Vaseline Can Help Cut Down On Prep Time When Taking On A Painting Project

Painting is a tougher job than it looks. It requires a lot of prep work, which can sometimes take longer to set up than the actual paint job takes to finish. You need to clear out furniture, protect the floor, tape the edges around your molding or baseboards, and keep your windows safe from paint splatter with plastic sheets. But you shouldn't need to worry about covering or removing your hardware with this nifty Vaseline paint hack that offers easy protection against paint splatters instead.

Door knobs, hooks, hinges, cabinet pulls, and other hardware often have to be removed before painting to ensure they don't accidentally get covered in paint. But all you really need to do is cover the hardware with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, which will act as a viscous barrier between the hardware and the paint. If any splatters do land on the Vaseline, all you'll have to do is wipe it off with a damp towel later.

Vaseline is an emollient gel, which is also called a barrier cream. That's because it creates a thick barrier on the surface it sits upon, be it your dry elbows or your brass hardware, keeping contaminants out and moisture in. That means when you accidentally get paint on the petroleum-jelly-slicked spot, the paint will sit on its surface rather than seep in. And since Vaseline is undyed, it won't stain or discolor the surfaces you're trying to protect.

To apply it, either use your finger for a quick application, or apply with a small paintbrush for a more detailed job. A thin paintbrush will be helpful when covering small screwheads you don't want to paint over, or around the thin edge of a door handle. To wipe the petroleum jelly off, wait for the paint to fully dry so as not to accidentally smear any surrounding paint upon its removal. Use a damp (but not wet) cloth, and simply wipe off the petroleum jelly.

If you already have your tub of Vaseline out, you might as well keep using it for other painting projects! Vaseline can also be used to stop a newly painted door from peeling on the edges, which happens when you close your door before it's fully dry, lifting up a section of paint. To prevent this from happening, add petroleum jelly to the edges before painting. Simply dip a small paint brush in the Vaseline, and apply it lightly along the edge of the door and its frame. You don't want to use too much, or else the paint won't adhere to the door properly. Once that is done, paint the door like normal and wait for the paint to fully dry before wiping away the Vaseline with a damp cloth.

You can also use petroleum jelly to protect your window panes when painting window trim. Add a thin layer of Vaseline along the edges of the glass, where it hits the trim, to create a barrier blocking the paint. When the painted trim has dried, remove the jelly with a window cleaner.