Removing Blu-tack marks

DopeyDora_2

Hello,

Does anyone have any tips for remving the greasy marks blu-tack leaves on painted walls?

I had stuck some of my niece's paintings on the wall of my rented flat but the letting agent has just done the 6 monthly inspection & sent a letter to say that the wall will have to be reapainted due to the Blu-tack marks. I really want to avoid this if possible as know they will want to repaint the whole room & will charge me an extortionate price for doing so.

The walls are painted in magnolia matt emulsion. Is a brand new flat so imagine the paint is what the builders put on. There are 8 little marks (only used the teeniest blobs of the bloomin' stuff).

Thanks in anticipation,

Dora x

barnabee

The packaging highlights that Blu-Tack may occasionally leave an oily stain. Poor quality or porous paints and wallpapers will discolour over long exposure and may begin to disintegrate. The first warning of this is normally too late when you try to remove the Blu-Tack from a wall and half of the surface appears to come with it. Without resorting to some form of solvent, which is probably going to stain the surface as well, this is pretty much impossible to avoid. Bostik suggest the use of lighter fuel or dry-cleaning fluid, both of which should be handled with extreme caution.

I have previously used a white brand new flexible rubber eraser that worked. Emulsioning yourself, as a last resort, is easy and fairly cheap compared to letting the landlord or letting agency bring in decorators.

MrsTinks

riiiight... well if you can match the paint with a tester pot then you should be ok... at least long enough to pass the inspection

DopeyDora_2

Thanks for the tips. Someone at work has suggested citrus cleaner (like Mr Muscle orange cleaner I guess) so I may try that on one spot.

I don't think the letting agents will let paint it myself or I would.

I am so annoyed with myself as have kept the flat in excellent condition, cleaned the oven regularly & it's spotless, no limescale anywhere, not put up a single picture hook, never worn shoes in the flat. Grr!!

Dora x

MrsTinks

Noooooo you don't let them know you're doing the painting you find a testerpot in the right colour and test in a corner, you'll probably find you can't even see where you tested Then simply cover up the marks and when they come round advise them you have managed to remove said marks yourself. Don't mention painting them

THIRZAH

If you want to put up anything else there is now a product called "White-tack" on the market- DD had to use it to put up posters at college.

monkmorency

If you are going to paint, make sure you sandpaper the area a little first, otherwise the oily marks will come right through again (speaking from experience!)

tawnyowls

THIRZAH wrote:

If you want to put up anything else there is now a product called "White-tack" on the market- DD had to use it to put up posters at college.

I find this doesn't work very well though - it seems to sort of melt in warm weather or when the heating is on, so posters gradually detach from the wall and float floor-wards. Particulary useless for putting up the aluminium foil insulation stuff behind radiators.

Nicki

I'd give sticky stuff remover from Lakeland a try. It's got rid of some really nasty resistant sticky greasy marks for me in the past where there have been labels or label residues left over big areas. It doesn't specifically mention blu tak on the back of the bottle but says it works on adhesives and on chewing gum so on that basis it's got to be worth a try. Even if it doesn't work its a fantastic product to have on stand by as it gets rid of so many other unsightly marks.

cookiesncream

The only option is painting the whole wall yourself but make sure you prime the area first as said above. We're in the same situation as you and we're moving out in three weeks. We can't find an exact match because it's new property watered down trade paint so the only way around it is to paint the whole wall so they don't notice little 'dots'! Don't try cleaning it off, it'll just bring the paint with it, I say that from experience :mad: Hope it goes ok

janb5

I`m sure Kim and Aggie used blue tackto take off old blue tack-is this worth a try?