How to clean walls with low/no-VOC paint?

July 20, 2016 5:59 PM

I've been wondering why my walls are getting SO scuffed, and it turns out that this is a feature of low/no VOC paint. How do I clean my walls without making the situation worse?

The walls smudge really easily and all the things I have tried to clean them have failed and left me with weird discolored smears.

Things I've tried that have NOT worked:
- Magic Eraser (now have weird whitish shiny spots)
- Soap and water (perpetually damp looking spots)
- SimpleGreen (perpetually damp looking spots)

Current plan is to paint over the affected areas, but I need an actual strategy for future maintenance that does not involve painting every time something gets smudged. I have a 2 year old so smudges will definitely happen - taking care is probably not a realistic option.

I tried googling, but just get results for what the best low/no VOC paint is, but not how to maintain it once it's on.

posted by annie o to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

Use a high quality paint for better durability, ask for recommendations at the hardware/paint store. This consumer reports article says that nearly all paints are low/no VOC now, and some are much more durable now than earlier varieties.
posted by lizbunny at 6:18 PM on July 20, 2016

Is it flat paint? Flat paint is notorious for scuffing, but low VOC is supposed to be a little better.
What brand is it? Benjamin Moore Aura is better than most but i don't think any flat paints are fully scuff proof. Magic Eraser was going to be my first recommendation, but i guess that's out. .
posted by Conrad-Casserole at 6:21 PM on July 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

Repaint in eggshell. Get a better quality paint (around $40 a gallon range).
posted by saradarlin at 6:47 PM on July 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: The existing paint is a Sherwin Williams, not sure of the exact spec. It appears to be flat sheen which doesn't help. However, repainting the entire interior of the house is not an option right now. I'd really like suggestions on how to clean the scuffs without making the paint worse than it already is. Or is it just impossible?
posted by annie o at 8:09 PM on July 20, 2016

Flat paint, I've found, is really hard to keep clean, especially around children. I think you should stick with the mildest solution possible (a really gentle soap, like Ivory, and water) and try diluting it more. You might even try just plain water. And use white microfiber cloths or towels. Don't over dampen the cloths; use one white cloth to scrub and one white cloth to dry, turning frequently to avoid re-depositing old grime. Try not to let the areas you've cleaned air dry (work in small sections) unless you plan on cleaning the entire wall or else it'll look spotty.

Eventually, I'd recommend repainting the walls that get a lot of smudges with eggshell or a higher gloss (you can always do the rest of the house later). And keep in mind, all "low VOC" paints are not created equal. I've had fantastic results on the interiors of my home using AFM Safecoat Zero VOC Semi-Gloss. Years and years of easy cleaning despite the best efforts of lots of grubby children.
posted by LuckySeven~ at 9:32 PM on July 20, 2016

There's a powder cleanser, you mix with water. It used to be called Perfex, now it is Dirtex. A major paint manufacturer and retailer would (used to) have this as the only cleaning product they offered. Mix a mild solution, wipe area with a soft cloth. No rinsing required.

It's a highly recommended pre-painting wash too, if you need to go that route.
posted by yesster at 10:21 PM on July 20, 2016

Yeah, I don't think this is a low-VOC feature, I think this is a low-sheen feature. I had a room painted matte (but not low-VOC) and had to repaint just because of the scuffy/uncleanable finish.
posted by adamrice at 8:59 AM on July 21, 2016