Maintaining interior paint, exterior paint and wallpaper

Maintaining interior paint, exterior paint and wallpaper

Nothing is worse than seeing your freshly painted or wallpapered walls with finger marks, scuff marks or stains on them or the paint peeling on your newly painted exterior. Here are some tips for keeping your newly decorated home looking great for the long term:

Interior Paint:

• clean dirt and scruff marks immediately - this not only improves the paint appearance it reduces the chance of dirt getting permanently embedded in the paint film
  
• wipe walls around switches, knobs, splashbacks and hand height periodically with a mild detergent and sponge or soft cloth
  
• harsh cleaners can dull sheen or gloss or lead to paint discolouration
  
• areas with mildew should be treated immediately with a 3:1 mixture of water to household bleach.
  
• never paint over mildew, always treat and remove before re-painting
• sticking is usually caused by paint that is not fully dried. Allow ample time for paint to dry, particularly if conditions are warm and damp.
  
• dark coloured paints tend to stick more than light colours or white paint; and gloss paints stick more than flat paints. Allow extra drying time for dark and gloss paints.
• if sticking is observed, rub talcum powder onto both surfaces
• always clean surfaces according to the paint manufacturers guidelines
  

Exterior Paint:

• remove dirt with mild detergent and scrubbing brush periodically
  
• only power or high-pressure wash with plain water. Cleaning agents and bleach can lift paint or damage substrate.
  
• mould and mildew should be treated immediately with a 3:1 mixture of water to household bleach
• flat paints, oil-based paints and economy paints are more prone to mildew growth - only buy quality paints.
• white mineral salt deposits that leach out of the surface on mortar, concrete or masonry is called efflorescence. This is usually a sign that there is moisture in the substrate. Seal cracks with a high quality silicon caulk.
  
• closely monitor the conditions of the exterior paint to catch failures early. Repair cracks, peeling or blistering immediately and apply touch up paint as necessary.
• don't cut corners when preparing the surface. Most paint problems and paint failure comes from inadequate preparation.

Wallpaper

• wallpapers today are usually one of three types: washable (warm water, soap and soft sponge) , scrubbable (warm water, soap and soft brush) or delicate (dry cleaning sponge or eraser).
• wash from the bottom of the paper to avoid running dirty water down the paper. Be careful not to over wet the surface
• blot dry with a soft lint-free cloth
• do not use abrasive cleaners, scrubbers or products containing bleach
• remove stains and mark immediately to avoid permanent damage or discolouration
•  to remove crayon, felt pen lipstick and biro marks lightly spray with an aerosol hairspray, then wipe off with a soft toothbrush
• do not use steel wool or powdered cleaners. They may damage the wallpaper.
• If mould is present, the wallpaper will have to be removed.