Having been a renter now for two full years, first of an apartment and now a house, I’d like to offer this piece of advice for anyone thinking about getting into the renting business. Semi-gloss paint. It’s simple. I don’t think it costs that much more than flat paint. And if you have the potential for children to be living in your house, it’s just the smartest choice.
Flat paint attracts pencil lead, crayons, face paint, and finger smudges faster than a picnic attracts flies. White flat paint, in particular. Elbow grease will dampen the whole thing, but not really remove much of it.
Having been a home owner for five years before that, and having each room in each house painted a fun, bright color using semi-gloss paint, and having four children in various stages of toddling and wall hand-printing, I know for a fact that semi-gloss paint is easier to wipe down than flat.
It’s something to consider, that’s all. Now excuse me while I go see if Book 4 has any advice on magical cleaning solutions…
Half-Pint House 
Have you tried the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponges? They’ve been amazing for us.
I think they cover cleaning in Book 5, BTW.
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Oh, yes, semigloss is the best! I second the Magic Eraser suggestion. They’ve cleaned things that I thought were hopeless.
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I feel your pain! I know squat about paint but when describing to someone else what happened when I TRIED to clean the wall said it was flat paint. Kinda good, kinda bad – we own! 🙂
At this point I think I’m going to leave it and paint over it.
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Yeah, I’ve used Mr. Clean on it before, but even he doesn’t have the power to get pencil lead off these walls. Seems like he can get the paint to come off all around it, but not the pencil itself.
My elbow grease did make a slight improvement, but it needs more. I’ll try Mr. Clean on it again and see if that makes a second layer of improvement… Still – wishing it were semi-gloss!!
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We’ve been home owners for over 10 years, and now we’re going to be renting for the next 2-3 years while we build our next house (with cash!)
I have wondered about things like this—paint, carpet, etc in a rent house. I wonder how my three little blessings errr, uh…messy blessings, will handle it! 🙂
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Semi-gloss does wipe down better, but touch ups will show for most people. Flat can be repainted in spots and when it dries no one will know–not so with semi. There is a “washable flat” which is great for kids’ rooms–easier touch up and wipes down much like semi!!
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Have you tried the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponges? They’ve been amazing for us.
I think they cover cleaning in Book 5, BTW.
LikeLike
Oh, yes, semigloss is the best! I second the Magic Eraser suggestion. They’ve cleaned things that I thought were hopeless.
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I feel your pain! I know squat about paint but when describing to someone else what happened when I TRIED to clean the wall said it was flat paint. Kinda good, kinda bad – we own! 🙂
At this point I think I’m going to leave it and paint over it.
LikeLike
Yeah, I’ve used Mr. Clean on it before, but even he doesn’t have the power to get pencil lead off these walls. Seems like he can get the paint to come off all around it, but not the pencil itself.
My elbow grease did make a slight improvement, but it needs more. I’ll try Mr. Clean on it again and see if that makes a second layer of improvement… Still – wishing it were semi-gloss!!
LikeLike
We’ve been home owners for over 10 years, and now we’re going to be renting for the next 2-3 years while we build our next house (with cash!)
I have wondered about things like this—paint, carpet, etc in a rent house. I wonder how my three little blessings errr, uh…messy blessings, will handle it! 🙂
LikeLike
Semi-gloss does wipe down better, but touch ups will show for most people. Flat can be repainted in spots and when it dries no one will know–not so with semi. There is a “washable flat” which is great for kids’ rooms–easier touch up and wipes down much like semi!!
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I actually like oil paint the best- of course, when it’s painted by a professional.
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I actually like oil paint the best- of course, when it’s painted by a professional.
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