Your wall paint is being damaged by these simple mistakes
You may think that regular cleaning of your walls will do the job of keeping them spic and span. But unfortunately, that is not true. Walls receive adequate protection against dust, seepage and fungal growth from strong paint. But most times, walls lose their charm due to simple mistakes we make, thinking they’re harmless.
Here’s a list of rectifiable mistakes we often make to help keep our walls looking new:
1) Adhesives are a big no
Sticky hooks for walls have become fairly common but they can cause a lot of damage to your walls. These hooks often lose their adhesive quality very soon and fall off along with paint and the first layer of the wall. Sellotape and other forms of adhesive are equally damaging. It is difficult to path up a small spot and make it look smooth as though nothing ever happened. At the same time, leaving that spot as it is can draw unwanted attention to it and affect the overall look of your home. Therefore, it is best to avoid using these temporary solutions to hanging things on your walls and instead opt for nails. So the next time you want to stick a poster to the wall, think twice!
2) Keep decor away from wall
When you leave your decor or books leaning against the wall for too long and decide to change their spots, you will most likely see marks left behind by those objects. It is best to make books lean against shelves instead of the wall. At the same time, keeping your decor on a table, slightly away from the wall can also be helpful. Unlike food and hand stains, it is difficult to get rid of stains left behind by objects for too long. This simple technique can protect your walls from rigid stains.
3) Dust your walls regularly
Dust left to settle on walls for too long or cobwebs ignored longer than they should, can stick to the paint permanently and aggravate dust allergies. Though cobwebs are like silk and come off easily, they sometimes camouflage with dark paint on your walls and can be difficult to spot. In humid regions, these can then stick to your walls and become difficult to get off. It is best to regularly clean your walls with a broom, duster or even a vacuum to prevent this from happening.
4) Avoid placing lamps close to the wall
These items open cause steam or leave a trail of smoke. Oil and camphor lamps often leave black smoke and soot behind as they burn. When kept close to your walls, these particles can settle on your wall. Candles too can do the same. When black substances like soot sit on walls, it often smears all over when cleaned with a dry cloth and sticks to the paint. Slightly damp cloths could do the trick but you will have to act fast or else the stain becomes permanent. Mosquito coils and other objects that burn can leave the same sooty effect on your walls.
5) Leave clothes to dry away from the wall
When clothes are placed too close to the wall for drying, they often leave moisture behind that could settle on your wall’s surface. Unless you have a strong water-resistant paint, moisture settling on your walls over time can lead to constant dampness, foul stench and can encourage the growth of fungus and algae. This happens often in cold and wet regions.
6) Your walls too need sun protection
Yes! Walls too require protection from harmful UV rays. Though interior decorative paints are stronger and better with newer technology, they do not provide the required UV protection for your walls. When exposed to harsh sunlight between 10 am and 3 pm can lead to the fading away of paint over time and even change the paint’s colour. Using thick curtains or ones that block sunlight well can help your paint stay on longer and make home maintenance less of an ordeal.
Pesky details can often be a bother when it comes to taking care of your home and its walls. But keep these points in mind the next time you look to maintain your walls and the job will be made so much easier.