A new study shows how you can stop cat eyes from marbling your wallpaper, while also removing the cat eye mites that can cause serious health problems.
The study, led by Professor Andrew Smith from RMIT University, found that a simple paint removal process with just two coats of paint reduced the number of cat eyes on wallpaper in just under two minutes.
The technique can also be applied to other types of wallpaper such as vinyl wallpaper and the type of carpeting used in home kitchens.
“Our study shows that removing cat eye marble in less than two minutes and applying a paint remover and cleaning brush to a wall can eliminate the marbling and reduce the number and severity of cat eye spots on wallpaper,” Professor Smith said.
“The paint removers are so quick, we can do it in just a few seconds.”
The researchers found that removing the marbles from wallpaper can be done using a single brush, a sprayer or by hand.
Professor Smith is also working with a number of wallpaper suppliers to produce products that are less likely to attract cats.
In addition to painting over the marbled spots, the researchers are using paint removals to remove other types, including the glue that makes the wallpaper cling to the wallpaper surface.
“These mites cause damage to the surface of the wallpaper, and we found that when you apply the paint remOVERS and then wash the wallpaper to remove the glue, the wallpaper will be a much healthier, cleaner wallpaper,” he said.
The researchers are currently testing a range of products that can be used to remove marble mites.
Professor Jones said the researchers were not aware of any products that were 100 per cent effective.
“However, we do have some of our competitors that use different methods, so we will be testing this with them in the future.”
For more information on wallpaper, contact the RMIT Postgraduate Centre on 13 9385.
