After refreshing the walls or painting the garden furnishing, most of us often have pretty much paint leftovers that we have no idea what to do with.

Some people would throw them away or tried to find an area of application, but in fact, simply storage is a way better option.

Hints For Keeping Leftover Paint Usable



The biggest challenge we face after repainting is how to stock those coloring material leftovers correctly. And if the procedure of applying the color is rather easy, saving it for later use can turn out to be some kind of science.

The situation often becomes even more complicated because people don’t know for sure how much time paint will stay usable in cans after we open them and make use of the content. That is why considering its shelf life and various storage nuances is a must in any case.

Since housepaint is a sort of material that has certain restrictions when being stocked, being aware of those can help us to extend its lifespan and use it later for refreshing the interior or any other improvement works.

1. Coloring material must be away from extreme conditions
This material is rather sensitive and vulnerable that surprises people most of all. If we want our pigment to stay of good quality to its longest, it is essential to keep it safe from heat, cold, high humidity, and other similar conditions that are out of the norm.

This usually means we should find another area for stocking it rather than leaving an open can in a garage or a shed, especially in summer or during the winter. Those seasons make the inside conditions too hot and cold respectively which will affect the can’s content in a negative way.

What any pain is kept in a too hot or extremely dry surrounding, it tends to dry out. On the other hand, being exposed to cold for a long time, it will get separated and form a curdle-like texture which is impossible to fix and return the liquid to the initial even state.

One more harmful effect that excess humidity has on paints is that it often results in rust on cans. Those rust flakes often get into the paint when we open the tank which also doesn’t make its quality better.

Keeping that all in mind, we would recommend everyone stock paint in a place that is cool and dry, for instance, a utility closet. If there will be a conditioner, that is even better.

2. Keep it sealed tightly



One of the frequent causes for the painting material to get bad is an improper seal. Since this substance remains of the best quality when being sealed airtight, keeping it in the original tank is the optimal variant. Commercial paint tanks are made so that they can be re-sealed keeping the content safe.

Unfortunately, many users tend to crack the lid for using the content, and it will result in the pigment spoilage. For this reason, never use a screwdriver for opening a can with paint! Like that, the airtight seal will be compromised. Go for a special opener to unseal the tank correctly.

One more thing to have memorized is that the lid can often not be closed tight enough because some of the house paint got inside the recessed groove that goes around the can rim.

To avoid such an issue, we would recommend keeping that groove free of coloring material all the time. Of course, some of you might argue that it is easier to say than to do, but if you make use of a spout specially designed for this purpose, keeping the tanks properly closed will never be a problem.

But even if you follow all these suggestions, proper re-sealing of the tank will still be a crucial moment. To ensure it is attached tightly, make use of a rubber mallet and carefully but firmly tap on the lid moving in a circle. Like that, it will sit tighter and no air will get inside.

But we must warn you: using a hammer for this purpose is strongly prohibited! This tool can dent the lid and thus destroy the airtight seal.

In case you have no mallet, it is ok to place a piece of wood on top and tamp the lid down.

1. Organization is everything
Stocking the coloring material leftovers organized will not only make the storage procedure simpler, but it will also extend the pigment lifespan.

Paint is better to transfer to smaller tanks if it’s too few of it in the initial tank. This will help to keep it fresh since it will be less oxidized than in an almost empty can filled with air.

And of course, a lot of space will be saved.

However, if you still want to leave the rest of the house paint in the initial tank, remember to wipe away the paint left on the lid from inside. If this step is skipped, it will dry and crumble into the fresh content when the lid is attached back.

Also, try to keep the tanks with leftover paint dust-free since it can easily get inside when the tank is unsealed again.

How Do I Know My Paint Is Bad?



This indeed often turns out to be a great issue for the home renovators since most of us have no idea how to identify the expired paint.

However, this is quite a simple task! So if you did something wrong and your paint storage failed, be prepared that it might have to be discarded.

How to figure out whether to do it or not?

● Give it a sniff.
Everyone knows how fresh paint smells. And if you open the can with leftovers and sense something different from what it should be, then it is time to be alarmed.

● Test the texture
The good substance has a smooth and even texture and it is applied in even layers. To check yours, mix it with a stirring stick. Does it mix smoothly? If not, then it is probably bad.

For the additional check, take a testing surface and color it. How well does the substance spread? Is it rough or bumpy? Then it must be thrown away.

And even if you are still not sure of the paint quality, it is better to discard it rather than applying a low-quality product on your walls - anyway, bad paint will not last long and it will look way worse than its fresh counterpart!