My son lives in an old victorian terrace house which was decorated with anaglypta paper by the previous occupier about 6 years ago. When we repainted the lounge with matt emulsion (over matt), the wallpaper bubbled but did eventually dry out okay. After 12 months or so, the paint started to crack and then peel off in huge chunks. We eventually stripped and repapered and that is now fine. However, the same thing is happening in the hallway which still has their original silk paint. We really don't want to have to strip and redecorate as we're both short of time and money. Is there any other way around this that will definitely cure the problem? Any suggestions please

aero mum, February 2011

The peeling could be caused by a film of grease/dust/dirt on the old paint. Matt is particularly susceptible to this.

You need to clean the walls with sugar soap before re-painting. Sugar soap is available in DIY and hardware stores either as a liquid or powder - it's not expensive and it goes a long way so you only need a small bottle or packet.

Dilute according to the instructions on the packet/bottle. Wash the walls using a sponge or cloth - don't over wet the walls. Rinse the walls with fresh, clean water and a cloth or sponge - again not too much water. You will see how much brighter the walls will look after cleaning - just goes to show how grubby/greasy they were.

Allow the walls to dry out fully (at least 24 hours) and then re paint.

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Screwmaster, March 2011