Paint

Paint




Prevent white paint from turning yellow. Stir a drop of black paint in it.

Stop smell of paint. One tablespoon of vanilla essence to two pints of paint, or add a couple of tablespoons of ammonia to one or two containers of water placed in room.

Remove dirt or lumps from paint. Cut a round piece of window screen to fit just inside the paint can. The screen will sink down into the paint and carry the lumps to the bottom of the can.

Remove latex paint from hands. The moisturizers ease paint from skin.

Cleaning paintbrushes. When you clean paintbrushes you generally soak them in water or turpentine, but then the bristles get all bent. Here's what to do. Take a piece of wood and rubber band it to the brush. The stick will touch the bottom instead of the brush and the bristles will stay straight.

Restore dried out paintbrushes. Immerse in hot vinegar. Bristles - hairspray, smooth, leave to dry.

Don't have a paintbrush? Take a plastic bag, put it over your hand and then put an old sock over the bag. Now dip your covered hand into the paint and apply it.

It can really be a pain getting the paint out of paint trays! Put the tray inside a plastic bag and then pour in the paint. When the job is finished simply remove the plastic bag and throw it away! The tray is clean and ready for the next paint job!

Keeping track of unused paint. After you finished painting and before you've resealed the can, paint a line on the outside of the can at the paint level. Later this will let you know at a glance both how much paint is left inside and exactly what color it is.

Keep paint fresh between projects. Seal the lid tightly by using a mallet all the way around the lid. Then, with one hand on the lid, turn the can of paint upside down for just a second or two and then turn it right side up again. This will coat the entire inside top surface of the can with a thin film that will help seal the lid.

Spray painting something that's small. Put the item in a big paper bag. You can paint and it won't make a mess!

Redecorating? Record paint or wallpaper identification numbers on masking tape and then stick the tape on the back of a switch plate cover in each room. That way you'll know right where to find those ID numbers.

Make your ceiling seem higher. Paint it a lighter tone than the walls.

Use a primer coat. Your paint will go on easier and will be less likely to fade and chip. Another tip: ask the paint store to tint your primer the same shade you intend to use for the paint. That way you can see how a certain shade really looks on your walls without committing to that color