How to Paint Over Bleeding Colors on Interior Walls

Tape off the windows, ceiling and floor molding with painter's tape. Cover the floor with tarps. Wipe the walls down with a clean, dry cloth or dust mop to remove any dust.

Use medium grit sandpaper, from 80 to 100 grit, and lightly sand the walls. Pass the sandpaper over the walls with broad strokes, applying just enough pressure to roughen the walls up a little bit. Wipe the walls again with a cloth or dust mop.

Apply a coat of latex primer to the walls. Allow the primer to dry overnight. Apply a second coat and allow this coat to dry overnight as well.

Tint enough primer to apply one coat to the walls. Add a small amount of the paint color you've chosen for the walls to the primer. Start by adding 1 cup of colored paint to 1 gallon of primer. If the tinted primer is two or more shades lighter than your paint color, add more color to the primer. You want a tint that is just slightly lighter than your paint color.

Apply a coat of tinted primer to the walls, and allow the primer to dry overnight.

Inspect the walls to check for potential bleeding. Apply a second coat of tinted primer to any area in which the color is inconsistent, and allow the primer to dry.

Apply a coat of paint color to the walls. Allow the paint to dry for two hours, and then apply a second coat of paint. Let the paint dry overnight.

Remove the tape and tarps from the room, and allow the paint to continue drying out for two weeks. Continue to check for bleeding colors during this time. Should bleeding occur, apply a coat of tinted primer followed by two coats of paint color.