Cleaning walls

[jaimepn]

I rented a property a few months ago, the walls are painted with some kind of paint (unwashable) that feels a lot like paper to the touch.
I am extremely careful with the place, but couldn't avoid some minor grease spots on the kitchen wall, that I tried to wash off today.
Found a youtube video suggesting rubbing a cloth with some washing up liquid over the stain - which I did - and the liquid did a massive damage: "painted" the wall !!!
I am desperately trying to remove the detergent with LOTs of water to no avail. NOTHING works!

I am really frustrated.
Any suggestions?

 

[Nige F]

Sounds like it's been painted with a Trade ( non vinyl) emulsion- nothing for it but to cover the spots with a stain block ( aerosol ) and re paint with a kitchen+bathroom ( washable ) emulsion.

 

[JohnD]

"painted" the wall !!!

I rather think that the detergent has not painted the wall, but has washed away the cheap white paint, exposing the colour of the surface beneath.

This would happen if, as Nige suggests, it was a Supermatt or similar non-vinyl paint, which is not at all durable, and does not resist water. It's OK for ceilings, and very suitable for damp new plaster that is still drying out (as it is not waterproof, damp dries out through it).

I find a brush-on stain blocker easier to use than the sprays (also cheaper) as the spray tends to mark nearby floors and other surfaces.

An alternative would be to scrub the wall with sugar soap, which will clean it and probably wash off a lot of the cheap paint. You can then repaint it. I use a vinyl silk, which is cheaper than the K&B paint and can be wiped clean with detergent. K&B paint is even more durable, though, if you're planning to stay for a few years.

To avoid the patch showing, you'll need to paint the whole wall, ceiling to door, corner to corner. You don't have to repaint the whole room, if you use (nominally) the same colour, because light falls differently on the other walls of the room.

If the landlord (stupidly) used a matt paint in the kitchen, they might moan if you repaint in silk. Even though it's more suitable. They might charge you for repainting it matt.

 

[jaimepn]

I rather think that the detergent has not painted the wall, but has washed away the cheap white paint, exposing the colour of the surface beneath.

I don't think so. Paint is not white, it's a kind of light beige (it's not very evident from the photos). The stain colour matches the detergent colour (yellow-ish), and this area now has an all new texture, a bit more "slippery".
Also, insistent rubbing exposed bits of the original paint: White.

 

[jaimepn]

As this example demonstrates, I am scared of doing things myself. Also, this is a rented property and I have just "damaged" it (this is not wear and tear), so I am thinking on the best course of action.
Also, the contract states "NO REDECORATING", so using different paint and colours is not an option, at least not without authorisation.
In one month time, the letting agency will pop in to do the periodic check on the property.

So.. If the only option is to repaint...
I could admit this "negligence" to the landlord and ask for the paint he used, so I can (pay someone to) repaint.
Or contact a painter directly, assuming it's easy to determine the paint type and colour from observation.

What do you think?
Thank you for your help.

 

[JohnD]

rub a nearby patch of paint with a wet sponge, without detergent. What happens?

 

[jaimepn]

rub a nearby patch of paint with a wet sponge, without detergent. What happens?

Nothing. I tried that several times in the past (tried detergent today bc nothing else was working).
Here's an example of grease spots (next to the oven) that were rubbed with a wet sponge several times.

Every mark in this wall becomes permanent, apparently. The detergent today was just a whole new (bigger) stain added to this wall's collection.

 

[ic1927]

Have a look at some online trade colour charts like this one for example, http://www.leylandtrade.com/colour/leyland-colours-bs4800 and try and find the colour then buy a small tin and do the wall affected, make sure it's the same type ie matt/soft sheen/silk, nobody will be any the wiser, touch up the grease/stains first with some Zinsser BIN.

 

[endecotp]

I think the kitchen was previously painted yellow, and has been overpainted in the beige colour with an unsuitable paint and insuficient preparation. You've just washed off the paint. I think it's very unlikely that the colour of the washing up liquid would be transfered to the wall.

It's hard to say what to do in a rented property in this situation. You could argue that it was badly decorated, i.e. paint unsuitale for a kitchen and wrongly applied, but they hold all the cards. Are you hoping to stay there for a while? You could offer to repaint; how much wall area would you have to do to match?

If it's any consolation, I've known two rented properties with iron marks melted into carpets.... and the world didn't end.

 

[opps]

I agree that the wall looks as though it was previously yellow and that an inferior quality paint has been used to repaint it .

Try rubbing a spot with a green washing up liquid. I suspect that it will look exactly the same as the first image (ie expose the original yellow paint).

If the green washing up liquid does remove the paint, I would contact the agents and tell them that you were simply trying to clean the walls. It is not reasonable for tenants to be expected to redecorate whole walls because the wrong paint has been used.