You’ve finally done it. Your home’s interior is newly painted and it looks better than it ever has before. Maybe you hired professional painters to get the job done, or perhaps you felt ambitious and did it yourself. Either way, you’re probably excited to finally relax and enjoy your new interior.

But wait. The job isn’t quite done yet. Let’s discuss what comes after a successful paint job, and how you can continue to get the most out of that brand new coat for years to come.

Cleaning Up

You and/or your interior painting contractors probably invested significant time in cleaning up your home before painting. Unfortunately, there’s plenty of cleaning to do on the back end, too. Of course, the amount of cleaning required after a paint job will vary, and there are often multiple stages to the process.

First of all, if you hire painting services, they will (or at least they should) clean up their mess before packing up and heading elsewhere. This will usually occur while the paint is drying. Brushes, rollers, buckets, drop cloths, etc. all need to get picked up and either tossed or stored for later use. Because most of this equipment belongs to the painting company, they are responsible for this stuff by default. Plus, cleaning up after a job is just common professional courtesy.

Still, there is more to clean even after the paint dries and every piece of equipment has been picked up. Plus, even the best painters might forget something or miss a spot when doing a final cleanup. Check corners and crevices for any chipped paint or small debris left over from the job and sweep, or vacuum it up. Be careful not to mess up the drying or newly dried paint, though. At this stage, it’s still sensitive and easily removed.

Maintaining Your Home Interior Paint Job

Right after a new interior painting project is completed, you might feel extra inclined to keep your rooms tidy for a while. But over time, well after the paint has dried, you may become complacent and neglect basic maintenance procedures. If you want to keep your interior paint job beautiful and durable, you must maintain it properly.

As long as you keep up on it, this home painting maintenance is fairly simple. Dust your walls, ceilings, and other painted surfaces every couple of weeks or as needed. If a surface gets scuffed or marked, use water, the right detergent, and a sponge to carefully clean the area(s). And if your walls and paint job get damaged (i.e. a deep scrape or puncture), take the time to repair the surface and touch up the paint. Be sure to use the same color and type (and brand if possible) of paint used before.

Need More Advice or Assistance?

When it comes to residential painting, the painting itself is only part of the equation. Protect your investment and keep your home looking fresh by cleaning up thoroughly after a paint job and actively maintaining your painted surfaces long after the paint has dried. 

If you want more tips on cleaning and maintaining your home after an interior paint job, or you need help with touch-ups, repairs, or painting in general, All American Painting Plus has you covered. To learn more about all that we do, give us a call at (703)-620-5563!