How do I prep kitchen walls with grease buildup before repainting in my Ottawa home?

Grease buildup is one of the most common reasons kitchen paint fails prematurely, and skipping proper degreasing is the single biggest mistake Ottawa homeowners make before repainting a kitchen. If you paint over grease — even grease you can't easily see — the new paint will peel, bubble, or simply refuse to bond properly within months.

The process starts with a thorough wash using trisodium phosphate (TSP) or a TSP substitute, which you can find at any Ottawa Home Depot, Home Hardware, or Rona for around $10 to $20. Mix it according to the package directions, put on rubber gloves and eye protection, and scrub the walls in sections using a sponge or scrub pad. Pay particular attention to the area above the stove, around the range hood, and along the ceiling line — grease vapour rises and deposits itself in a much wider radius than most people expect. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and let the walls dry completely, which in Ottawa's dry winter air typically takes 12 to 24 hours. In summer with higher humidity, give it a full day before moving forward.

Once the walls are clean and dry, inspect closely for any areas where existing paint is peeling, bubbling, or flaking. Scrape those sections back to a firm edge, sand smooth, and apply a stain-blocking primer — shellac-based products like Zinsser BIN or water-based options like Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 are both excellent choices and run about $45 to $65 per gallon in Ottawa. A stain-blocking primer is non-negotiable in a kitchen because it seals any residual grease and prevents bleed-through that would ruin your topcoat. Even on walls that look clean after washing, a dedicated primer gives you dramatically better adhesion.

For the topcoat, choose a satin or semi-gloss finish in a premium acrylic latex — Benjamin Moore Regal Select or Sherwin-Williams Emerald in a kitchen-appropriate sheen will hold up to future cleaning and resist moisture far better than flat or eggshell. Budget roughly $65 to $90 per gallon for a quality product.

One important warning: if your home was built before 1978, test for lead paint before any sanding or scraping. Ottawa has a significant stock of older homes, particularly in neighbourhoods like Centretown, Glebe, and Westboro, where lead paint is a real possibility.