Here’s How to Fix Paint Blemishes on Your Walls

If your freshly painted feature wall also features unsightly paint bubbles, or you find yourself counting paint drips on the ceiling to fall asleep, you’re probably living with a bad paint job. Over time, even a good paint job will suffer scuffs and scratches. The good news is that with a bit of knowledge, good paint, and a few simple tools, most imperfections can be fixed quickly and easily.

How to Fix Paint Blemishes

Just as you’re rolling up the drop cloth, you spot paintbrush marks in your handiwork. A sunbeam reveals more nicks and scuffs than you thought possible. While these flaws can be hard to un-see, they’re not that hard to undo. Here are some tips for fixing up newer “whoops” and older “oops” alike:

Paint Bubbles

Paint bubbles appear when the topcoat doesn’t properly adhere to the underlying surface. This can be caused by heat and moisture problems or painting over a dirty or unprimed surface. Once the cause is identified and addressed, you’re ready for the fix. Lay a drop cloth down to catch any mess and scrape off the bubbles. Then sand the area smooth before you prime and paint.

Drips & Runs

An overloaded brush or roller is usually the culprit behind paint runs, drips, and paint wrinkling. To smooth things over, wait for the paint to dry and use a scraper to take down any high spots. If the paint drips are old, you can use a rasp file to get everything flush. Smooth out the scraped or filed area with a sanding sponge and wash the wall with a soft cloth before repainting.

Uneven Paint Coverage

Anyone can miss a spot or three, but full coverage is essential for an even paint job. If things look uneven, allow the paint to dry and follow up with another coat, making sure the paint has been properly stirred. Paint that has separated won’t provide full coverage. A paint mixer attached to a drill makes it easy to mix and move on.

Brush & Roller Marks

Paint roller marks and paint brush marks are the unwanted artist’s signatures of the home improvement world. They usually appear if a brush or roller doesn’t keep a wet edge or when a second coat is applied too soon. To sort this out, sand down any uneven edges and wash the walls. Prime and finish with an even coat of paint.

Lint Splotches

It’s important to inspect rollers for lint before painting or debris will transfer to your paint job. If this happens, gently remove linty bits from the wall with a sanding sponge and wipe the area clean with a damp cloth before repainting.

Tape Lines

Painter’s tape must be removed when the paint is wet to prevent pulling paint off your walls. If you didn’t quite get to it in time, you can fix things easily enough. Use an angle sanding block to sand the edges of the lifted paint, then wipe the area clean with a damp cloth and carefully repaint.

Ceiling Spots

It doesn’t take much for paint roller marks or splatters to hit the ceiling. Wet paint can be wiped off with a clean cloth sprayed with window cleaner. Prime and paint over dried spots with a small brush. For old, heavy paint splatters, use a bit of paint remover on a dry cloth before carefully scraping off the paint with a putty knife. Clean the stripped area with trisodium phosphate or your preferred speciality cleaner before repainting.

How to Fix Paint Scuffs

If you have kids or pets your home will eventually show scratches and scuffs on wall surfaces. A scuff is a surface blemish while a scratch actually penetrates the paint. They’re both easy to fix, but let’s start with scuffs:

Soap & Water Method

Many scuffs can be removed with dish detergent and water. Here’s how:

Mix a solution of ½ teaspoon of grease cutting dishwashing liquid with two cups of warm water
Dip a white or undyed cloth in the solution and gently clean the scuff using light circular motions
Buff the spot dry with a clean cloth

Vinegar Method

This kitchen staple is a cleaning workhorse. Here’s how to use vinegar on walls:

Lay a drop cloth on the floor where you’re working
Mix two tablespoons of vinegar with four litres of warm water
Wet a sponge in the vinegar mixture, squeeze out any excess, and clean the scuff using light, circular motions
Once the scuff is gone, wipe the area with a microfibre cloth and plain water

Baking Soda Method

Mildly abrasive baking soda can work wonders on stubborn scuff marks. Here’s how:

Mix three parts baking soda to one part water to make a paste
Apply the paste to the scuff with a sponge and scrub gently
When the scuff is gone, wipe the spot with a clean cloth and plain water

Melamine Sponge Method

There’s not much a melamine sponge can’t handle. Here's how it can erase scuffs:

Wet the sponge with plain water and wring out any excess
Scrub the scuff with steady even pressure
Wipe down the cleaned area with a damp cloth

How to Fix Paint Scratches

Scratches on wall surfaces, whether a shallow scrape or a deep gouge, can take a little more effort to fix. But with these tips, you’ll have things smoothed out soon enough:

Shallow Scratches

If the scratch is shallow, some toothpaste and a cotton swab should do the trick. Here’s how:

Wash the scratched area
Squeeze a small amount of plain white toothpaste onto a cotton swab
Push the toothpaste into the scratch
With a flat-edge putty knife, smooth the toothpaste to make it flush with the wall
Once the toothpaste is dry, touch up with primer and paint

Deep Scratches

A deep scratch calls for spackling paste and a bit of sanding. Here’s how:

Sand the area until it’s level with the rest of the wall and wipe clean
With a putty knife, apply lightweight spackling paste to the scratch
Allow to dry and repeat if necessary
Lightly sand the repaired area, wipe clean and touch up with primer and paint

Save Your Leftover Paint!

Nearly all of these solutions end in a touch-up. Therefore, it’s important to save your leftover paint. Label cans with their corresponding room name and store them somewhere cool and dry. If you find yourself without paint, don’t panic. You can scrape off a bit of the old paint and bring a swatch to your local Home Hardware where a colour expert can match the colour for you.

How to Prevent Scuffs and Scratches

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of paint. Taking these precautions will save you a lot of grief in the long run.

Adhesive Hooks

Skip the hammer and nails and reach for adhesive wall hooks instead. They can hold different weights and are easy to remove.

Chair Rails & Moulding

A chair rail adds character to a room while saving your walls from scrapes and scuffs. Baseboard moulding also creates visual interest and protects walls in any room.

Doorstops

Installing or using a standalone doorstop is a straightforward way to prevent damage from doorknobs.

Wall-Safe Cleaning Tools

Leaning a mop, broom, or duster up against the wall can leave a mark. Choose cleaning tools with rubber handles to prevent damage.

Home improvements are rarely flawless, particularly when it comes to paint jobs. If you do your own repairs and work to prevent damage before it happens, you’ll save money and increase the value of your home.