The Trickiest Place to Paint Is Actually Pretty Simple

Some places in the house are a lot easier to paint. Most living rooms or bedrooms, for example, don’t require a trained professional, just a can of paint, a good brush, and some common sense. But the trickiest place to paint in the house is often overlooked. We’re talking about that annoying little space behind your toilet. But as we discovered, it’s actually not that hard as long as you follow the rules.

What you need

Take a look at the space behind the toilet to determine the size of the brush you’ll need. If the space is minimal you’ll need a small 1-inch paintbrush. If it’s bigger, you could use a 4-inch mini roller. You will also need painter’s tape, a garbage bag, and obviously, paint.

Step one

To keep your toilet’s tank clean and smudge-free, take its lid off and place it somewhere safe. Next, cover the toilet and exposed tank with a trash bag and secure it in place with your painter’s tape.

Step tow (optional)

If it is your first time holding a brush you might be a little worried about visible brush strokes and a less-than-smooth finish. In that case,  you’d love to know that there are products that can help with that, like a latex extender for water-based color. Your hardware store could recommend the right product for you.

Step three

Start with a flat 1-inch brush and reach the space behind the toilet from the side. It’s a slow process because you need to work little by little but you can totally do it. Of course, if that space is bigger, you can work a little more efficiently with a 4-inch mini roller. Depending on the wiggle room your bathroom offers, you might need to invest in a pole extender that will help you reach all the way behind the tank.

Step four

After a couple of dried coats, go ahead and remove the protective trash bags, pat yourself on the back, and treat yourself with your favorite chocolate.