But every old home needs maintenance, updates or a refresh every few years or so. Paint is one of the best ways to give an old home new life while still retaining the integrity of the home. Painting an old home, however, is often accompanied by its own set of challenges which can range from small (tricky corners and trim) to large (replacing and repairing damaged walls or wood). Read on for our best old house painting tips and ideas.

There are two basic types of exterior paint: water-based latex and oil-based alkyd. Latex cleans up with soap and water, dries quickly, has low odor, and remains flexible longer so it’s less likely to crack. The best quality latex paints contain 100 percent acrylic resins.

Alkyd paints require mineral spirits (paint thinner) for cleanup as opposed to just soap and water. But many professional painters prefer alkyd paint because it’s durable, stain-resistant, flows very smoothly, and dries with fewer brush marks. But alkyds have a strong solvent smell and dry very slowly.

The one you choose is up to you. Just remember that if you’re applying latex paint over an existing alkyd paint, you must first prime the surface to ensure the new topcoat will adhere to the old oil-based paint.

Paint Prices

There’s no absolute formula for picking the best paint for your home. Most paint manufacturers offer a wide variety of paints ranging from good to better to best. As a general rule, budget how much you want to spend on the project and then buy the best paint you can reasonably afford, because cost is an excellent indication of quality. Expensive paints contain more pigments than bargain paints, so they produce a thicker, longer-lasting, more protective coating.

Read the Label

Few homeowners bother reading the tiny print on the paint can label, but they should. There’s a wealth of information printed right on the can that can help you produce a beautiful paint job. Pay particular attention to the instructions about prepping the surface and outdoor air temperature. Most paints shouldn’t be applied when the temperature is 50 degrees F or colder. But some paints are specially formulated for application when the temperature is as low as 35. Just take the time to read the label before you start painting and before the label becomes smeared with paint and impossible to decipher.

Prep the Surface

For the new paint to adhere to the surface, you must clean the house’s exterior of all dirt, grime, mildew, and chalky residue. A power sprayer provides the easiest way to accomplish this, but hand scrubbing with a stiff-bristle brush is just as effective and often doesn’t take much longer because it requires little preparation and setup time.

Use a hammer and a nail set to tap all nailheads below the surface, then fill the holes with exterior-grade putty. Once the putty is fully cured, sand it flush. If you’re applying new caulking around windows, doors, and trim, be sure to use a caulk that’s paintable.

You can paint directly over the old painted surface as long as it’s in good condition. Be sure to scrape and sand any spots where the old paint has blistered or flaked off. And you must prime any bare wood before you paint it.

Brush or Roller? Yes!

The fastest, most effective way to apply exterior paint is with both a paintbrush and a roller. Brush paint onto narrow surfaces, edges, and smaller areas, and use a short, small-diameter roller to paint large and long surfaces such as siding and trim.

Start in the Shade

Painting in direct sunlight or applying paint to a sun-baked surface will make fresh paint dry too quickly. As a result, it won’t adhere well and will blister and flake prematurely. So begin painting on the shady side of the house. (If the surface is damp, wipe it dry.) Then wait for the sun to move and the other sides of the house to become shaded—or just paint on an overcast day.

Take it From the Top

Start painting near the top of the house and work your way down. Apply paint to the butt or bottom edge of the siding first, then paint the broad surfaces. To avoid lap marks, always try to brush from one wet surface onto another wet surface. When that’s not possible and you must paint onto a previously painted and dried surface, overlap onto the dried-paint surface by several inches.

And since you’ll be working high up, don’t forget basic ladder safety: Don’t overreach too far to the side or you might topple over. Try to keep your hips within the horizontal rails of the ladder. It’s much smarter to climb down, move the ladder, and climb back up than to risk falling.

This is especially true if it has been a little while since you last deep cleaned your home. No matter the size of your property or the level of deep cleaning you are facing, this guide is here to help.

Bathroom

Tip 01: For faucets that really shine, wipe down faucets and similar surfaces first with a slightly damp cloth, then buff with a dry towel. If I don’t have a clean rag at hand, I like to do this at the end of each day with a lightly-used hand towel (provided no one in the family is ill!), then toss them in the laundry bag and place out fresh towels. Doing double duty makes me feel like a smart mama.

Tip 02: Use floss to get the grimies out of anywhere around your faucet or toilet handle that look, well… grimy.

Tip 03: Save old toothbrushes to scrub small and hard-to-reach places, such as shower door rails, the tops and bottoms of baseboards, heater vents, and those pesky fan covers that are always hard to reach.

Tip 04: To clean showerheads, pour an ample amount of white vinegar into a plastic produce bag or plastic zippered bag (large enough to fully submerge the showerhead nozzle) and tie it in place for an overnight soaking. Remove it in the morning and run the water to rinse. You can also use one of your saved toothbrushes from Tip #3 to scrub away loosened minerals and other build-up, if necessary.

Tip 05: Scrub away soap scum and bathtub rings with pulverized eggshells or other natural abrasives you have around the house. A loofah sponge also works wonders.

Tip 06: Clear scum and build-up out of your drains by spooning 1 cup baking soda into the drain, trying to get it as far down the pipe as possible, then pour 1 cup white vinegar down the drain and let it fizz for 5-10 minutes. Pour 1 kettle of boiling water over to flush.

Kitchen

Tip 01: Clean and gently sanitize your wood chopping blocks and cutting boards by rubbing with a lemon or spritzing them with homemade bleach. If residue remains from the lemon juice, rinse it off after the wood is completely dry.

Tip 02: To polish stainless steel silverware and get rid of the tarnished look that builds-up over time (especially if you use a dishwasher rather than hand-wash), rub each utensil with a thick baking soda paste, then rinse and dry well.

And speaking of stainless steel, rub plain baking soda or our non-toxic kitchen cleanser all over the inside of your stainless steel sinks at least once a week to keep them spot-free and gleaming.

Tip 03: To remove the stubborn gunk on non-porous surfaces (such as the stove top), make a paste out of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to scrub those stubborn splatters off. Let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing, if necessary.

Tip 04: Use a toothbrush or used dental Sulcabrush to scrub wall splash tiles, grout, caulking, any crannies inside your refrigerator, and baseboards, especially near any tables or areas where food is often served or consumed.

Laundry Room

Tip 01: Clean the inside of your top-loading washing machine by running a cycle on the hottest setting with the most water possible and for the longest setting available. Once the water has filled, add in a quart of white vinegar and 1 cup of washing or baking soda, then let the mixture sit for about an hour before allowing the cycle to continue. Once the cycle has finished and drained, run the cycle again without any additives (i.e. no vinegar, no bleach – just water).

You can do the same thing with your front-loader, just add the vinegar and baking soda in via the detergent drawer and add (obviously) only as much as the cups can hold – it likely won’t be a quart!

Meanwhile, use a toothbrush to clean around all the detergent cups and the base of the lid (top-loader).

Common Areas

Tip 01: Use pillowcases to dust ceiling fans so that dust falls into the cases rather than in your face. Spray the pillowcases lightly with all-purpose cleaning spray, then place a pillowcase over each wing of the fan. Cover the fan switch with tape so the fan can’t be turned on while you’re dusting, then rub the top and bottom of each wing with the pillowcase to clean it. When you’re finished, slip the pillowcases off and toss them in the wash. If your ceiling fan is too high to reach, use an extended pole duster, such as this one. (Wear a shower cap while cleaning, if desired.

Tip 02: When dusting, don’t dry dust, as it’s basically just moving dust around, and thus wasted time. Instead, use a very very slightly damp cloth with a mild soap solution (1 tablespoon liquid castile soap per 1/2 gallon of water) or our homemade dusting spray to dust and buff at the same time. It will be healthier AND more pleasant to the eye!

Tip 03: To remove stains from carpets, use copious amounts of salt. If possible, treat the stain as soon as it happens by blotting up as much of the stain as possible, then pouring about a half-an-inch of salt on top of the stain. The salt will wick up the liquid, effectively removing it from the carpet fibers. Let it sit for 1-5 days, adding more salt as necessary. When the salt is dry, break it up and vacuum well. If the stain has already dried, re-moisten it by spritzing it heavily with water, then blot and pour on the salt.

Tip 04: To disinfect and freshen up your mattresses, spray them with vodka. Vodka absorb odors and evaporates quickly, so it’s a great trick each time you change the sheets – or even just a couple of times a year. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to the spray if desired. A pretty & super-sturdy Grove Collaborative glass bottle is perfect for this – just pour in the vodka, add your essential oils, and shake before you spray.