The Bathroom Wall Paint Is Peeling

Poor Ventilation

• Insufficient ventilation in your bathroom leads to the wall paint peeling from too much exposure to moisture. After anyone takes a bath or shower in the bathroom, you need to vent the humid air; otherwise, the moisture soaks into the paint and comes between the paint and the wall so the paint begins separating from the wall. Opening the bathroom window or running a ceiling fan helps the moist air escape the bathroom.

Mold Potential

• If paint is peeling off your bathroom's walls because of high humidity in the bathroom, the high humidity may also lead to mold growing in the bathroom. Once mold takes hold of porous surfaces such as drywall, you must remove the surfaces completely, since you cannot scrub out the mold completely. Not removing the mold presents a potential health hazard, since mold spore exposure may lead to some people developing cold-like symptoms, as well as respiratory system infections, severe asthma attacks and even mold growths in their sinuses that must be surgically removed.

Repairing the Paint

• If you do not find mold, you must repair the peeling paint so moisture does not penetrate the wall. A putty knife's blade allows you to scrape off any loose pieces of paint around the location where the paint is peeling. You must apply wall patch to the area where the paint peeled, leveling it out with the rest of the wall. Once the wall patch has dried, you must sand it, including the edges of the patch, so it blends in with the rest of the wall. Apply a layer of paint to the patch, using the same color and sheen as the surrounding paint.

Prevention

• Taking steps to prevent more paint from peeling off the bathroom's wall involves addressing the humidity problem in the bathroom. If your bathroom has a window, opening the window every time after someone showers or takes a bath, even in cold weather, helps ventilate the bathroom. Installing a ceiling fan, if your bathroom does not have one already, gives you a way to ventilate the bathroom while you are showering or taking a bath. You may also wipe down the bathroom walls with a towel every time after you shower or bathe, preventing the moisture from penetrating the paint.