4 Essential Tips to Consider When Cleaning Your Walls

Like most things in life, paint jobs don't exactly last forever. After some time, wear and tear, and getting blasted by the elements, they chip and fade. But part of the process is always the fun of repainting. One of the best parts of your home to repaint is the exterior walls. 

While it requires thorough prepping, it should be smooth sailing once you've cleaned it well. As long as you clean your house's exterior walls thoroughly before the paint goes on, you get a beautiful finished product that lasts for years. Unfortunately, many homeowners skip this step for quick results that don't last.

So, before you bust out the paint or hire any professionals, make sure to follow these cleaning tips for your walls:

Remove All Debris

The first thing to do before painting is to remove debris. This means picking up any trash you may have to lie around, including leaves, sticks, and branches. If you have hanging flower baskets on the exterior walls, make sure the flower pot is clean. This will help ensure that the paint won't get ruined.

The second thing you need to do is remove any dust. Give the walls a good wipe down with a slightly damp rag. This will ensure that you capture all of the dust that may have settled on the siding.

Scrub the Surface

The next step is to scrub the surface using water and mild soap. Wipe this mixture all over the surface after cleaning it. This will ensure that the paint adheres properly to the siding. If the dirt is stubborn, use a scrubby pad or steel wool. Place the pad or metal wool on the wall, and then scrub the residue with soap.

Use a Pressure Washer

If you've tried doing all of the above, only to find that you still need to repaint due to the poor appearance of your exterior walls, it could be because you didn't do a very good job at properly removing the grime. Try a pressure washer next. This will clean the dirt away much better than the methods above.

Just make sure that you cover your windows and doors before spraying water on the walls. You don't want any water to leak inside. After you've cleaned the exterior walls well and removed any debris, you should be ready to go. You'll have lovely, clean walls to paint.

Remove Old Paint

Once you're done cleaning your exterior walls, be sure to remove any old paint that's hidden beneath the surface. If you don't remove it, it will mix with the paint you apply and cause the new paint to be uneven.

To remove old paint, use a paint remover. Make sure you follow the instructions on the container carefully. If you have any doubt about whether the paint is sticking, rub the surface with a piece of sandpaper. You should see some of the old paint on the paper.

The Bottom Line

As you can see, there's more to preparing your home's exterior walls than simply painting them. To get a good finish, ensure that the walls are perfectly clean. Skip any of these steps, and you may end up with an uneven surface, or worse, you could ruin your entire paint job.

With all of that said, remember that the most important thing is to clean the exterior walls thoroughly before you paint them. These tips are just a few ways to ensure that the job is done right to get the results you want.

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