Painting is an affordable way to refresh and modernize any room. When completing a painting project, one of the most important steps - yet overlooked – is preparing your walls for paint. Knowing how to properly prep walls for painting will ensure that you get great longevity out of the paint job. We suggest you check your walls and act accordingly.

• Cleaning

Before painting walls, it's essential to clean your walls! A simple damp cloth and warm water usually do the trick for basic cleaning. Still, if your walls have been exposed to oil or grime (like most kitchen walls), you'll want to clean them with a solution of water-detergent mix that can help break up any grease buildup -make sure you rinse with clean water afterward, so no residual detergent is left behind. Once everything is nice & dry, then you're ready for the next step - skipping this step could lead to nasty surprises like blistering or bubbling later on down the line

• Remove Mildew

You need to address any mildew head-on. Don't try to cover it up with a coat of paint – trust us, that won't end well! Put on some gloves, then mix three or four parts water with one part bleach for the perfect anti-mildew formula. Apply this solution to the trouble spot, and leave it be for a few minutes before scrubbing gently until all signs of mold are gone. Wipe down and allow time to dry.

• Sanding

Sanding isn't always necessary, but it is a great way to ensure your paint job looks smooth. To prepare a wall that has been painted with water-based paint, sand it with fine-grit sandpaper. For oil-based paint, use sandpaper with a grit of 100-150. Afterward, wipe away any dust or dirt and let the wall dry completely.

Is your old paint cracking or flaking? This usually happens because of poor prep before painting (what we are trying to avoid). You can either sand or scrape the old paint off, but don't make the mistake of just painting over cracking o flaking paint.