If you have recently got your house painted or you are planning to repaint your home, then there is no doubt you will be exposed to paint fumes. Not all types of paint come with a level of smell. Water-based paint produces less ordure, whereas oil-based paint comes with more smell.
Paint fumes are irritating and harmful as well. The volatile organic compounds or VOCs in paint are dangerous to human health. Common VOCs include acetone, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, and methylene chloride. In the short run, exposure to these components can cause headaches, irritation of the eyes, nose or throat, trouble breathing, temporary memory loss, nausea, vomiting, etc. Long-term exposure is more harmful. It can cause organ damage to the liver and kidneys, fatigue, vertigo, and loss of motor coordination. Researchers also found that paint fumes are also harmful to pregnant women, mainly in the first trimester. You can try low-VOC paint to minimise exposure to paint smells and save your family.
After painting a fresh coat of paint on the walls, you can follow some tips to eliminate lingering pain fumes until the paint dries. As professional house painters in Sydney, we have come up with some effective ways to help you remove the paint smells of your freshly painted house.
Ventilation
Ventilating the house is the easiest and most effective way to get rid of paint odour. The key is to open all the windows and doors as often as possible and leave them open for as long as possible. For extra effort, you can place rotating fans toward open windows. The continuous airflow will eliminate all the unwanted paint fumes.
Baking soda
Baking soda can naturally absorb smells. To remove the smells fully, place a few small bowls of baking soda around the room and leave them overnight. You can also sprinkle baking soda if your room is carpeted. Just make sure to vacuum them up after leaving them overnight.
Onions
Though onions do not smell good, they work against harmful paint smells. All you need to do is cut a few onions in half and leave them around the freshly painted room. The chemical in the onion ordure neutralises the paint fumes.
Charcoal
Some people claim that activated charcoal is a porous material that can reduce paint smells. You can put a container full of cursed charcoal throughout the room overnight, and the lingering paint smell will disappear the next morning.
Coffee grounds
The smell of coffee works like magic. It not only reduces the paint fumes but also adds a soothing and relaxing vibe to the newly painted room. Coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, which mainly helps to absorb the smells. Place some grounds around the room using cowls or open containers, and your work is finished here.
Candle
Candles are an effective and easy solution against smells. Lighting a candle for a few hours can help burn the unwanted paint solvent components. If you light a scented candle in the room, you will also have a refreshing smell. Just make sure not to leave the candle unattended to avoid risk, especially when kids are around your house.
A mixture of lemon and water
A lemon and water mixture can absorb a small amount of paint thinner while painting. After leaving overnight, it can also give the entire room a fresh, scented air. To make this mixture, you just need to add a slice of lemon to a bucket of water.
Sum up
Paint fumes come with many risks. Following the above tips and tricks can reduce the smell and its aftereffects. Moreover, if you want to minimise exposure to paint ordure while painting, you can hire expert residential painters like Priority One Coatings to achieve a high-quality and smooth finish.
Image by wayhomestudio on Freepik
