Washable wall paints – why and when to choose them?

The wall surfaces of some rooms require more frequent cleaning or even annual painting due to various types of exposures. We definitely do not want the latter, as it represents a lot of additional work. The solution for this is washable wall paints.

For more exposed surfaces, such as areas around switches, kitchens, hallways and other rooms where wall surfaces are often contaminated with various stains due to accidents, it is recommended to choose a suitable interior wall paint at the very beginning before painting. This suitable choice is a wall paint with resistance to wet brushing or tear. With this, we achieve the possibility of multiple or even regular wet cleaning with a solution of common household cleaners, without damaging the paint film or affecting the final aesthetic appearance.

Even if we have already painted the walls with normal dispersion paint and would still like to “change” a certain wall into a washable one, this can be achieved, but before painting, it is necessary to choose the appropriate product. Paints with resistance to wet brush rubbing form a stronger film than normal paints, in addition, some are available in intense shades, they have excellent coverage, in case of latex paints it is also possible to choose a gloss. At the same time, they have higher efficacy and, due to their many functional properties, slightly more expensive than conventional wall paints.

When choosing a washable paint or coating, we must pay attention to the classification according to the SIST EN 13300 standard, which determines the limit values ​​for individual washability classes for wet brush rubbing of a dry coating film. The classification of paints with the property of resistance to wet brush rubbing is divided into 5 classes: that is, the paint whose dry film has the highest resistance to wet brush rubbing is class 1 and, like most dispersion interior paints, they achieve this functionality after 28 days from the application of the last coat. The determination of the resistance class to wet brush rubbing is carried out in the development laboratory according to the EN ISO 11998 standard, namely with a cyclic device, on which a special abrasive sponge rubs in cycles (stroke in two directions in the same area) on a suitably dry paint film, thereby the paint film thins (wears) with each cycle. For example: Class 1 paint loses less than 5 µm of paint film at 200 cycles, Class 2 paint loses less than 20 µm of paint film at 200 cycles, Class 3 loses more than 20 and less than 70 µm of paint film at 200 cycles, Class 4 and 5 are usually only suitable for dry wiping in practice. In this sense, class 4 is still classified as a washable paint, while class 5 means a non-washable paint.

The property of paint in classes 1 and 2 means in practice the possibility of wet cleaning of the paint film using common household cleaners. However, we have to take into account that on a dry film of class 2 paints, after more frequent cleaning of the same places, the first visible changes may appear, especially on darker shades. Therefore, class 2 paints are chosen for surfaces where we will only occasionally clean local areas, such as around switches or sockets. For this purpose, it is recommended to use JUPOL Gold paint, which is available in all colour shades of the JUB Favorite Feelings colour chart, it has good coverage and is easy to apply.

For surfaces that (for various reasons) are exposed to all kinds of stains and will be cleaned several times, it is highly recommended to choose class 1 paints. These include JUPOL Latex semi matt and JUPOL Latex satin (high gloss), both of which are, like JUPOL Gold, available in all colour shades, and they also have a good efficacy. If the wall is already painted with a classic white paint or in a shade that we do not want to change, JUPOL Latex transparent is the right product to choose. It is a transparent wall coating with a semi-matte look, which is used in two coats to achieve a washable surface, which can be cleaned often after an appropriate curing time (class 1 washability is achieved).

In rooms where surfaces are exposed to extreme dirt or contamination with stubborn stains, e.g. in workshops, garages, wine cellars, catering establishments, etc. and these are regularly cleaned, the JUPOL Strong protect product is a must-choice, the coating film of which, in addition to being resistant to wet brush rubbing, is also resistant to stains. As a result, even the most stubborn stains can be removed from such surfaces without any problems. Since the coating film of the product is firm, it can also be used in bathrooms instead of ceramics on wall surfaces. In the case of use in the HYDROSOL Decor system, it can even be used in showers, where the surfaces are exposed to water on a daily basis. In such cases, due to constant wetting with water, the formation of mould is imminent, so with the addition of the special-purpose biocide product JUBOCIDE Plus, protection of the coating film against mould is achieved, according to the SIST EN 15457 standard.

Wall paints and coatings of class 3 are still classified ad washable, but let’s consider the selection of paints of this class for surfaces that are not heavily exposed. The coating film is only resistant to gentle wet cleaning several times. In practice, such paints and coatings are suitable for home premises in rooms where there is no excessive touching of wall surfaces with hands or the risk of contamination with stains that could soak into the surface of the paint film.