How to Cover a Dark Stain on a Wall

Dark stains that appear on walls can be caused by wood soot from fireplaces, furniture scuff marks and other factors. In an attempt to remove the stain from the wall, some homeowners will try to rub it out with a household cleaner or with plain water. The result is either rubbing off the paint, or the stain simply reappears after a period of time. To truly cover a stain, you will have to use a couple of different methods to conceal the mark on the wall.

Sponge
Baking soda
Fine-grit sandpaper
Tack cloth
Matching-color ceiling paint
Paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Sprinkle baking soda on a sponge and slightly moisten it under water.
- 2
  Rub over the stain vigorously with the sponge, making the stain appear lighter and lighter. You may have to repeat this process several times before the stain becomes lighter.
- 3
  Rinse the sponge completely and wipe down the stain on the wall. Then allow it to air dry.
- 4
  Gently abrade over the lightened stain with fine-grit sandpaper. You are aiming to make the stain nearly invisible while roughing the surface but not removing the paint.
- 5
  Wipe down the wall with a tack cloth to remove all the dust from sanding.
- 6
  Apply a light coat of matching-color ceiling paint with a paintbrush, let dry between one and two hours, then inspect it to see if it matches the wall color. If it is too light, apply another coat, then let dry to finish covering the dark stain.

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