" Ceilings are no harder to paint than walls, if you go about it the right way. Here's how. First, empty the room of furniture. Anything you can't move out of the room, move to the center and cover it with a drop cloth. Just like walls, the ceiling must be clean to remove all traces of soot, grease, and mildew. Professionals use an industrial cleaner called trisodium phosphate or TSP. Now, it's often easier and safer to use this substitute. The easiest way to scrub the ceiling is to use a brand new sponge mop with the TSP solution. Wring the sponge mop out until the sponge is just damped and scrub the ceiling as you would a floor. Work evenly across the ceiling, scrubbing about 4 square feet at a time. After washing, the surfaces should be rinsed with water and allowed to dry completely; otherwise, the cleaning solution will interfere with the new paint bond into the ceiling. This ceiling is being repainted because the leaking moved just above had been repaired. Before we can paint the ceiling, we have to repair the area where the paint peels. If you find signs of water-damage or cracks in the ceiling, always find and repair the cause of the damage before you repaint; otherwise, the old damage is sure to reappear. First, scrape away the loosed paint with a sharp paint scraper then sand the damaged area with medium sandpaper. If you don't have a sanding block, the sandpaper should be attached to a flat surface like a block of wood, so you don't gouge the surface. With the sanding complete, open a can of spackle and put the spackle on a hawk and stir it. Stirring the spackle softens it and makes it easier to apply. Now, apply the spackle to the damaged area with a 5-inch plaster knife. The wide blade makes it easier to feather the spackle over the surrounding ceiling. Some brands of spackle have the added advantage of changing from a color pigment to white to show that they've dried. When the spackle is dry, lightly sand the surface with fine sandpaper. Work in a circular motion with the sandpaper attached to a flat surface, such as a block of wood. Paint the repaired areas with a well stirred white primer and allow to dry. All bare areas should be primed before they are painted. With the ceiling repaired and prepared, it's time for ceiling paint. Use a high quality flat latex paint. Stir the paint thoroughly. Using a synthetic bristle sash brush, cut an area of 4 inches around the perimeter of the ceiling. The angled bristles of the sash brush will allow you to paint right up to the edge of the wall without having to mask it first. Work slowly and carefully. And you will save yourself all the time it would've taken to masked the edges and then remove the masking tape. With all the edges done, use a 3/8 or 1/2-inch roller to roll the rest of the ceiling. There are ceiling rollers that have hoods to help catch falling spatters. Start in the corner that's farthest away from the door to the room. Make a W about 3 feet in size with the paint. And then continue to the fill area. Roll slowly; otherwise, you'll spatter paint all over yourself and the walls. If the ceiling is high, use an extension on the roller to extend your reach. Depending on your situation, you may have to apply a second to get an even finish, but soon the newly painted ceiling will be brightening your room with a fresh new look."