Study Finds White Paint Slowest To Deteriorate

Fri., June 9, 2000

By Kandis Carper kandisc@spokesman.com

When it comes to choosing exterior house-paint colors, white paint is the way to go. A five-year study by Consumer Reports rated the performance of white, tan and blue exterior latex paints, in a range of prices from several manufacturers. Overall, white paints deteriorated the least. Blue paint generally fared the worst, mainly due to color change. The test rated chalking, cracking, peeling, mildew and dirt accumulation.

* Speaking of paint: Check out this Web site for all your painting questions: www.qualitypaint.com. It includes a “do-it-yourselfer’s” section with an encyclopedia of paint. Also included are sections on determining how much paint you’ll need and how much your job will cost. A problem-solver section offers solutions to most painting dilemmas.

* The dirt on dust: More than 40 pounds of dust accumulate in the average home each year. Americans can breathe in more than two tablespoons of dust each day. Dust is made up of 5,000 different kinds of ingredients, including dirt, hair, animal dander, mold, mildew, pollen, grains and dust-mite droppings. These statistics are compiled by Pledge Grab-it dust experts.

To minimize the effects of all this dust, the Pledge scientists recommend the following house-cleaning tips: Don’t let cleaning chores pile up, tidy up as you go, clean more frequently, run a sweeper over floors to pick up dirt, dust and hair, then slide the sweeper into corners to eliminate cobwebs.

To control the dreaded dust mite, keep bedding and bath towels fresh by laundering them in hot water once a week. Above all, reduce the amount of clutter.

* Speaking of clutter: Ditch the stuff. Americans seem to accumulate more and more of it. As we approach summer, the season to simplify, here are some tips to de-cluttering:

Coordinate your clothes closet. Crowded closets waste your time when you search for buried clothes or add clean ones to the rack. Separate your clothes by season, then separate the clothes and accessories you haven’t worn in the past two years and give them away or take them to a consignment store for extra cash.

Choose decorative items and furniture that have a space to store things such as benches or footstools with storage below the seat.

Use hidden spaces. Get rid of “dust bunnies” and store out-of-season clothes, extra blankets and linens under the bed.

Use the one-year rule. If it’s not a family heirloom and you haven’t used it in a year, consider giving it away or selling it.

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