If you live in a busy household with kids and pets, chances are you’ll need a paint finish that you can wipe clean from time to time to remove, mud, scuffs, and even the kids’ doodles!
Specially designed washable or scrubbable paints have been developed using more durable formulations than regular emulsion and are designed to withstand washing with soapy water without any detrimental effect on the paint finish.
Although most washable paints come in a basic matt finish, some brands do offer a choice of mid-sheen and silk finishes too. And, if you’re after a very specific shade, do be aware than the choice of colours for most washable paints is usually more limited than regular emulsions.
Tried and tested | Which is the best washable paint?
- Best washable paint for interior walls - Crown Easyclean® pure brilliant white matt emulsion | Buy now from Amazon (£31.61)
- Best washable matt paint - Valspar premium walls and ceilings pure brilliant white matt emulsion | Buy now from B&Q (£28)
- Best washable paint for toddlers - Valspar premium walls and ceilings pure brilliant white matt emulsion | Buy now from B&Q (£28)
- Best washable paint for kitchens (not kitchen paint) - Dulux Easycare washable & tough pure brilliant white matt emulsion | Buy now from B&Q (£23)
- Best washable paint for multiple surfaces - GoodHome tough & durable brilliant white matt emulsion | Buy now from B&Q (£14)
- Best budget washable paint - Wickes tough & washable pure brilliant white matt emulsion | Buy now from Wickes (£22)
How we tested washable paints...
We put a selection of washable paints to the test from the most prominent players in the market to see which lived up to their claims.
We considered everything from the odour to the VOCs in the paint, the coverage and application, as well as if the product offered good value for money.
All the paints we tested were pure brilliant white with a matt finish and we painted them all on the same surface and tested each one with the same common problems: oil-based crayons, mud and scuffs from footwear (pictured right).
The best washable paint for 2024
Crown Easyclean® pure brilliant white matt emulsion
Score 9/10
- Buy now from Amazon (£31.61 for 2.5L), Homebase (£20)
Pros
- Very low odour
- Very durable
Cons
- Needs 4 hours between coats
At a glance: Matt finish | Coverage up to 35m2 | Water based | 2 hour drying time | Two coats recommended | 4 hours between coats | Low VOC level | 33 shades
The scuff marks, crayon and mud all came off very easily using a soft cloth and soapy water with no perceptible scrubbing marks left on the surface.
What's different about this washable paint?
Crown Easyclean® matt emulsion is a multi surface paint that can be used on walls, ceilings, wood and metal and it’s available in a choice of 33 shades.
It has been specially formulated to allow for repetitive cleaning and is 200 times tougher and more washable that Crown’s standard matt paint. Easyclean® has been independently tested against main competitor products and is shown to be the best for stain and scrub resistance, toughness and washability.
It was very low odour with a 99% solvent-free Breatheasy® formulation, making it ideal if you are sensitive to paint smells.
We liked that the can is made from 100% recycled plastic.
How washable is this paint?
This paint had a lovely thick consistency and was easy to apply. We applied two coats with a brush, leaving four hours between coats, as recommended by the manufacturer. The brush did leave very slight grooves in the surface, but a roller would give much smoother results.
The scuff marks, crayon and mud all came off very easily using a soft cloth and soapy water with no perceptible scrubbing marks left on the surface.
Does it offer good value for money?
At £23 for 2.5L we felt this paint offered excellent value for money. It had good coverage, performed well and can be used on multiple surfaces.
Valspar premium walls and ceilings pure brilliant white matt emulsion
Score 9/10
- Buy now from B&Q (£28)
Pros
- Ideal for allergy-sufferers
- Huge choice of colours available
- Low splatter
- Quick drying
Cons
- Quite pricey
- Needs 4 hours between coats
At a glance: Matt finish | Water based | Coverage up to 25m2 | 1 hour drying time | Two coats recommended | 4 hours between coats | Low VOC level | 2.2 million shades
It was very easy to remove the scuff marks, mud and crayon from the surface just using a soft cloth and soapy water, with no detrimental effect on the finish.
What's different about this washable paint?
This emulsion is suitable for use on walls and ceilings and is available in matt, mid-sheen and silk finish and choice of a whopping 2.2 million colours! Valspar® Premium Walls & Ceilings is made using Life-Kind™ technology meaning it is child, pet and allergy friendly, it’s even Allergy UK accredited.
The ingredients are ultra-low VOC and hypoallergenic, giving you complete peace of mind.
The emulsion is highly stain resistant and scrubbable, so it can withstand even the toughest household stains - making it perfect for busy homes.
How washable is this paint?
This paint had a lovely thick consistency and it went on very well using a brush. It gives fantastic coverage and a high covering power - useful if you’re painting over a darker shade.
The water-based formula was quick drying and low spatter, making it both easy to use and to clean up. It dried to the touch in about 1 hour and had the flattest, most matt finish of all the paints we tested. The brush did leave slight grooves in the finish, but a roller would achieve smoother results.
It was very easy to remove the scuff marks, mud and crayon from the surface just using a soft cloth and soapy water, with no detrimental effect on the finish.
Does it offer good value for money?
At £28 for 2.5L this was one of the more costly paints we tested, but we felt this offered excellent value for money, especially as you can choose from 2.2 million colours, making it ideal if you are concerned with the style of your rooms, not just the durability of the paint finish.
- Buy now from B&Q (£28)
Wickes tough & washable pure brilliant white matt emulsion
Score 8/10
Pros
- Very low odour
- Good range of colours
Cons
- Thinner consistency than others on test
At a glance: Matt finish | Water based | Coverage up to 30m2 | 2-4 hours drying time | Two coats recommended | 2-4 hours between coats | Low VOC level | 48 shades
The mud, scuffs and oil-based crayon were all easily removed with a soft cloth and soapy water, leaving no marks or residue behind on the surface.
What's different about this washable paint?
This tough and washable emulsion paint comes in a choice of 48 colours and is suitable for use on walls and ceilings. It’s ideal for busy, high traffic areas in the home, such as corridors, staircases and children's rooms. It’s 20 times tougher than standard emulsion and the paint can is made from 50% recycled materials.
How washable is this paint?
Although this paint had a slightly thinner consistency than the others we tested, about the consistency of a good double cream, it was very easy to apply, with minimal spatter.
We used a brush to apply it, which left very faint grooves in the finish, but a roller would give smoother results.
It gave less dense coverage than other paints we tested, but two coats would be ample for covering over a light paint shade. It had almost no odour, making it a good choice if you’re sensitive to paint smells.
The mud, scuffs and oil-based crayon were all easily removed with a soft cloth and soapy water, leaving no marks or residue behind on the surface.
Does it offer good value for money?
As one of the least expensive of the paints we tested, we felt this offered fair value for money. Although the coverage wasn’t as dense as some we tested, it comes in a choice of 48 shades and it was very low odour.
Dulux Easycare washable & tough pure brilliant white matt emulsion
Score 8/10
Pros
- Thick consistency
- Stain-repellant technology repels liquid spills
Cons
- Quite pricey
- 4 hour drying time
- Left a shiny mark on well-scrubbed areas
At a glance: Matt finish | Coverage up to 32.5m2 | 4 hour drying time | 2-4 hours between coats | Two coats recommended | Repels liquid spills | Low VOC level | 76 shades
We found the scuff marks and mud washed away very easily using a soft cloth and soapy water, but we did need to use a bit of elbow grease to shift the oil-based crayon.
What's different about this washable paint?
This emulsion is suitable for use on walls and ceilings. We found it had a faint paint smell, but nothing unpleasant. It’s low in VOCs and comes in a wide range of 76 shades. A 2.5 litre can will cover up to 32.5m2 and it’s perfect for living rooms, dining rooms, hallways, kids rooms and multifunctional spaces.
How washable is this paint?
Dulux claim that this Easycare paint is 20x tougher than standard Dulux matt, so you can remove stubborn marks without damaging the paint on your wall.
Dulux Easycare has the same Diamond Tough technology of Dulux Endurance but unlike Endurance, Dulux Easycare also has unique stain repellent technology which repels liquid spills, making them easier to wash away. When water-based liquids hit the wall, the unique stain repellent technology turns the liquid into beads, which sit on the surface of the paint, making it easier to wash away.
The paint had a lovely thick consistency and was smooth and easy to apply, giving good coverage even with just one coat. We applied two coats with a brush, leaving 2-4 hours between coats. Due to its thick consistency, the brush did leave slight grooves in the surface, but a roller would give much smoother results.
We found the scuff marks and mud washed away very easily using a soft cloth and soapy water, but we did need to use a bit of elbow grease to shift the oil-based crayon.
However, it did eventually come clean, although we noticed a slight shiny mark on the surface finish where we’d scrubbed a little harder.
Does it offer good value for money?
Although this was the most expensive paint we tested at £31.26 for 2.5L, we felt that fact it was not only scrubbable and had good coverage, but it also repels liquid stains, made it good value, especially for kitchens or bathrooms.
GoodHome tough & durable brilliant white matt emulsion
Score 7/10
- Buy now from B&Q (£14)
Pros
- Can be used on a wide variety of surfaces
- Good value for money
Cons
- Need a good stir before use
- Left a shiny mark on well-scrubbed areas
At a glance: Matt finish | Water based | Coverage up to 25m2 | 2 hour drying time | 2-4 hours between coats | Two coats recommended | Low VOC level | 14 shades
We found the scuff marks and mud washed away very easily using a soft cloth and soapy water. However, we had to scrub quite hard to remove the oil-based crayon.
What's different about this washable paint?
GoodHome touch and durable emulsion is suitable for use on walls, ceilings, wood and metal surfaces, making it really versatile and ideal for use in hallways, stairways and children's bedrooms. It offers exceptional hiding power depending on the surface you are painting, which is great if you want to cover up a darker shade. It is also has a high light reflectance, which is useful if you want to make a dark room feel brighter. It had a faint paint smell, but nothing unpleasant. It’s low in VOCs and comes in a choice of 14 shades. We like that the can is made from 30% recycled plastic.
How washable is this paint?
We found this paint needed really good stir to mix it thoroughly, as the ingredients has separated slightly. However, once mixed, it had a good creamy consistency and was smooth and easy to apply.
We applied two coats with a brush, leaving 2-4 hours between coats, as recommended by the manufacturer. The brush did leave faint grooves in the surface, but a roller would give much smoother results.
We found the scuff marks and mud washed away very easily using a soft cloth and soapy water.
However, we had to scrub quite hard to remove the oil-based crayon. It did eventually come clean, but we noticed a slight shiny mark on the surface finish where we’d scrubbed a little harder.
Does it offer good value for money?
At just £16 for 2.5L, we felt this offered good value for money. Although the colour range is limited, it can be used on multiple surfaces.
- Buy now from B&Q (£14)
We've also been busy testing the best paint brushes, best white emulsion paint, best wood primer and best paint strippers, as well as curating buyer's guides to find the best anti-mould paint, best exterior wood paint, andbest paint for kitchen cabinets. For all other paint-related content, click here.
