How to clean matt white ceiling?

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Hello experts, I seek advice please...

I recently noticed a slightly darker spot on my living room ceiling and thought it might have been a leak from the roof so I touched it a few times with my fingers thinking it would be damp to the touch. Turns out it's not a roof leak it's just an old dirty spot of some sort.

Anyway from touching it I could then see my finger marks from a certain angle. So I tried wiping it gently with just a clean wet cloth, and now a whole patch is visible from a certain angle. It looks like I've taken the matt finish away? See photo attached.

Is there any way I can recover from this please? Only reason it bothers me is that I want to sell the place soon and the Estate Agent photos are going to be taken from this angle :LOL:

There is no way I'm going to bother repainting it all. I'm just hoping there is a trick for wiping it away somehow?

Thanks all!
 

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That's a big patch, isn't it?

If you've removed the matt finish, I can't see how you're going to get it back without touching up or re-painting the whole ceiling.

Do you have any of the exact the matt paint used?

Do you know if it was done was done with a brush or roller? Because you need to use the same if you are going to touch it up.

You don't want to put it on thick. Less is more. Start in the middle of the patch, and work to the edges of the patch, so you don't have a build up of a paint where the patch ends.

If you do touch it up this way, there is still a good chance you will see a patch. There is NO GUARANTEE you won't see a patch. It may be ok for the photo.

Alternatively, does it look any better with blinds closed, and perhaps the lights on??
 
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I bought this place about 8 years ago and I've never painted the ceiling, so the paint is atleast 8 years old, done by previous owners.

So it's probably slightly yellowed if I was to put brand new white paint next to it?

What about it I lightly sanded it with very fine grit sandpaper?

I'm so annoyed with myself for touching it :mad:
 
You can only clean durable matt paints not contract matt.
Durable = scrub rating type paints. Use only sugar soap and damp cloth. It nearly always shows though so in reality you can't clean surface without sparking an ocd attack and keep looking at the area.

Contract matt paints are chalky and flat. Bit rough to touch with no sheen
 
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It took me ages to get around to actually trying anything with this ceiling as I was dreading it so much.
I want to update this forum on my experience...

The white paint I bought didn't exactly match the ceiling (no surprise there).
I tried my best by sticking different sample leaflets to the roof but I had no chance really.
I even took photos, put them on my laptop, and used Photoshop to try and determine the closest match.

Now instead of a shiney random patch as per the photo in my original post, it's now a uniform rectangle with a matt finish.
Still noticeable from that same angle, but less harsh on the eyes.

So basically, the whole ceiling needs repainting.

I will never touch a ceiling with my hands ever again :LOL:
And I will never wipe matt paint with a wet cloth ever again :LOL:

Thanks all!
 
.

Now instead of a shiney random patch as per the photo in my original post, it's now a uniform rectangle with a matt finish.
Still noticeable from that same angle, but less harsh on the eyes

I will never touch a ceiling with my hands ever again :LOL:
And I will never wipe matt paint with a wet cloth ever again :LOL:

Thanks all!
you could try making a random pattern instead of that rectangle
 

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