Pink, blue, white, and even in orange color, we all try to decorate our dream houses by painting the walls in various colors. We actually don’t need a specific reason to paint, right? Whether to get a new house look or just to hide the unpleasing spots on the wall, the easiest way to achieve all of this is painting.
You may be excited about your room’s new look, and you’re so ready to paint. But before that, just think about the paint smell. The paint smell can last up to a few hours to many days. When you paint a wall of the room, it will give a stunning looking space and fresh & clean look. But it also leaves behind the pungent smell, which is even sometimes unbearable. Especially the oil-based paints and many other kinds of paints emit fumes that stay for many days. That’s why it is advised to keep open the doors and windows. Proper ventilation is needed so that there is an exit passage for these smells, but sometimes that simply isn’t possible.
These unwanted smells can ruin the effect of the new decor. Fresh air can easily scatter the paint smell, but opening every window and door is always not possible, right? So are you also facing the same problem? You have also painted a wall or furniture, and the paint smell is spoiling the whole atmosphere. And now you want to know how to get rid of paint smell?
Fortunately, there are some ways by which you can easily remove the residual paint fumes from your apartment.
7 Ways to Naturally Absorb Paint Fumes
You don’t have to buy some expensive products to remove the paint smell. Instead, you can use simple household items, which also work like magic. Today we’ve collected 7 products that can help you to get rid of any kind of paint fumes. We also described how to use them and how much overall time they need. So, let’s start with the first product:
1. Baking Soda
Everyone knows that baking soda absorbs various smells in the refrigerator, that’s why many people use it. Like that, it will also be good for removing any kind of paint fumes.
- Pour baking soda in several bowls or small plates and place them throughout the room.
- If you have carpet on floors, then you can directly sparkle some baking soda on it. Let it sit for a few minutes or for a night and then vacuum it in the morning
- Another way is to fill shallow bowls with some water then add ¼ cup of baking soda. Mix them well and then place them around the room. Leave them for at least 24 hours.
2. Coffee Grounds
You can also reuse some stuff to remove paint smell. Yes, used coffee grounds can help you with that as they very well absorb the fumes.
- Fill some bowls with dry coffee grounds and place them where you want to get rid of the paint smell.
- Leave them overnight and the next morning throws them away in the trash, and your place will be smell free.
3. Candles
Lighting a candle could be the answer to your smelly problem but careful to select the right type of candle. Yes, the wax in them absorbs the smell present around them. You can buy the special odor eliminating candles, which you can easily find in smoke shops or the household aisle. But if you’re not able to find them, then a normal wax scented candle will also do the job.
- Light one or two candles in the holders or bowls (for extra safety) and put them on opposite sides of the room.
- Leave them for several hours, and after that, you’ll see your room will be completely smell-free.
The Paraffin-based candles emit more toxins in the air, so try to use natural beeswax or soy-based candles to breathe the most safely. And pay extra attention while doing this process if you have kids and pets around your home.
4. Charcoal
Do you know deactivated charcoal has excellent odor absorbing properties? That’s why you can also use it to remove the stinky paint smell from your house. You can either purchase it in small pouches or in an open crushed formula.
- The procedure is quite simple, just place the pouches all around in the room where you did painting and leave it for some time.
- If you have open charcoal powder, then put it on a small plate and later place it in the corners of the room.
5. Onion
Yes, onions!! Now you are wondering how an onion can remove the smell of paint because it itself has an unpleasant smell? This is not true, actually, onions are very good absorbents and can be used to remove unwanted fumes. Let’s tell you how you can use onions to do that:
- First, peel a large onion and then cut it in half.
- Place each onion with the cut side up in a small dish or bowl and place them vertically opposite to each other.
- Allow them to absorb all the unwanted smell for several hours. (you can also leave them overnight)
- Always throw them away after this, never use them for cooking because they absorbed VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds).
6. Vinegar Water
Another thing which is quite popular to remove paint fumes is Vinegar water. White vinegar has properties to neutralize any kind of odor. We all have vinegar in our home, and it is very simple to use.
- Just mix water and vinegar in two equal parts in a bowl. (for example one cup of vinegar and one cup of water)
- Place these bowls in each corner of the room.
You can use either apple cider or distilled white vinegar, both will work brilliantly to absorb the paint odor.
7. Water with Lemon
Another great combination to remove paint fumes is water + Lemon. Do you know water itself known for absorbing VOCs? But the effect will increase when you use water with other odor-absorbing liquids such as lemons.
- Fill a bucket of water and place it in the center of the room and leave it overnight.
- Pour water in a bowl then adds several slices of lemon in it. Put them in the corner or center of the room.
Leave this water mixture overnight, not longer than that. 12- 24 hours are enough to get rid of unwanted paint smell.
Tips to Avoid Heavy Paint Fumes From the Start
After reading up to here, you know how to get rid of paint smell but what are some precautions that you should take before you even start painting the room. What are things by which you can reduce the odor and make the whole process a little less complicated?
- The first thing is that always buy paint that has low or zero VOC (volatile organic compounds)
- And also, select those paint primers that are marked as “low odor.” Use environment-friendly paints such as paints that are made from milk, minerals, and clay.
- Before you even start painting, first check the weather and temperature. Avoid those days that have high humidity. Because high humidity can make the whole drying process slow. And even after they dried out, they emit strong odors.
- Let each layer of coat dry completely. Damp walls emit toxic fumes, so always apply the next paint coat after the first layer is fully dry.
- When your painting is completed, close all the paint lids and cover the brushes with plastic wrap.
- If possible, keep the doors and windows open. By doing this, the paint fumes will not be stuck in the same room for a long period. (But keep the doors and windows of other rooms closed to prevent the spreading of the fumes)
Now, you know both the things: how to prevent the paint odor and how to get rid of paint smell. All the above items will surely help you in removing the unwanted fumes of paint. So, don’t be afraid to paint your walls. Let your creativity spread on the walls. But always keep the above tips in mind while painting the walls to avoid paint fumes. And one thing more, never use any type of perfumed air fresheners or other fragrant products to cover the paint smell. Instead, try to use specific products labeled as odor eliminators. They are capable of absorbing or removing the lingering paint odor instead of covering the smell for some time.
And that is all about how you can effortlessly remove any kind of paint odor from the house, hope all these things work for you.
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