Fixing Paint Mistakes Is A Breeze With This Sponge Hack

DIY projects that involve paint can get messy. It is not exactly easy to clean the runny liquid off of surfaces if it ends up somewhere it shouldn't. Spills and other painting mistakes are common, so there are plenty of tips and tricks to help those struggling to clean up spilled paint. Still, it may be difficult to find reliable guidance on how to clean up paint after it has dried onto a surface unevenly. This can happen when a paint roller or paintbrush is loaded with too much paint and then used to paint a wall. The excess rolls down and leaves hardened paint drops on the wall after it dries. If you're aiming for a smooth and error-free finish, this can be quite an annoyance.

Luckily, this sponge hack from Benjamin Moore might be the perfect solution to quickly remove those dried-up paint drops and leave behind an even surface. There are a few materials you will need before you can get started, though you may already have some of these items on hand. To complete this hack, you will need 110-grit sandpaper, 220-grit sandpaper, a razor, a wet sponge, a paintbrush, and a bit of paint.

To get started, locate the dried-on paint drips you want to remove. Use a razor to shave away the drip that has hardened onto the wall. At this point, you should be left with what looks like small sections of chipped-off paint. To even the surface back out, gently sand the appropriate areas of the wall with 110-grit sandpaper, and then 220-grit sandpaper. Continue to alternate between the two grit numbers to smooth out the wall.

You will find that dust from the sanding process is now stuck to the wall. This is where the sponge makes its appearance. Wet your sponge and use it to wipe away dust until the surface is clean. After the wall has dried, it should be nice and evenly textured once again. You are now ready to paint back over the area to make it all one color. Use your paintbrush to lightly go over the sections you removed the hardened paint drips from. Avoid overloading your brush with paint. As previously mentioned, an overloaded paint brush is often the cause of these unsightly paint drips.

This sponge hack allows you to remove those dried paint drips without ruining your walls. You may be tempted to just scrape them off, but keep in mind that this method will further damage the wall and leave you with chipped sections of paint. Shaving off the dried paint, smoothing the uneven sections with sandpaper, and removing dust with a wet sponge will restore the surface's texture so that you can simply paint back over the previously damaged sections.

Although this hack is rather simple, you still may not want to have to use it every time you paint. There are a few tips to help you avoid drips when painting your walls with a roller or paintbrush. Neither rollers nor paint brushes should be overloaded with paint. You only need to coat either tool with paint about halfway. It is best to resist the urge to submerge the entire brush or roller in paint. Don't forget to tap off excess paint before using the tool, as this is another common cause of paint drips on walls. When working with rollers, only coat the fabric portion and avoid getting paint on the edges. High-quality paint brushes and rollers are also a more reliable option if you are not a fan of paint dripping down your walls, because they tend to hold more paint and produce a more even finish.