Thoroughly clean all the surfaces you're about to paint and any you're likely to come into contact with when painting

THERE'S nothing worse than getting dust and dirt into wet paint because it's fiddly to remove and easily spread by the brush or roller across the surface you're painting.

The way to avoid this is, of course, to thoroughly clean all the surfaces you're about to paint and any you're likely to come into contact with when painting.

Any repairs required, ie filling and sanding, should be done before cleaning because this creates lots of mess. When you've done the repairs, you're ready for the big clean up.

Vacuuming is an essential first step but don't forget all those nooks and crannies that it's easy to overlook day to day. This means getting rid of any cobwebs as well as dust and debris in and around the radiators (and between the radiator columns, for example, on retro ones), picture and dado rails, if you have them, and cornicing or coving.

Skirting boards, especially grooved period ones, get really dirty, so give those a thorough vacuum. Windows and doorframes also tend to have crevices that trap dirt: you'll need to open the windows to clean them properly. If you've been sanding, the walls will probably be covered with sanding dust, so they'll need vacuuming, plus the area underneath.

The surfaces then need a wash/scrub. This means getting marks and grease off the walls, and marks and ingrained dirt off the other surfaces, especially any with mouldings and grooves, where it's hard to budge.

Use a phosphate-free household cleaner for this, or sugar soap, which comes as a spray or powder you dissolve in water, and wipe down with clean water afterwards. This is particularly important if you're preparing a kitchen for decorating because grease and cooking residues get everywhere and don't mix well with paint.

Use household detergent to tackle the grease and if you're washing wooden unit doors, clean them rapidly and then dry them, as detergents don't do them much good. If you're planning to paint them, they'll need to be prepared in the usual way for bare wood.

Bathrooms can be another problem room because, in addition to everything else, they can have mildew and mould stains.

Your local DIY store should sell cleaners for mildew and mould (in liquid or spray form), but if you're not able to get one in time, you can use bleach.

Use one part bleach to three parts water, sponge it onto the stain and leave it for a minimum of 15 minutes, scrub and then repeat if necessary.

Ensure you wear rubber gloves, goggles and your DIY clothes when doing this, as bleach can obviously spoil clothes. Afterwards, you'll need to wash the surface down with water or one part vinegar to three parts water.

It's also important, of course, to clear the room as much as possible before you begin decorating. However, ensure you don't damage the walls, skirting boards and doorframe, etc, when getting furniture in and out.

If you can't move it to another room, pile it in the middle, leaving plenty of space around the sides for you to work and move your ladder. If you have a particularly large room, pile the furniture up in a couple of places so it encumbers you as little as possible.

Always cover your furniture with dustsheets, preferably plastic ones that will protect it from splashes and drips of paint.

If you're not changing the flooring, cover it with dustsheets too. Again, plastic sheets offer most protection and are essential if the room's carpeted - use a couple of layers for peace of mind - but you may want to put fabric dustsheets or old curtains, bedspreads and throws over them so the floor's less slippery to walk on and put the ladder on.

The area where you stir and pour the paint and the area under your paint tray or pot should be protected especially well in case of drips and spillages. Keep the lid on the pot or remember to put it somewhere where it can't be knocked over.

If you're painting the door or doors, it's a good idea to remove or mask off the door furniture, preferably the former. Painting around it can produce a poor finish and if it's not protected by masking tape, you'll inevitably spend quite a bit of time wiping wet paint off it or scraping it off when it's dry, which is fiddly and tedious.

If you're using masking tape, the trick is to remove the tape before it forms a seal with the dried paint, or avoid getting paint on it in the first place. Otherwise, removing the tape can result in you ripping off some of the paint, which is very annoying.

QUICK FIX - short answers to tricky questions

Q: I've got a blocked drain: is there a non-toxic alternative to chemical unblocking liquids?

A: Try putting a kettle or two of boiling water down it. This may be enough to clear the blockage.

SEASONAL TASK

Most decorating tasks require natural light, but not all. Although the days are getting longer, it still gets dark quite early, which can hamper your DIY. However, wallpapering can be done successfully in artificial light, providing the light is good.

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