# Wall prep - how to cover red chalk lines



## Mary Mary (Jan 22, 2012)

I'm getting ready to paint and, upon peeling off the wallpaper the previous owners hung, I discovered that they used red chalk lines for guidelines (the paper only went up to chair rail height) and also got red chalk smudges over a pretty good portion of the lower walls.

I've used a Scotchbright pad on one section and that had little effect. Sandpaper gets some of it off, but I'm afraid that I may end up doing damage to the underlying drywall mud in the spots where I end up going through the paint. Plus, even with the sandpaper it's not like I'm getting ALL traces of the red chalk off.

My husband used to paint professionally in his younger years (but has sworn off completely since becoming a cabinetmaker) and was looking at the red chalk and commenting that he thinks that it will bleed through anything.

After making a good effort to remove as much of the chalk as possible by washing and sanding, is there a primer that would work to prevent red chalk bleed through?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Try WD 40 once it's gone clean it again with orange cleaner to get the oil film off.
When priming use Zinzeer 123.


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## Mary Mary (Jan 22, 2012)

What sort of orange cleaner? Like Goo Gone or the stuff my hubby uses on his hands out in his shop? (Or something else entirely?)


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Something like Orange Glow. It's just sprayed on and wiped off.
If you have never tryed it, it works far better then most other cleaners and it's cheap.
Tobacco stains will just roll off of a wall, try it on your stove top, the grease will just wipe off.


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

WD40? Sounds like trouble to me. After washing what will wash- i'd go straight to primer. The powder won't bleed, but it will get trapped in the primer. 
If there are clearly defined lines, i would hit them first with the primer, let dry then prime whole surface


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

I had an issue with this years ago and can't remember how I solved it. I do know it was bleeding. The 123 might work, or BIN. I agree with BJ on the WD 40, even if washing it with another cleaner.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

But you both have both have not tryed it, right?
I have and it worked fine.
I also saw it used on This Old house, the WD 40 web site, and several of those silly DIY web sites.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

You are still applying oil over a bleeding problem. Sounds like more trouble to me. Any good stain blocking primer will work fine, that's what they are made for.


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## Jay 78 (Mar 2, 2011)

When in doubt, try the Magic Sponge.


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## Mary Mary (Jan 22, 2012)

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try a few and let you know what works.


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## meagain (Aug 28, 2008)

I made the mistake of using the red chalk on a wall--didn't know it was meant to be permanent! For the future, in case anyone else is searching for solutions like I was, I thought it might be helpful to post something that worked for me. Brake cleaning fluid took it all off, but be careful because it starts to remove other things, like the primer I had underneath it. No biggie because I'd rather touch up some primer than deal with the headache of bleed-through later. Perhaps WD-40 does work to take it off, but with the brake cleaning fluid you don't have to worry about the removal of something greasy because it seems to just evaporate.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

joecaption said:


> Try WD 40 once it's gone clean it again with orange cleaner to get the oil film off.
> When priming use Zinzeer 123.


:no::no::no::no:


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

nugentcn said:


> I made the mistake of using the red chalk on a wall--didn't know it was meant to be permanent! For the future, in case anyone else is searching for solutions like I was, I thought it might be helpful to post something that worked for me. Brake cleaning fluid took it all off, but be careful because it starts to remove other things, like the primer I had underneath it. No biggie because I'd rather touch up some primer than deal with the headache of bleed-through later. Perhaps WD-40 does work to take it off, but with the brake cleaning fluid you don't have to worry about the removal of something greasy because it seems to just evaporate.[/quote]
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

sdsester said:


> :no::no::no::no:


 
He did post that back in January, maybe a lesson got learned?

:no::laughing:


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

Every chalk that I have seen is , well, powdered chalk. It gets all over the place- but doesn't bleed. clean up what you can, seal in the rest.


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## meagain (Aug 28, 2008)

I don't have BIN and am currently without a car. But I DO have brake cleaner and thought I'd give it a try. It was easy, not "all that trouble." 

I know this is old. I posted it for the benefit of others. The internet is full of people looking for something to remove red chalk lines from other surfaces you wouldn't paint/prime with BIN. I know this is specific to walls, but this is the only forum I was already registered to post on, so it was the easiest. It was also the first hit from a Google search for removing red chalk, so it seemed the best way to reach other searchers with a broad range of needs to remove red chalk in the future.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

nugentcn said:


> I don't have BIN and am currently without a car. But I DO have brake cleaner and thought I'd give it a try. It was easy, not "all that trouble."
> 
> I know this is old. I posted it for the benefit of others. The internet is full of people looking for something to remove red chalk lines from other surfaces you wouldn't paint/prime with BIN. I know this is specific to walls, but this is the only forum I was already registered to post on, so it was the easiest. It was also the first hit from a Google search for removing red chalk, so it seemed the best way to reach other searchers with a broad range of needs to remove red chalk in the future.


 
Well, as a painter who needs to make a living, there would be NO wd 40 and or brake cleaner going on my walls:no:


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

chrisn said:


> Well, as a painter who needs to make a living, there would be NO wd 40 and or brake cleaner going on my walls:no:


:laughing: It's pretty safe to say, if they don't sell it at the paint store then it probably shouldn't go on the wall before the paint.


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