Painting your walls, fixtures, and furniture is one of the most soothing as well as refreshing tasks. This can make your surfaces look new and clean as you were hoping for. Unfortunately, those fresh coats of paint sometimes alter your home air quality and end up giving you headache-inducing ailments. Why? Because paint usually contains certain toxic chemicals which further release exasperating fumes. After applying, these chemicals mess up with your surroundings and start emitting displeasing comfort in or around you.
While you can still reduce the annoying odor using low-VOC and low-odor paint formulas, it is better to adopt natural methods to get rid of the spray paint smell. In this article, we will discuss some eco-friendly as well as easy solutions that can help you minimize the risk of fumes inside your home.
What Type of Chemical a Typical Paint Contains?
Spray paint is undeniably the easiest applied paint mechanism. It aims to give both professionals and homeowners the advantage of causing no or little mess. Also, it aims to offer you maximum productivity and optimal results. However, some ordinary paints loaded with harsh chemicals can put your life at risk if ignored.
If you think that paint is just a usual color that can be dissolved easily with water, then you might be wrong. Most traditional paints contain a slew of toxins that can cause harm to people, pets, and the whole environment.
To be honest, paints or even other paint-related products are loaded with VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). VOCs are the gases that release the fumes directly into the air once you open the can of paint.
The house paints boast of the enormous amount of toxic elements such as:
- Xylene
- Ethyl acetate
- Methylene chloride
- Glycol
- Formaldehyde
- Benzene
- Phenol
- Quaternary ammonium compounds
- Carbamates
Depending on the quality, type, and brand, these are the chemicals responsible for making the air quality poor. It further potentially causes serious risks to your health. You either need to choose the branded spray paints or take the necessary precautions to tackle the spray paint fumes without a hitch.
The Ill-Effects of Spray Paints on Your Health
No matter whether your exposure to VOC fumes or smell is minimal or extended, it can still cause definite risks to your health. From short-term side effects to longer ones, here is what inhaling spray paint fumes can do to your health:
- Headaches
- Loss of coordination
- Nausea
- Damage to liver, kidneys, and central nervous system
- Allergic skin reaction
- Dyspnea
- Fatigues
- Dizziness
- Trouble breathing
Having said that, let us now take you through some of the eco-friendliest methods of minimizing the effects of spray paint smell.
Here’s How You Can Avoid Spray Paint Smell in Less Than a Week
Now, you must be wondering how to eliminate spray paint smell from your home. For your convenience, we have mentioned a few simple tips and tricks that you can use to avoid harmful spray paint fumes and odors completely:
Using Low-VOC Spray Paint
While some paint smell goes away naturally with time, some stay longer for months. The best you can do is choose the low or zero VOC “Volatile Organic Compounds” spray paints to keep the paint smell away. It is one of the most effective, affordable, and eco-friendly ways that can keep your overall health and surroundings in check. These paints are generally made using organic materials such as plants, milk, clay, etc. You get the opportunity to save yourself and the environment alike from the troublesome toxicity.
Scented Candles
Scented candles are another mind-blowing solution to eliminate the paint odor. All you need to do is buy quality scented candles or incense, light them and you will get an odor-free home within hours. From mild to strong-smelling candles, you can pick from a variety of flavors to get the most.
Baking Soda
You must have used this magic powder before to give the perfect volume and texture of baked goods. Now, you can use this surprising pinch of potion to remove irritating smells from your home’s environment. Baking soda has the quality to absorb odors from your clothes, refrigerator, and spray paints. Just pour the right amount of baking soda into a container and place them around the room. It will act as an agent to suck in bothersome odors and fumes while minimizing the risk of breathing. If the odor persists, sprinkle some amount of baking soda on your carpets, leave overnight and vacuum the same next morning.
Onions
Sometimes, it is good to fight against one pesky smell with another smell. To make this thing happen, slice the medium or large-sized onion into half, place each half onion in the freshly painted room and leave for one or two days. The onion tends to eliminate even the harshest paint odor naturally. Make sure to throw away the onions after every use and do not be tempted to eat them or cook them again.
Bucket Full of Water
One bucket full of water can do wonders for you. Here’s how? Just fill one to the three-gallon bucket using tap water only, place the bucket in the center of the room, leave the bucket overnight or until the paint smell goes away completely. If the space is large or wide, use two or three buckets of water to get faster results.
Charcoal
If you’re struggling hard to make your room free from odor or fumes, then activating charcoal could be a good idea. For ages, charcoal is regarded as a household-friendly product that also acts as an odor-absorbing ingredient. To enhance the air quality- pick the activated charcoal in small tubes or aluminum baking pans, leave it in the room overnight to discard the smell of paints from your home.
Coffee Beans
A true coffee enthusiast knows how it feels to smell and take a sip of brewing coffee every morning. Now, the same coffee smell can help you remove those disturbing elements from your home. Just like charcoal, place the coffee grounds or beans in every corner of the room, leave it overnight and let the magic begin.
As a smart homeowner, you want your home to look, feel and smell perfectly. It is important for you to take the necessary precautions after and before applying the spray paint with no health hazards.
Spray Paints: Plan Ahead and Wisely to Mask “Those” Sensitive Smell & Odors
Choosing the right spray paints can enhance the look of your interior effortlessly. But it can also raise a lot of red flags which you are not prepared for. No one wants to deteriorate the air quality as well as affect their health negatively.
If you are opting for spray paint and looking for ways to mitigate spray paint fumes, here are a few additional things that you can do.
- You must choose top-quality air purifiers or systems to normalize the air quality in your home
- Selecting the low or zero VOC spray paints can make the painting process much easier while reducing the uncomfortable smell
- Keep your home well-ventilated. It is important to keep the main gate, doors as well as windows open to get fresh air.
- The more humid the weather, the more it will produce the strongest fumes. It is advisable to keep a tab on the weather from the beginning to the end of the painting process.
- Damp walls and wet surfaces can trap fumes easily. It is recommended to fix the walls first with the help of professionals and then use the spray paints for better results.
It is always better to stay “SAFE” rather than “SORRY” by adopting the right methods that can work in your favor. You need to think thoughtfully and positively to keep your health in check. Also, to keep toxic spray paint fumes miles away from your home.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Spray painting is itself a fun, creative, and pleasant activity to make the surface look brand new again. It is worthwhile to not only change the color of your wall but also to keep your home environment smelling better. If getting rid of the spray paint smells seems daunting for you, then you must pick the above-mentioned tips and tricks that you think will significantly help you.
Be it charcoal, baking soda, or buying a low VOC spray paint, you can pick the right steps depending on your level of comfort, severity, and convenience. If you are experiencing spray paint fumes for more than a month, then seeking a professional would be a good option.
Therefore, untrap the trapped spray paint fumes, odors, or smell using the above easy methods to live comfortably inside your home.