Avoid Kitchen Paint Messes With This Genius Trash Bag Hack

As far as home DIY upgrades go, painting tends to be fairly easy and straightforward — that is, unless it's in the kitchen. From appliances to cabinetry, the sheer amount of built-in features in this space leaves a lot of room for accidental painting mistakes. One common headache is when the paint drips and splatters during cleanup — or, even worse, when you realize how much paint you've wasted pouring into your tray that can't easily be poured back into the can.

But don't panic. Painting your kitchen doesn't automatically require calling an expert. In fact, one recent hack that landed on our radar is so easy, it works whether you're painting your kitchen cabinets, walls, or both. All you need to add to your normal painting process is a trash bag.

To start, simply place your paint tray inside a trash bag, shape the bag to the tray, and place the newly covered tray on a flat surface. Then, pour your paint into the tray, directly onto the bag, and proceed with painting as you normally would. Once you've finished for the day, carefully remove the bag from the tray, folding it inward as you go so that any excess paint moves to the center. Once all the paint is neatly contained within the bag, cut a small hole so the paint can drain from the bag. Hold the bag over your paint can and squeeze the excess paint back into the can. Then, discard the used bag and cover the can as normal until you're ready to use it again.

Along with minimizing spills, this trick can help you preserve excess paint and keep your tray clean enough to reuse for future projects, which might be a money-saver down the line — especially if you're able to hang onto the excess paint for future touch-ups. 

The tip is certainly one of the most straightforward ways we've seen to keep your paint neat and contained during the process, and it pairs well with a few other easy tips that also involve something you probably already have at home. One option is to use the handles of your paint can to string a rubber band across the top. Then, as you dip your paint brush and pull it back out, use the rubber band to remove excess paint rather than the side of the can. This helps avoid leaks down the sides of the can and spreading or dripping when you move the can at the end of your project.

Another option is to skip cleaning your paint brushes between each painting session. Instead, cover your paint-covered brush in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. Then, you only have to do a full brush-cleaning at the very end of the project, which can also help minimize your risk of getting paint in unwanted places.