Tidying Up a Uni Flat

ultimatedingbat

I've moved into a flat and its not in too bad a state. However there are some marks on the wall that I've only recently noticed. I figured I would just sort them myself as I have in previous years, as the halls manager is refusing to let me change the inventry to include them (shes doing room checks at the moment). There's also a tiny hole in the wal near my bed (i think i did it moving in day) about the size of a 1p piece. Someone told me to just stick a piece of bluetac in and paint it white, does this work?

The marks on the wall i think are blue tac grease. I literally noticed them when I was putting my own posters up (which i currently have down again, long story)

Any other tips really for sorting rooms, i've got some carpet cleaner to clean the chair as it's a bit manky in places.

melancholly

it's tough to add things to the inventory after you've moved in - they'll think (not unreasonably) that you made the marks yourself. sounds like where you are they are very keen on checking things so the best advice is to make sure you have enough time after you have emptied the room when you leave to go back and have a proper clean. they sound like they'll be attempting to keep at least some of your deposit. do you have any photos from moving in? if not, certainly take them on moving out.

not sure on how to fix holes in walls but i think maybe a board like Old Style may have great tricks on how to get rid of any stain you can imagine......

ultimatedingbat

Hiya. I haven't got any photos as on first inspection, bar the damage I reported to the desk and some minor cracks, there wasnt anything noticeable.

In the end at least the walls are white so when I go home this weekend I am going to buy myself some white paint, and do the bitsi n the wall that I know about now then they are done, then at least I can stay on top of it all year incase i notice others

Sally42

The best quick fit for holes in the wall is some cheap white toothpaste. Apply, then smooth off & paint over if necessary. It dries solid!

devildog

You can use toothpaste to fill holes if you want to bodge it but tbh you can buy filla (either as powder or pre mixed and ready to go) for next to nothing. Re the blu tack stains, these are grease stains from the blu tack and if you paint over them directly, in next to no time the stain will show through again. You can buy stain blockers but for this I would mix some upva glue with bit of water and paint over each stain. When dry then over coat with your choice of paint.

Aelius

Is this University accommodation or through a private LA?

ultimatedingbat

@Devildog - Does that acutally work? It's a University Accom flat so obviously nervous about doing anything that'll make it worse! In terms of the hole going to get some filler from town Seems easy enough

devildog

What, do you mean the upva glue?- absolutely. My eldest's room was covered in posters prior to going to uni and the bedroom wall was plastered in 'grease' splodges from the blu tack. Painted over (just the splodges) with upva and when dry repainted the whole wall and even now some two years later nothing has seeped through.

I think it is safe to say that you will have to repaint the whole wall though, even if you try to do 'touch ups' a few weeks after painting a wall it is usually quite noticeable(nevermind however long your room has been painted for) and the easiest way around it is to do the whole wall.

Another thing I have learnt along the way is instead of using blu/white tac for posters on walls, stick them on with a thick blob of white toothpaste (it will hold them) and when you take posters down it will wash clean off the walls. Have done this in eldest's room since the repaint and it works a treat.

If you are going to repaint and you don't want the Uni to know, paint it well in advance of whenever it is going to be checked as even the low odour paints can whiff for a while and it goes without saying but make sure you have the right paint, as in whatever is already there(either silk which has a slight sheen to it or your basic matt and whatever you do DO NOT use gloss on walls!!!!)

ultimatedingbat

Hiya. I would use tooth paste but its crappy matt paint. Thankfully white crappy paint! It's just standard white matt so i figured go to the nearest wilkos and buy, test on a place thats hideable and go

Just worried about marking the walls worse with UPVA glue.

I would rather not paint the whole wall if i can avoid it obviously!!! I just touched it up last year when I moved out and wasnt really noticeable (walls were magnolia)

devildog

The glue will dry to a light white/grey colour the only thing that could possibly go wrong is if it is really thick glue it may not paint on well, hence watering it down (if thick) so it has a consistency like paint.

Good Luck

ultimatedingbat

Thanks for that. Will see ow brave I feel. FIrstly will fix the little hole.