

2. Touch-ups

The walls in your home will suffer some damage over time. Chips and cracks may appear in the paintwork.

Another common issue is a stubborn stain that won’t come out with gentle cleaning.

In these instances, performing touch-ups to the paint job will remove those imperfections and return your walls to a pristine state.

Follow these simple steps for successful touch-ups:

1. Prepare the area around the imperfection by placing drop cloths on the floor or over any furniture in the vicinity.
2. Using fine-grade sandpaper, gently sand the imperfection and surrounding area to produce a slightly roughened surface for the paint to adhere to. This also ensures the new paint will blend seamlessly with the rest of the wall.
3. If you have leftover paint that perfectly matches the wall colour, apply this to the area of the imperfection with a small paintbrush. Allow the first coat to completely dry and then apply a second coat if required.
4. Once painted and dry, use a damp cloth and gently blend the freshly painted surface with the rest of the wall.

Touch-ups to your paintwork will only be successful if the paint colour perfectly matches.

If you don’t have any original paint left over, take a small sample of the wall paint to a paint shop or hardware store and have them colour-match it for you.

Alternatively, contact us for your touch-ups and we’ll guarantee a perfect colour match and a seamless finish.

3. Preventing damage

Wear and tear on your paintwork is inevitable but sometimes also avoidable.

This section will cover the common culprits that can damage paint, as well as some preventative measures you can take to protect your paint; especially in high-traffic zones.

Related topic: How to Prepare your Home for an Interior Painting Job

• Moisture can damage your paintwork over time. Keep kitchens and bathrooms as dry as possible to prevent blistering beneath the paint or mildew growth.
• Direct sunlight can both fade the paint colour and cause peeling, so try to keep the sun off your walls by closing the curtains or blinds at those times of the day.
• For dust, remove it by regularly cleaning your walls with a soft cloth.

Of course, there is also the human presence that can cause damage to painted walls. Both children and adults alike will touch walls, scuff walls and mark paintwork.

With this in mind, here are some added tips for protecting your painted walls:

• Furniture placement: Either keep furniture away from the walls or place protective pads on the back of the furniture to prevent it from marking the walls.
• Sharp objects: Avoid having anything with sharp edges anywhere near the walls, as one bump against the wall can damage the paintwork.
• Hang artwork carefully: Only use appropriate hooks for hanging artwork or photos and avoid sliding or scraping pieces over the surface of the paint.
• Avoid moisture: Keep anything that contains moisture away from your painted walls. This includes indoor plants or damp towels touching the walls.
• Keep high-traffic areas clean: Clean (or spot clean) walls and doorways in high-traffic regions of the home regularly to avoid staining and damage to paintwork.

Time for a Touch-Up? Signs Your Walls Need Repainting

Even with quality paint and regular maintenance, your paintwork won’t last forever.

Here are some typical signs it might be time for a repaint:

• You can’t remove scuff marks and stains
• The paint has lost its sheen
• The paint is old and faded
• The paint is flaking and peeling
• You simply want to refresh your colour scheme

Before you repaint your home’s interior, here are some things you should do to prepare before we start the project:

1. Plan your schedule ahead of time and perhaps even seek alternative living arrangements while repainting takes place.
2. Take a ‘before’ photo so you can compare the difference.
3. Declutter by storing knick-knacks and other items away in cupboards or the garage.
4. Move furniture well away from the walls and arrange it in the centre of the room.
5. Take down all wall hangings.
6. Carry out any necessary repairs to the walls, ceilings, architraves and doors.
7. Clean the walls.

Book a repaint with Benjamin Painters

We are your professional Virginia painters.

Benjamin Painters specializes in repaints for interiors and we won’t let you down. Don’t attempt a repaint yourself.

Save yourself the time, money and hassle by calling in your local experts instead.

Contact us today for a quote or further information on our comprehensive painting services 703-303-4197.