What is wet scrub resistance?

Wet scrub resistance (Dutch: schrobvastheid or natte slijtvastheid) indicates how well a wall or ceiling paint stands up to cleaning with water. It is a classification shown on the label or technical data sheet of wall paints. The lower the class number, the better the paint can withstand cleaning.

The classification comes from the European standard EN 13300, which classifies interior wall paints. The test method is set out in EN ISO 11998: a painted test panel is scrubbed back and forth a fixed number of times with an abrasive pad and a cleaning solution, after which the loss of paint film (in micrometres) is measured.

Class	Loss of paint film	Number of scrub cycles
1	less than 5 µm	200
2	5 to 20 µm	200
3	20 to 70 µm	200
4	less than 70 µm	40
5	70 µm or more	40

The older German standard DIN 53778 used the terms “scrub-resistant” (scheuerbeständig) and “washable” (waschbeständig); classes 2 and 3 correspond roughly to these.

Application

Which class where?

• Class 1 or 2: kitchen, bathroom, hallway, stairwell, children’s room and heavily used spaces such as surgeries, hospitality and care facilities.
• Class 3: living rooms and bedrooms where a stain occasionally needs removing.
• Class 4 or 5: ceilings and areas that are rarely touched.

Tips:

• Sheen matters too: a smoother, glossier paint is usually easier to clean, but shows unevenness and scrub marks more readily than a matt paint.
• Let the paint cure fully before scrubbing; the stated class applies to a cured paint film, which often takes several weeks.
• Disinfectants: not every scrub-resistant paint can withstand aggressive cleaning agents or disinfectants. Check the technical data sheet if this matters.
• Compare opacity as well: EN 13300 also classifies hiding power and gloss level; look at both when comparing paints.

Related Terms

• Types of wall paint
• Painting walls with emulsion
• Primer
• Scrape coat

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