Get matched with top interior painters in Sumner, IA

While the above methods will help you remove paint from tiles, you may need to take a different approach to get rid of grout haze. If you’ve recently applied the grout, you may be able to wipe it off with a wet cloth. Otherwise, you can try removing it with a rubber grout float, spraying it with a mixture of four parts water to one part vinegar, or using a store-bought grout haze remover.

Linoleum adhesive is quite stubborn, so you may have to try several different methods for removal. You can start with a wallpaper steamer and steam it off or add laundry detergent to water and let it soak into the adhesive. You can try paint thinner directly on the adhesive for about 10 minutes and then wipe away.

It’s best to use a slightly slower-working paint remover that is safer to use, such as mineral spirits, because the strongest spray paint removers are often also the most toxic. Many of these products contain dangerous chemicals, such as methylene chloride, which the EPA banned for most uses in April 2024 after it was established as a major carcinogen.

The biggest issue with painting your interior walls with exterior paint isn’t the way the paint looks or performs—it’s the lack of ventilation. The higher quantities of VOCs in exterior paint will have a harder time dispersing in an enclosed space, so do everything you can to direct them out—like turning on a fan and opening your windows and doors. Afterward, you can simply prime and redo your walls with interior paint, and no one will know the difference.