Cleaning painted surfaces with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash

We are regularly asked for advice on cleaning weatherboards. Generally when you are planning to repaint, weatherboards will be dirty and weathered and need cleaning. We recommend washing with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash as waterblasting isn’t as effective and can damage the woodwork.

Many painters and DIY customers believe the best way to prepare a surface for painting is to water-blast and in many situations they are quite right - but not when it comes to joinery and timber weatherboards.

That’s why we developed Resene Paint Prep and Housewash to loosen and shift the chalky surface on UV damaged paint films. The ‘chalk’ is the unbound pigment in paint and must be removed along with other contaminants, including dirt, and moss and mould before painting.

Waterblasting doesn’t shift this chalk (dechalking).

Additionally, Resene Paint Prep and Housewash:

• Has a mild detergent so won’t stain glass like some other surface cleaning products.
• Is excellent to use with a 3M scouring pad for cleaning around windows (use gloves though).
• Can be used with a soft brush in the same way you would clean a car.
• Can be used either to wash down a painted surface prior to painting or as part of a regular maintenance wash down.

See the Resene Caring for your paint finish brochure for cleaning recommendations.

The following photos demonstrate how it works: