Cold days provide an opportunity to repair dents and scratches on painted walls and trim. Scuff marks, pencil marks and grime can disappear if you use a damp melamine foam sponge, such as Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. If the paint still looks dull or there are dents that need to be filled, try touching up the more difficult areas. After the repair, apply a drywall primer (not one formulated to block stains) to the dried areas. Then repaint the area.
The biggest challenge, especially if the paint is semi-gloss or gloss, is achieving a matching shine, even if you have leftover paint. A Sherwin-Williams customer service representative recommends mixing 9 parts paint with 1 part water. Apply this diluted solution starting in the center of the patch or area you are touching up. Brush or roll the paint from there, so the paint is thinner around the edges. The retouched areas may look slightly different at first, but wait a day and then evaluate. Fully dry, the new paint will probably blend in quite well. If you still don’t like the look, you can repaint the whole thing; February is a much better time for interior painting projects than when the weather is hotter and more humid. Check the label, but most interior paints cure best when air and surface temperatures are between 50 and 85 degrees.
