Paint Is Peeling When Washing the Wall

Bad Paint

• The paint may be of a poor quality. Low-quality paints -- especially flat latex paints -- are known for peeling off a wall at the slightest offense. These paints are especially susceptible to peeling during a wall-washing, as they will react poorly to both the moisture and any cleaning solvents you may use.

Bad Primer

• If a paint job is not primed correctly -- that is, if a layer of primer has not been laid down or if the bond with that primer is particularly bad -- it will be much more susceptible to peeling than it would otherwise. The moisture from a washing session may be all that is needed to cause paint with bad primer to come unstuck from the wall behind it and peel off as you scrub away at stains.

Wrong Soap

• Though this occurs with less frequency, too-powerful soaps or solvents can also cause a paint job to strip and peel as you wash. You may also be using too much elbow grease or a particularly caustic sponge or scrubbing tool, which may be biting into the paint and stripping it away as you scrub.

Old Paint

• The paint on your walls may have been top-of-the-line 40 years ago, but even the best paint is not eternal and will start to break down eventually. You may not have any inherent problems with the paint, primer or cleaning supplies; it might just be old paint that has finally decided to give up the ghost during your wash session.