You might be tempted to crack open the paint and just start painting, but you’ll get much better results if you take some time to prep your walls.
Here’s how the pros do it: Clean the walls with a detergent-based cleaner. This can help hide marker, crayon and water stains.
Clean the Walls
While sweeping floors and vacuuming rugs might dominate your regular cleaning checklist, you should also give your walls a good look over at least once per year. Over time, painted walls can collect a lot of dust, marks, and scuffs that leave them looking dull and dingy.
Begin by using a long-handled duster or microfiber cloth to remove loose dust and cobwebs from the wall surface. Be sure to reach all corners of the room.
For more stubborn grime, you can wash the walls with a sponge or cleaning cloth dipped in clean water. If you use a commercial cleaner or solvent, be sure to spot-test in an inconspicuous area first.
For minor scuffs, you can also try using a magic eraser sponge, which can quickly buff away scuffs from most surfaces—just be sure to test the Magic Eraser on an inconspicuous part of your wall before trying it anywhere else. Alternatively, you can scrub the wall with a baking soda and vinegar paste.
Remove Any Debris
It is best to start with a clean, workable canvas for your paint job. That means cleaning your walls to get rid of any dirt, dust, oil and other contaminants that might interfere with the finish of the new paint.
This can be done with a soft lint-free cloth, a long-handled duster or even a dust mop (we recommend the E-cloth Deep Clean). If there are any stubborn marks, use a small amount of your chosen cleaning solution on a cloth and lightly scrub the mark or stain. Make sure that the cleaner doesn’t contain any abrasive ingredients that could damage or discolor your painted surface.
After scrubbing the walls, rinse with clean water and dry thoroughly. Make sure you let the walls dry completely before beginning your painting project. This will help prevent any water spots from developing on the finished surface. This step is especially important if you’re painting over dark surfaces that may absorb more of the moisture than lighter hues.
Fill Any Holes
A fresh coat of paint can transform a room. However, you’ll need to prep your walls to make sure that the job looks showroom-new for years to come. This is the only way to ensure that your wall will be smooth and will not show any cracks, holes or flaky plaster.
Whether it’s a nail hole or a hairline crack, you must make sure that these are filled properly before you start painting. Otherwise, your hard work will be in vain.
For nail holes, you can use a bit of Elmer’s glue to fill them in. This will dry rock solid, and it won’t show through the paint later on.
For larger holes, you can use a drywall compound that matches the color of your walls. You’ll also need to sand the area to make sure that it is smooth and will accept paint.
Fill Any Cracks
If you have any cracks in your walls, it’s best to get them filled before you paint. It will help your new paint job look showroom-new for years to come.
You can find many different types of wall filler, including spackling paste and joint compound. To help the filler to adhere, sand the area once it’s dry. It’s a good idea to wear a dust mask when sanding to avoid inhaling the particles.
It’s also a good idea to prime patched and repaired areas before you paint them. This will help the top coat of paint adhere to the surface more effectively. The pros often use a pole sander for this task, but an ordinary sandpaper will do just as well.
This might seem like a lot of work before you even pick up a brush or roller, but it’s worth it. Washing, patching and sanding your walls will make the difference between a professional-looking paint job and one that sticks out like a sore thumb.