Washing walls and ceilings
Paint won't stick to a greasy wall, and a yellowed wall won't turn white under one more coat. Wall washing prepares the surface, and is sometimes enough on its own.
Wash from the bottom up, rinse from the top down
Wall washing starts with protection: floors covered with dust sheets, sockets and switches protected, furniture moved away from the wall. The cleaning solution is then tested on a small, discreet patch, as some old or matt paints can't take rubbing.
We wash from the bottom up. It sounds counter-intuitive, but a drip of cleaning solution on a still-dirty wall leaves a sharp mark that's hard to remove; on a part already washed, it wipes off without a trace. We then rinse from the top down with clean water, leaving no residue that would stop the new paint from adhering. Ceilings are done before walls, and woodwork (doors, skirting boards, frames) separately, with a suitable product.
Wall washing is a must before repainting, in a kitchen where grease has built up for years, in a smoker's home, or between two tenants when the walls have simply aged. We do it for homeowners, landlords and building firms who hand over surface preparation to us.
Wall washing: your questions
Do walls need washing before repainting?
Almost always. A greasy, dusty or smoke-stained wall stops paint from adhering: it blisters, flakes or lets the stains show through again. Washing and rinsing, then letting it dry, is the first step towards paint that lasts.
Does wall washing remove mould?
It cleans surface stains, but it doesn't deal with the cause. If mould keeps coming back, there's a damp problem to fix first; washing alone won't stop it.
How long should I wait before painting?
Until the wall is completely dry, which depends on the room, the ventilation and the season. Your painter will check the surface before applying the first coat.
Walls to prepare or freshen up?
Number of rooms, ceiling height, type of grime: we quote after a visit.