Would you be embarrassed if your walls were lime this?

[Toomanynachos]

I am massively. Dh thinks it’s not that bad and we’ll get round to painting them. I don’t actually feel comfortable in my own house anymore, so will get the paint and do it all myself

As soon as your finished decorating one room, another needs done. Such is life - part of normal wear and tear and family life. Just grab a paintbrush and crack on.

When was the last time you washed the walls?

I have a few walls that look like this because of my children, mucky hands! I’m going to be re-painting with wipeable paint in the hope that it will help!

It’s a mornings work.
just buy some paint.
sugar soap your wall
and then paint it.
job done.

We have a log burner and that doesn’t happen. Do you get yours checked and cleaned regularly?

Ignore the poster saying it looks grim!
Get a professional to come round and service your log burner and definitely by a carbon monoxide detector.
Then sugar soap the walls and paint over the dark marks. It shouldn't take you too long!
Go easy on yourself though, you are busy and it's easy for house DIY tasks to be at the bottom at the priority list!

You must have it swept and serviced every year. You’d probably invalidate your house insurance if you don’t. Please don’t use it until it is done.

A fire place with an open fire or a wood burner shouldn’t be leaving marks like that - there must be far too much smoke/pollution getting into the air. Do you have a carbon monoxide alarm in the room?

I have 2 woodburners. My walls have never looked like that.Is yours drawing properly. Do you have it sweet every year.

Shouldn’t a chimney be swept yearly. If it was last done a few years ago you really need it doing. Could void your insurance too if it’s not been inspected to be safe b

So get on and paint it then. Total none post.

We have our 2 checked annually. He checks every part of each woodburner. He uses those smoke pellet things to check that they are both drawing properly. If they aren't the wood won't burn. We also use a special powder to stop tar build up ( tar in the chimney causes fires). He sweeps both , checks that both carbon monoxide monitors are working and then issues a certificate for insurance purposes.

it needs to be done every year. had stoves all my life long standing every summer call out with the local chimney sweep he does all my neighbours at same time aswell. provides a recipt - very important as if you have a chimney fire your house insurance will look for this. I would alos suggest getting heat tiles or a fire soround of some sort there ti help keep the cleaning maintenance

Before you paint anything, like PPs have said, get someone to check your chimney and fireplace - leave it as it is so they can see the staining.

Once that’s sorted, if you give the walls a good scrub with sugar soap (and/or magic sponges for smaller marks and scuffs) they will look a lot better even if you don’t get round to painting them straight away.

Its the whole lounge 😬

Do it one wall at a time OP?

It won't take long. Go around the edges with a brush and small roller then use a big roller to do the walls. Depending on what paint you use you can do 2 (or 3) coats in a day.

But get that fire sorted out first.

It takes no time to paint once you get cracking. Are you doing it the same colour or changing it? Taping up takes a while if you tape (which I do as I have unsteady hands) but the actual painting would take a few hours. If your DH won't paint then he looks after the kids and keep them out the way while you paint.

If the walls are black what does the inside of your lungs look like? That can’t be healthy for any of you.

That wood burner should not leave the walls marked. My mum has pale walls and a burner and the walls are spotless, and she's not the hosueproud type who wipes them or decorates often. That needs checking.

Two fireplaces in our home and neither has ever left black marks like that so something is wrong with your woodburner.

As pp's have already said, make sure you get a professional to look at it ASAP and don't use it in the meantime. You also need a carbon monoxide detector immediately . Make sure you get the woodburner checked at least once a year from now on.

The painting is an easy job once you have the woodburner sorted out. Do it at a pace that suits you, there's no need to do the whole room in one day if you're not used to painting. Once you are used to it, you'll realise it's not that difficult and you'll get your whole house done in no time

Another one saying get that checked. We had ours in 12 years and not a single mark above it despite no mantle which sticks out.

If it's not coming from the log burner then is your chimney damp and coming through? But the spread upwards does look like it's the burner.

Yes I would. But I know people with kids who have walls like this and I guess you can let them off.

We have an open fire which we use October to end of March . We give the walls and everything in the room a really good wash down when the fire has stopped being used . Also make sure you have the chimney swept every year and if you re burning wood its dried out properly

The dirt wouldn't bother me white walls always get dirty quickly that's life. Not an expert on wood burners so can't comment.