if these walls could talk

I came to a realization today as I was cleaning the walls of our place. Cleaning the walls you say? Yes, sometimes a necessity depending on where you live & with what kind of paint your walls are adorned with.

Bermuda's damp humid climate causes a problem for many, especially in the winter. Winter months are not supposed to be accompanied with high levels of humidity but unfortunately for this island, it does. This at times affects the walls inside your home, causing condensation to form & along with the dust in the air, it makes for an interesting tinge. The best way to get rid of this unwelcome gradual change is a good spraying of equal parts water & bleach. A few friends have told me that this has to be done to their ceilings not their walls, but I wondered why I had to render this treatment to my walls as well.

Well, here's my epiphany: Ordinarily walls are painted with a semi-gloss to a high gloss paint (which is great when you have kids - easy cleanup). The higher the gloss the more the shine. On the opposite side of the spectrum having flat or eggshell paint on your walls is a magnet for permanent fingerprints & existence of every day living. Ceilings are, however, always painted with flat paint base. Besides, who'd want to look up at a semi shiny ceiling anyway. Well at our place (which I love for many things including its ocean view) our walls are painted with a flat paint finish - a magnet for condensation & dust during high humidity months. So, even if you do run your dehumidifier, be prepared to bleach your walls once in a while. That is if you have white walls with a flat paint finish. But I guarantee your ceiling will need a spray of bleach, at least once in a while. Ordinarily, I abhor white walls as I am all about colour but I have learned to live with the white that surrounds me. The humidity & its effect is the nature of Bermuda's climate, just be prepared. Now my walls sparkle & I feel good, save for the lingering 'scent' of bleach in the air.