Elite Upkeep - November 2025 Color That Lasts: Paint, Sun Fade and Water Mark Control

Curaçao’s sun, salt and occasional downpour are brutal on paint. Strong UV breaks down colour, salt film holds moisture against walls and small leaks turn into ugly bubbles and stains. A simple monthly walk around plus a few smart upgrades keeps your home looking fresh, protects the structure under the paint and cuts down on full repaint jobs.

Why it matters

• Faded, blotchy paint makes a premium home look tired and cheap

• Peeling or bubbling paint often means hidden moisture which can damage stucco, block and wood

• Dark water marks on ceilings are early leak warnings

• Clean, even walls photograph better which supports strong nightly rates

Monthly checks

• Do a slow walk around your exterior in daylight. Look for colour that looks “washed out” 

• Check the first 30–40 cm above the ground where rain splash and garden watering hit most often

• Inside, glance at ceilings in bathrooms, around AC vents and below windows for yellow or brown stains

• Look behind doors and at corners where luggage and chairs knock into the wall. Scuffs and chips show first there

Monthly routine (No Tools Required)

• Wipe a light coloured cloth across a sunny wall. If chalky powder comes off easily, the top coat is breaking down and will need attention

• Gently clean light mildew or salt streaks on exterior walls with a mild soap solution and a soft brush. 

• In bathrooms, dry visible condensation on walls after long showers and open a window or run the fan to clear steam

• Move a few pieces of furniture each month so the same spot of wall is not trapped and sweating behind a big sofa or cabinet

• Note any repeat damp patches after rain.

Guest-proofing tips

• Use good quality, washable paint in high touch areas such as hallways, around light switches and behind dining chairs

• Add solid luggage racks in bedrooms so suitcases aren’t dragged against painted walls

• Place proper bathmats and shower curtains  to reduce splashing and water running down painted walls

• In outdoor dining areas, watch where chairs meet the wall

Common red flags

• Blisters or bubbles in paint near floors, ceilings or below a window

→ Possible moisture from a leak or rising damp. Investigate before plaster softens

• Long vertical stains on an outside wall below a gutter or balcony edge

→ Overflow or poor drainage. Clear gutters, check balcony tiles and sealant

• Flaking paint and powdery stucco at the base of exterior walls

→ Constant water splash or garden irrigation. Adjust sprinklers and repair as necessary

• Dark halo stains on ceilings that keep returning after you clean them

→ Active leak above. Call a roofer or plumber, then a painter once the source is fixed

Cost saver

Targeted touch ups are far cheaper than letting walls fail and repainting the whole house. 

• Use high quality exterior paint with UV and mildew resistance 

Seal hairline cracks with flexible filler before they widen and let water in

Guest-proofing tips

• Use good quality, washable paint in high touch areas such as hallways, around light switches and behind dining chairs

• Add solid luggage racks in bedrooms so suitcases aren’t dragged against painted walls

• Place proper bathmats and shower curtains  to reduce splashing and water running down painted walls

• In outdoor dining areas, watch where chairs meet the wall

Common red flags

• Blisters or bubbles in paint near floors, ceilings or below a window

→ Possible moisture from a leak or rising damp. Investigate before plaster softens

• Long vertical stains on an outside wall below a gutter or balcony edge

→ Overflow or poor drainage. Clear gutters, check balcony tiles and sealant

• Flaking paint and powdery stucco at the base of exterior walls

→ Constant water splash or garden irrigation. Adjust sprinklers and repair as necessary

• Dark halo stains on ceilings that keep returning after you clean them

→ Active leak above. Call a roofer or plumber, then a painter once the source is fixed

Cost saver

Targeted touch ups are far cheaper than letting walls fail and repainting the whole house. 

• Use high quality exterior paint with UV and mildew resistance 

Seal hairline cracks with flexible filler before they widen and let water in