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Paint still wet with insects stuck in the paint.

Elena

Help! I didn’t pay enough attention to drying time.

The entryway door to our house is through the patio with a overhang of a second story bedroom. The porch light attracts small insects and the wooden wall gets dingy quickly (rest of house is vinyl sided.

I power washed, filled in small cracks, sanded problem spots, and primed the wall. Yesterday was warm and dry, so painted w/latex and it looked okay. Today its rainy and damp and the paint is still wet. Worse there are tiny gnats and insects stuck in the wet paint and some dirt that the wind blew up. I know that I should have been more careful about the forecast, but I wasn’t. What now?

2 Responses

crowderpainting says:

July 30, 2009 at 11:07 am

You will have to wait until the paint is truly dry. After it has dried wash the area(s) with a mild soap, warm water and a sponge or soft cloth. A sponge floor mop can also be used. Try to wash off the stuck insects and dirt. Make sure to rinse well with a garden hose. Repaint any area(s) that still look bad.

For some reason bugs are attracted to fresh paint, it must smell good to them. Most of the time they can be washed off. To maintain this area plan on a good washing from time to time.

Reply
crowderpainting says:

July 30, 2009 at 11:07 am

You will have to wait until the paint is truly dry. After it has dried wash the area(s) with a mild soap, warm water and a sponge or soft cloth. A sponge floor mop can also be used. Try to wash off the stuck insects and dirt. Make sure to rinse well with a garden hose. Repaint any area(s) that still look bad.

For some reason bugs are attracted to fresh paint, it must smell good to them. Most of the time they can be washed off. To maintain this area plan on a good washing from time to time.

Reply