Of all the places inside a home, probably none are harder on paint than kitchens and bathrooms. Both of these rooms see high levels of traffic, creating dust and dirt that can collect on painted walls. Kitchens are especially rigorous in this respect because cooking and food handling produces smoke and grease that can cling to just about any surface. Not only must paints used in these rooms be resistant to staining, they must also hold up to frequent washing and scrubbing.

The other problem paint faces in these rooms is a comparatively high level of humidity. This moisture can condense on walls and trim, where it can cause the paint to crack and peel. High humidity will also leach surfactant from the paint, leaving marks, and it will encourage the growth of the fungi that cause mildew.

The rigorous conditions in kitchen and bathroom applications make use of high-quality, semigloss (or high-gloss) paints essential in these locations. These formulations produce smooth films with no surface pores where dirt and moisture can gather. As a result, they don’t stain readily and they’re easy to clean.Many paint manufacturers make a specific Kitchen and Bath paint product formulated to deliver these performance properties.These specialized paints are typically made with additives that help to control mildew

One consideration in your choice of Kitchen and Bath paint is the gloss level. The greater the gloss or shine of any paint, the more it will show imperfections in the underlying surface. That’s why some people will prefer a sheen rather than a semigloss paint in these applications. The sheen paints generally do not match the semigloss formulations in water resistance or cleanability, but they can often be employed successfully in less demanding areas such as guest baths or powder rooms.

If your favorite paint store or home center doesn’t carry a specific Kitchen and Bath line, a top quality interior semigloss or gloss paint should be suitable for these rooms. They may not contain mildewcides or other additives, but should still provide good cleanability and moisture resistance.

Of course, as always, the Paint Professional at your local store is an invaluable resource in helping you to select the right product for your kitchen or bathroom.

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