Interior Painting
Cleaning Dirt Before Painting
Just as it is important cleaning exterior substrates before painting exteriors by the ways of power washing and pressure cleaning, dust and dirt collects very easily on the interior, and should be removed before any interior painting takes place. Areas to examine are all areas in kitchen, and top of base board and door casing trim that interior painting will be applied. Very easy to remove by taking a damp cloth or sponge with a mild detergent, cleaning previously painted surfaces. Mild detergent is important as abrasive and alkaline cleaners will dull and burnish the sheen of most interior paints either latex or oil-based. Therefore if in doubt, washed surfaces should be rinsed thoroughly as it could also interfere with adhesion properties as well.
Tackling Mildew Concerns
Watch for discoloration in areas with typically high humidity such as basements, bathrooms, hot-tubes, and kitchens. Mildew must be treated, and never simply painted over.
- Apply a 3:1 mixture of water:household bleach to the infected area using a rag or throw-away sponge. Always wear eye and breathing protection while working with household bleaches. When working with household bleaches, test colored painted surfaces not causing color fading, while protecting floors, and counter tops.
- Allow mixture to stand for 15 minutes, adding more as it dries.
- Rinsing area off thoroughly, allowing to dry before any interior painting takes place including latex caulking.
Paint Sticking
Sometimes paint will stick to each other such as in window sashes, magnetic weather striping and door jambs. Typically this happens when interior painted surfaces are put back in service before both have fully dried. Dark colors typically stick more than lighter colored ones do, all else being equal, glossier paints stick more than flat paints. Cooler and damp conditions decrease drying times increasing the tendency of paint sticking.
- Allowance of time for drying before putting painted surfaces back into service.
- If experiencing paint sticking, rub talcum powder on both surfaces to stop sticking.
- The plastic in gaskets for windows, and doors can soften latex paints and cause sticking. This is a common problem with new gaskets and weather striping, and painting these areas should be avoided.
Don’t forget to check out our exterior painting tips as well.
