7 things you can do to maintain the look of your house paint

After completing the major challenge of painting your house, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your new space. However, whether you hired a painter or did the job yourself, painting the interior or exterior of your home can be a significant commitment of time and money. To avoid repainting every couple of years, follow these maintenance tips to maintain the look and feel of your house paint.

1. Clean Any Spots and Stains Immediately

Spots and stains will build on your new paint job over time. It is better to handle these difficult-to-remove spots on the walls as soon as possible to reduce the pain of cleaning them later at the risk of it leaving a permanent mark. Examining high-traffic areas such as stairwells, hallways, bathrooms, and children's bedrooms can help you identify possible problem areas. Once you've identified an area that needs to be washed, use a sponge and water to scrub it. If a more thorough cleaning is needed, apply a small amount of dishwasher detergent to a sponge.

2. Fading Paint

Investing in high-quality paint ahead of time is one of the easiest ways to prevent faded paint. Colour can degrade in high-quality paint as well due to direct exposure to the sun, although this is usually not a major issue. If you're not happy about the quality of the paint in your house, another way to prevent fading is to use blinds or curtains to avoid too much sun. Try tinting the windows with a UV protectant if you like sunny rooms all year and still want a long-lasting paint job. If you didn’t use quality paint beforehand, you might have to repaint your house because of the fading colour. 

3. Pressure Washing

You may see a noticeable layer of dirt and grime on your exterior paint job after a while. This is quickly corrected by pressure washing your house. Pressure washing is recommended around five to six years after the initial paint job, particularly if mildew is noticeable. Even using a garden hose once a year to rinse porches and under roofs is helpful to your house. This aids in the dissolution of salts that collect on surfaces that are not reached by rain or humidity. These salts may have an effect on the adhesion of fresh paint making it look dull and old in no time.

4. Chalking Paint

Inexpensive paint degrades faster and becomes chalky with time, causing it to flake off quickly when the surface is touched. You will need to repaint your house depending on the extent of the chalking paint. You can start the repainting process by hand cleaning the chalky areas. Try pressure washing for the areas you can't reach by hand. To prevent possible chalking in the future, add a primer utilised for chalky surfaces, followed by a high-quality finish coat. 

5. Dealing With Mould

Mould thrives in damp and wet environments. Homeowners should buy special paints that avoid mould growth in warm and humid areas such as bathrooms and basements. If you discover a mould or mildew-infested wall, inspect the infected area to ascertain the extent of the infestation. If the area is big, you will need to hire a professional to clean it. Get three no-obligation painter quotes to know more. Don’t attempt to do this yourself, as you might end up aggravating the problem.

6. Three-Coat System

Problems can start to emerge with an exterior paint job due to exposure to the elements. It's no wonder that the paint will peel after years of exposure to wind, rain, heat, and snow in some cases. It's a smart idea to apply two finish coats to "problem areas" on the outside of your house, such as peeling window seals. Begin with a high-quality primer paint, followed by two coats of finish paint with a three-coat system. Find out the cost of painting your house to get an idea of what to expect.

7. Avoiding Rot

Paint does more than just add colour to your house. It slows the deterioration and corrosion of the surfaces. If you have repainted the house yourself without prior experience, there is a high chance you might have missed a few places. Make sure that the undersides of corner boards are completely painted. It is recommended that you inspect the tops, bottoms, and backs of wood shutters to confirm that they are painted. If you don't paint the bottom, it will accumulate water and rot the board.

A quality paint job will breathe new life into your interior and exterior, and it will last for years if properly cared for. By following these tips, you will keep your paint job looking fresh for years to come and enjoy the appearance of your house for a long time.

Further Reading

• 15 Important House Painting Terminologies You Need to Know
• How to Cut Costs for Your Interior and Exterior House Painting
• 5 Most Popular Exterior Painting Colours