The importance of scrubbability
We’ve come a long way from the days of the early lockdown, with more businesses reopening every week. There’s been a strong trend for DIY thanks to everyone spending more time than ever in their homes, but as we look ahead to people returning to work and some kind of ‘normality’, it’s likely that decorators will become busier with indoor work as well.
The pandemic has seen priorities change, but one thing that’s for certain is that we’re all more concerned with cleanliness: workplace risk assessments are based around protecting people by keeping surfaces clean, and decorators can play their part in this too.
Where previously decorators would recommend scrubbable paints for their performance and durability, now it’s their cleanability that should be putting them top of the list when it comes to choosing a new paint.
Premium products like Crown Trade’s Clean Extreme Stain Resistant Scrubbable Matt are designed to not just be stain resistant, but to withstand the kind of vigorous cleaning that is set to become the norm. These highly durable scrubbable paints have been robustly tested to ensure that they continue to perform well and look great, even after multiple cleans.
Based on the ISO 11998 testing method (the industry standard for determining the wet scrub resistance of dry paint film) Clean Extreme Scrubbable Matt achieved a Class 1 rating and has a durability level of 10,000 scrubs. This translates to a 400% increase in resistance to wet scrubbing, compared to conventional matt emulsions.
In practical terms, that means that the paint will stand up well to repeated cleaning cycles without any effect on colour or opacity – it’s a win-win. It allows extra cleaning but doesn’t require frequent repainting to counter the wearing effects that other less durable paints might suffer.
By understanding the research that has gone into the development of these scrubbable paints, decorators and contractors will be well-placed to advise their customers on which products are worth the investment, and which will be the most practical choice for high-traffic environments that will also need regular cleaning.
The other factor that has become more important post-lockdown, is using paint as a wayfinding or zoning aid, particularly for businesses. Where this is a consideration, specifiers or business owners will be looking for a paint product that is easy to clean, that looks good, is built to last and that is available in a wide choice of rich colours.
Decorators will be able to use tintable options so that any colours used for zoning can also help create the right ambience, or even match a company’s branding.
Customers will be looking to decorators and contractor to help select the right paint for the job: one that will offer the added reassurance that it can be easily and thoroughly cleaned without meaning that a repaint is required just a few months later. Ultimately, that means they’ll save time and money – and be able to stay safe too.