No such thing. Matte paint has a 'tooth' or texture like velvet once applied. It's just not very washable because washing disturbs that texture and makes it shiny.

You have to select an eggshell finish to hope to be able to wash it.

Choosing an eggshell finish for high traffic hallways will help with washing off the grime, if not the crayons. I suggest you contact the manufacturer of your favorite paint brand to ask for recommendations. Tell them your budget preference and if it will be DIY or professional.

IME, the smaller grimy fingerprint areas such as a front hallway can be repainted every couple of years after cleaning with 409 is not longer working well. Some people install wallpaper that does not show smudges much.

The crayon phase is usually brief. There are washable crayons that you can substitute for the ordinary waxy kind. There are also washable markers. Discard the waxy crayons and non-washable markers.

If you want flat paint, I'd suggest waiting until your kids are older and not touching and marking up the walls, and repainting then. In the meantime, use a bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball (don't scrub too hard) and you'll be able to get most marks off. It will remove a bit of paint as well but does a good enough job that it will keep your walls looking good until you repaint. Magic eraser also works well enough for this purpose.

It's also easy enough to touch up flat paint as it blends in well once dry.

Is the reason for a flat finish is to hide imperfections?

I would use eggshell paint. It has a very slight sheen, and it is washable. Oh, and I would never use magic eraser on your walls, it burnishes the paint and leaves a shiny spot, that is very noticable.

Thank you so much for giving me so many tips and ideas to think about! Some more questions:

:

When you painted eggshell walls did you keep a flat ceiling and, if so, have problems with cut-ins or picture framing, etc.? Did you then use satin on your wood trim or high gloss?

What gloss percentage eggshell did you guys decide to go with? I see " modern eggshell" that goes from 10% to more traditional eggshells as high 35-40% percent gloss, almost as high as a satin semi-gloss, and an option for "modern emulsion" of 7% in the Farrow and Ball, which is a "velvet"

The 20% looks nice and glowing, without to much glare. I am wondering if the FB modern emulsion, which is a 7% is as clean as they claim. I am curious how it holds up as it is more expensive than many other comparables.

There are new paints that boast flat finish and high wash-ability, like the Benjamin Moore Aura Spa and the Mesa+ which is not only washable, but scrubb-able. I am curious if anyone had any experience with these newer highly washable paints and whether they are the game changer they hope to be.

@cat_ky I've used magic eraser a bunch on mine. Just moved in to our new build and the movers did a number on our walls. There are no shiny spots and it looks better than the large black streaks that were there before. So YMMV. Rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab does the trick, too. If the choice is to give magic eraser a shot or repaint your walls, I'd try magic eraser first personally. If it doesn't work, you're not really out much.

OP, it seems you've already done your research and you aren't set on flat, so go with something that's wipeable if you're repainting anyway. I've mostly read that ceilings should be flat but there are a few outliers that have put paint with sheen on their ceilings and have been happy. I don't think it's a good idea if you have texture though.

I'm in a different camp and prefer satin finish on walls and ceiling; I like the bit of reflectivity and have no issues cleaning off the occasional smudge or stain.

What have you used and liked/disliked?

For what you're wanting, a washable flat/matte, there are only 2 options IMO.

SW Emerald Designer Edition Flat and Dunn-Edwards Exquisite Matte.

They both do what the marketing says in terms of washablility and durability and are worth the price per square foot.

SW Emerald Designer Edition is flat which means you can touch it up rather easily.

DE's Exquisite matte is on the verge of a typical eggshell so it's trickier to touch up, but it can be done - this is what covers my own home's interior.

With a top tier flat/matte, you can touch up whatever doesn't wash off - can't do that with a higher sheen. Because it will flash and you have to repaint the wall corner to corner.

So it all depends on how you want to deal with the inevitable wear and tear.

Take a look at Benjamin Moore Scuff X paint. You can read their TDS sheets to know exactly the amount of sheen in the matte, eggshell, and satin. I used the matte (Gloss / Sheen Matte (8 – 13 @ 85°) (9.5 @ 60°) for our lower level family/dining/kitchen area, and Scuff X Satin for the trim.

BM Aura is nice paint, but no need to pay the extra price unless you're using a deep, dark color.

I also agree with NOT using a magic pad on painted walls. It will mar the paint.

I’ve used Behr marquee in matte and gone to town on crayon marks with a magic eraser and never noticed it changed the sheen. My walls have a crazy knockdown texture though so it might be more noticeable on a smooth wall.