Harriet Wetton
A new coat of paint is one of the cheapest and fastest ways to renovate a room or furniture. Unfortunately, there may be a lingering smell that can spoil the effect of the new décor, That is why it is important to learn how to get rid of paint smell While fresh air is one of the best ways to disperse the smell, it is not always possible to open all doors and windows, it creates problem mainly for those who are cursed with a sensitive nose.
The suffocating smell has adverse health effects, some of which may even take a significant long-term shape. More exposure to the toxic smell, more will be the sequelae. Luckily, there are easy ways that will assist you in how to get rid of paint smell, and that’s what we’re going to discuss in today’s post. But before that, take a look at some of the health problems inhaling the smell of paint can cause:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Eyesight problems
- Respiratory problems
- Eye irritation
- Sore throat
- Lung irritation
In professional painters exposed to excessive paint smells for a prolonged period, can have severe liver, kidney, and nervous system problems. Even animals can become infected with cancer or developmental and reproductive problems due to chemical-based paint smell.
Now that you know how harmful the smell of toxic paint can be, it’s always best to recognize how to get rid of paint smell as soon as possible.
How to get rid of paint smell
With advanced paint formulation and air purification technologies, things have improved much more than before. But still, to be completely safe, it is better to get rid of the paint smell as soon as possible in a natural way. And if you’re wondering how to get rid of paint smell, here are the simple and effective tricks to get rid of paint smell.
Charcoal
Charcoal is good for absorbing smells. Therefore, you can put buckets of crushed coal in your home, mainly in the parts where it has been painted. Within an hour, you will find a significant decrease in the suffocating odor. In fact, for instant effects, you can also place them in the room just before the painting starts.
Burning Dried Coconut Shells
The coconut’s flammable outer shell is often used in rural areas to get rid of mosquitoes, and you can use this familiar trick to recognize how to get rid of paint smell. Burning dried coconut shells produces a strong odor that can hide the smell of paint and can give you immediate relief thereafter.
Vinegar
If you want to remove the stinky, toxic smells of paints, you can also use vinegar, an effective smell neutralizer. All you need to do is keep bowls of vinegar in the room where it has been painted. The vinegar will slowly soak up the suffocating smell and make the air fresh and chemical-free. Thus vinegar seems like a nip in the bud regarding how to get rid of paint smell.
Onions
Onions may have a pungent smell of their own, but they effectively remove toxic odor from paints. Take two onions and cut them in half on the rings. Then place the halves in separate bowls with the cut side up. Place the bowls near the rooms where it has been painted. Store them for several hours to absorb the smell, and then throw them away.
Candles
Candles can help you remove the toxicity of the paint smell. They burn the solvents of the flammable components and thus eliminate the bad smell. First, you have to light a candle and put it in a container full of water. Let it sit for a few hours to reduce the stench. In a few minutes, you will begin to feel the difference. You can also use candles to eliminate the smell, although the normal ones are also beneficial and effective. However, be careful when handling the candles, especially when children are around, to avoid accidents.
Water Buckets
Simply keeping buckets of water can also be enough. Water absorbs solvent vapors and removes its strong foul odor. The more buckets of water you have near the newly painted room, the faster the paint odor removal process. So now you do have not to do overthinking about how to get rid of paint smell.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds are good for removing odors from paints. It would help if you kept the coffee grounds in a bowl throughout the room. Slowly, you will find that the smell of paint is absorbed, and your room is filled with the aroma of coffee grounds. Thus the mystery of how to get rid of paint smell will be sorted out.
Natural Extracts
Two of the best natural extracts for removing paint odor and freshening the air in your room are vanilla and peppermint. Place a few drops of the extract on cotton balls and place them in small bowls or saucers scattered around the room. Some paint experts swear they add a drop or two of the extracts directly to the paint can before starting the job to reduce the odor.
Baking soda
You can use this inexpensive and readily available baking soda to remove paint odors. Just put a few small bowls filled with baking soda near freshly painted rooms. Store them overnight, so the smell is fully absorbed. Keeping shallow water containers and a half cup of baking soda is also a good idea to know how to get rid of paint smell. However, in the case of carpeted rooms, you can sprinkle baking soda on the carpets, let them sit overnight, and vacuum them in the morning.
Herbal Vapors
There are few herbs like basil or rosemary with strong odors and can help you remove toxic odors from paint. You can temporarily change the tubs of plants inside your home to counteract the suffocating smell of paint. That’s a very helpful and easy way to determine how to get rid of paint smell.
Conclusion
Many have not painted interiors for several years to avoid the smell of toxic paint. Well, I understand your concern, and it is true that paint odors are harmful and have many side effects such as headaches, dizziness, and even more serious ones such as lung, eye, throat, liver, kidney damage, etc., all of which I have already mentioned in this post.
Instead of avoiding painting your house, you need to use the right paint and know the proper tricks on how to get rid of paint smell after painting a room.
