It sounds like you had lazy house painters. I've never heard of that. Painters that I know (that paint for a living) can paint without taking the switchis off, without taping and without a drop cloth. They leave no resideue behind. It's amazing how they can do it but I suppose that if you do it enough, one would get that good. They showed me their method but I am very SLOW and a bit more messy.

And possibly over time they have been painted by residents, not real painters.

I would just remove the old covers and get some new ones.

Sue

I bet, if you take them off, and soak them overnight, the paint will be able to be scraped off. :)

but I think, overall, the last people that painted there were lazy. LOL

Moni

I've never had a professional painter NOT take off switch-plates. If they don't, well, that's just bad practice.

It was probably a previous owner or tenant that did that, and they did it out of sheer laziness.

New cover plates are inexpensive. But if they've gummed up the outlet, that's a bit more complicated. Still, it's not impossible to do yourself. Any do-it-yourself book will have instructions.

A retractable utility knife (very inexpensive, might even find one at a dollar store) can help you cut around the plate and get it off. Ask at a hardware store what kind of fluid you can use to get the old paint off the socket parts themselves (I'd turn the power off first!). Then you can attach clean, new plates. They're not expensive, either.

But the least-expensive option: Ask your landlord to come inspect your place and show them that those outlets are unusable.

It might be that the painters sprayed the walls instead of using a brush? But, yes -- it's annoying! If you're in an apartment complex, they probably just wanted to rush all the repainting jobs.

You asked - here's my question - and it's also about painters.

Why do they paint the windows shut?

We've had professional painters twice and both times I had to remind them to make sure the windows opened.

LOL, our previous landlord was a "professional painter". She painted for a living. What did she do? Paint over all the outlet plates, and the plugs and light switches. She said she doesn't like them to stand out, she likes them to blend in with the wall. So the plug outlets are chipping because of use. I hated everything being the same colour. I agree. Pure laziness. Oh the baseboards are all painted the same too. Talk about monochromatic and blah.

I don't like switch covers or outlets to stand out either. After removing them, I paint them the same color as the wall but also spray a couple of coats of high gloss paint on top. That makes them totally cleanable.

At my new rental, I had to use a utility knife to cut around "all" the switch plates....just to get them off to replace them with new clean ones. Also the house was built in 1959 and "NONE" of the light switches operated anything. In order for the wall plug to be switchable, the tab had to be broken off, it never was....hence a switch that operated nothing......ever! :0) There is now a nice ceiling light fixture in all 3 bedrooms.

Rhizo: Great tip about the high-gloss paint!

I don't like outlets to stand out, I paint over them also.

My husband insists he is a good painter, but he is not. He doesn't tape anything, doesn't cut in properly. When he painted our bedroom he was too lazy to move the bed, so didn't paint behind the headboard. Of course, I noticed this when we moved the furniture around in the room. Had to prime and repaint the entire room, because no matter how many times we went over it, you could still see where the headboard was and it made me crazy. I also spent hours scraping paint off the woodwork. If he had taped, or wiped it off when it was wet it would have been SO much easier.

My question is: WHY do people ask me questions, then just do whatever they want rather than heed the answer???

Dances.

I would like to know the answer as well. Also would like to know why the people who installed new vents in the bathroom and kitchen "glued" them to the wall so that when the vents were cleaned and they enlarged the metal slats I couldn't get them off to put on new ones that I bought. I had the bright idea that I would just screw on new ones and put on the old ones when it came time for the next vent cleaning. So my husband bought some foul-smelling solution (4 years ago) that you have to use to remove the caulking. Of course it is still in the cupboard. My husband is one of those people who immediately does what the instructions clearly read NOT TO DO. Everything is ruined day one in this house. I give up!

You ask me what you want done ...

... then don't do it ...

... (or do exactly the opposite) ...

... you're going to hear from me ... usually in a nice way. But firm, that is: sometimes with humour.

And if I catch you early enough in your escapade ... I'll be requiring that you do it as you promised!

ole joyful ... most of the time