Interior paints have a scrubbability rating, established through standardized testing. This is a good indication of a paint film’s toughness and ability to withstand physical abuse. Though this rating may not be posted on the can, a paint retailer should have information on the rating. This will give you a good idea of a paint’s quality.

One problem with using a flat paint on interior walls is that it can be washed but doesn’t take kindly to scrubbing. If you scrub it with a damp cloth, you’ll remove the dirt or smudge but also burnish or polish exposed pigment particles, which ruins the finish. To avoid this, it’s better to choose a high-performance eggshell (not flat) paint.

Some new high-performance finishes are amazingly easy to clean—you just sponge them off as if you were wiping off a countertop. Ketchup, food, scuff marks, mud—all just wipe clean. Sherwin Williams’ Everclean is such a finish. Dutch Boy Kid’s Room Paint and Benjamin Moore & Company’s Regal AquaVelvet and Sears’ Best Easy Living Satin are other easy-clean products.