In our last segment, I started poking around the kitchen with Debbie Zimmer with the Paint Quality Institute looking for some examples of helpful items that can simplify every step of a DIY painting project.

After preparations, Zimmer says it's time to paint. As you begin, organize paint cans, stirrers, brushes, and similar items in an empty cardboard water or soft drink box to contain drips.

As you apply your paint, Zimmer says keep an old, wet dishcloth or moistened paper towels handy to quickly pick up errant droplets before they dry and become more difficult (or impossible) to remove.

Aluminum foil can be used to keep paintbrushes or rollers from drying out when you take a break. Zimmer says just wrap the applicators tightly in the foil to keep out air, which can begin the drying process.  

During other breaks or interruptions, she says you can place brushes or rollers inside a Ziploc bag as insurance against accidents, especially if children or family pets are about.

Zimmer says to transfer any small amount of leftover paint to a screw-top jar for storage, sandwiching a layer of plastic wrap between the lid and the jar before closing it tightly. The jar will take up much less room than a standard-size paint can and you won’t have to worry that rust particles spoiling the paint.

To avoid guesswork and/or trial and error when doing future touch ups, Zimmer says use masking tape on all paint containers to label:

• the brand of paint you used,
• the sheen and color,
• the date you applied the paint, and
• the rooms where you used it

For more information on home painting, visit blog.paintquality.com, or go to paintquality.com.

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