Few things can transform your home as quickly and robustly as a fresh coat of paint. Rather you’re going with a new look or simply touching up worn paint, an important matter requires your attention.
While paint fumes are not as unpleasantly strong as they once were, the smell can linger if you don’t take action. How do you get rid of paint smell?
Are Paint Fumes Toxic?
In large quantities, paint fumes are toxic. As soon as you open a can of paint, the smell hits your nose. This smell comes from VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. The smell is particularly problematic with an indoor paint project due to poor ventilation.
Mild exposure to volatile organic compounds in paint produces several undesirable effects. These include vision issues, headaches, short-term memory loss and dizziness.
If you have an extended painting project and inhale the fumes over a longer period of time, you might have nausea, vomiting, dizziness and motor skills issues. In some cases, nerve and organ damage occur.
How Long Does It Take for Paint Smell to Go Away?
In an outdoor space, the paint fumes dissipate quickly. Simply wearing a face mask or blowing a portable fan in your direction can be effective at removing the fumes as soon as possible. In an indoor space, however, the fumes dissipate slowly.
With a water-based paint, the fumes will stay in the air for up to four days if you don’t take action to get rid of the paint smell. Paints that are oil or solvent-based could add several days onto this timeline. If the room isn’t ventilated well or is well-lit with sunlight, it could take much longer.
How to Get Rid of Paint Smell
The best way to get rid of the smell of paint when painting indoors is to ventilate the space. Open the windows and doors to allow air to circulate. Turn on the overhead fan or bring in a box fan to move the air out of the room. In addition, you could have several natural items in your kitchen that work well to eliminate paint odors.
✨ Baking Soda
Baking soda is well known for its odor-absorbing capabilities. Often, a bowl of baking soda is placed in a stinky fridge to improve the smell. Baking soda is also effective at tackling paint smells. Because of the size of a room, you’ll need several bowls of baking soda or more spread evenly throughout the space. If the room has upholstered furniture or carpeting, sprinkle the baking soda directly on these surfaces. Let the baking soda sit undisturbed for a day before vacuuming it up.
✨ Charcoal
Like baking soda, activated charcoal is often used to tackle unpleasant smells. Often, you can find pouches of charcoal chunks specifically to fight odors online or in stores. If not, you can purchase a larger bag and make your own small satchels.
✨ Onions
For some people, the smell of onions may be worse than the smell of paint. If you aren’t in that camp, however, the powerful smell of onions can tackle the paint fumes. More than that, onions can actually absorb the volatile organic compounds in the air. To achieve desired results, slice a large onion. Place the slices in bowls throughout the room for a day or two.
✨ Lemon Water
Many people don’t realize that plain water from the tap is an odor absorber. However, it does not work as quickly as the other methods listed above. Plan to leave the water sitting in bowls overnight. You can add lemon wedges to the water to enjoy a fresher scent.
✨ Coffee Grounds
If you’re a coffee drinker, you likely have a supply of coffee grounds on hand. Pour the grounds in a few bowls, and place these throughout the room. The coffee grounds will absorb the VOCs, however, so don’t use them to brew coffee afterward.
✨ Natural Extracts
A few essential oils that are recognized for their appealing scent have odor-fighting power. These include peppermint and vanilla. If you have a small vial of either of these essential oils, grab a handful of cotton balls and small plates. Put a cotton ball or two on each of the plates, and use a dropper to apply the oil to the cotton balls.
Tips to Prevent Heavy Paint Fumes
There are several steps that you can take to minimize paint fumes before you start your project.
✨ Choose water-based paint over oil-based paint. Some paints are labeled as low-VOC products and are preferable.
✨ Open the doors and windows to the outside. Use fans to circulate the air. To avoid spreading the fumes to other rooms, keep those indoor doors closed.
✨ When painting, cover the paint cans when you aren’t pouring the paint into the tray. You should also cover your rollers and brushes when they aren’t being used.
✨ If your project requires multiple coats of paint, let each coat dry thoroughly before applying another coat.
✨ Use the AC system to keep humidity low indoors.
FAQs
What’s the Best Way to Neutralize the Smell of Paint?
To neutralize paint, you must extract the volatile organic compounds out of the air. There are several ways to do this. For example, baking soda, coffee grounds, water, charcoal and onions are effective options.
Is It Safe to Sleep in a Room After Painting?
It is not safe to sleep in a room during the first 24 hours after painting it. This is when the fumes are the strongest. When sleeping, you’ll be exposed to those strong fumes for six or eight hours or more.
What to Do After Inhaling Paint Fumes
If you’ve breathed in paint fumes, the first step to take is to move outdoors for fresh air as soon as possible. This will help you clear your respiratory tract and minimize respiratory symptoms. If you feel dizzy or have a headache, lie down in a quiet room with a cool cloth on your forehead. If you have skin irritation, remove the paint or take a long shower. Paint fumes can also make your throat itchy. Gargling warm saltwater can alleviate this symptom.
Whether you’ve recently renovated a room or your entire house, the mess from your project needs your attention. At Tidyhere, we can clean up the mess so that you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. To learn more about our post construction clean up service, contact us today.
