What do you do with the hundreds of fingerprints you’ve discovered on your walls? Well, if the fingerprints are on glossy paint, they’re easy to remove. So we’re going to assume that the fingerprints are on flat paint. Flat paint (more so than gloss or semigloss paint) can hold on to or even absorb stains with tenacity, making the job difficult for any cleaning agent. First try to wipe the fingerprints off with Red Juice and a cleaning cloth. If the wall is particularly dirty, you may need a white pad or a toothbrush. But be careful! Even the cleaning cloth can wear away the paint beneath the fingerprints, especially if: (1) the paint is old, (2) the paint is cheap, (3) only one coat of paint had been applied, or (4) there’s been a long history of scrubbing at this site.
If Red Juice doesn’t work, or if the paint has been scrubbed away, the solution is to repaint. But be wily about this and repaint just what’s necessary. If only the area around a switchplate is defiled, repaint only that area. Paint – especially if you have some from the same can – matches quite well for several years. If the new paint looks too different, paint up to a corner.
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