To get the new look of a room or a piece of furniture, spray paint is the most affordable and quickest way to enhance the beauty. However this beauty comes with a cost. Spray paint makes anything beautiful in a few minutes but due to its bad odor, it creates discomfort for moments or longer.
There are high levels of chemicals that emit through nozzles while spraying which can be harmful to anyone. Prolonged exposure to spray paint fumes can cause dizziness and headache. So it’s important to get relief from this. Ventilation and air circulation are the ways to let the odor get out of the room. But in some cases, it takes a longer time to disappear.
I have compiled effective ways to get rid of spray paint smell. Keep reading carefully to find the best hacks to save your health
There are a variety of paints used for indoor purposes i.e.oil paint, gloss paint, semi-gloss paint, matte e.t.c. There are different techniques for applying these paints. However it is the easiest technique by using a device that coats an object through air spray. They have containers that contain paint and it releases the paint through a valve by using pressurized gas or compressed air. The whole process will be done easily and finely.
CHEMICALS IN SPRAY PAINTS
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, spray paints contain Volatile Organic Compounds(VOC). These chemicals can create adverse short-term and long-term health effects. Spray paints also contain some other chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons.
SIDE EFFECTS OF SPRAY PAINT FUMES
If an individual is exposed to high volatile paints, these will affect a person’s face, hands, eyes, head, and other exposed parts of the body. While working with spray paints, you are directly exposed to hazardous chemicals released into the air. These chemicals can be very harmful. If you are in a confined space and exposed directly to those fumes released through spray paints, there are more chances that you would face certain side effects. These side effects may vary from person to person and it depends on the exposure and the quantity of spray paint fumes in the environment. Some of the side effects include dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, skin and eye burning, nose irritation, headache, nausea, fatigue e.t.c.
Moreover, there also include some long-term health effects like asthma, allergic contact dermatitis. Due to its inhalation, some serious health issues can also be produced like lung cancer, liver failure, brain damage, and kidney damage. So, it’s very important to eliminate the dangerous spray paint fumes otherwise it can cause serious health risks.
HOW MUCH TIME SPRAY PAINT SMELL WILL TAKE TO GO AWAY
The smell of spray paint can take a few days to eliminate however in some cases it takes a few weeks to be eradicated. That happens mostly due to the lack of ventilation in the room. Its smell can be suppressed easily by using scented candles, perfumes, air fresheners, and essential oils. These methods will simply suppress the smell but will not completely eradicate the smell. So it can still be harmful to human health.
WAYS TO GET RID OF PAINT SPRAY FUMES
After finishing the painting, the smell of the paint still exists in the environment which can be very harmful to health. So it’s important to get rid of that smell as early as possible. There are various methods to eliminate the spray paint smell. Some home remedies also help in eradicating the smell of spray paint fumes.
Home remedies to get rid of the smell
There are a few home remedies that can help you in getting the spray paint smell out of the room easily.
Baking soda
Lemon water
Coffee grounds
Activated charcoal
Onions
Natural extracts
Vinegar
Candles
1.Baking Soda
Baking soda is the natural magic product used for cleaning purposes. It usually helps in removing odor in clothing and from the refrigerator. However, it is also great for absorbing spray paint fumes very easily. Pour some baking soda into a bowl and place it in a room. It will act as a natural desiccant and will absorb odor and fumes. This will reduce the risk of breathing in harmful fumes. If the odor persists, sprinkle the baking soda on the carpet and leave overnight. Vacuum it in the morning. Boom odor is gone.
2. Lemon Water
Water itself is best in absorbing VOCs. However, adding lemon juice to it will do the magic. Adding a few slices of lemon in water can help to circulate citrus smell in the environment making the space more comfortable to breathe. Lemons will absorb the fumes very effectively. You will notice the change after a day or one overnight treatment. This process is not as quick. It will take some time to remove the smell properly.
3. Coffee Grounds
Coffee beans are considered to be natural odor absorbent and air freshener. Its strong aroma can over mask the smell of spray paints easily. Place a bowl of coffee in the corner of the ventilated room. They will spread a nice coffee aroma all around the room reducing the bad smell of paint spray. After use, dispose of them completely as they wouldn’t be suitable for consumption.
4. Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is widely used in homes nowadays in cleaning products and teeth whitening kits. It is also one of the best odor-absorbing agents. Make sure to pick it up when it is activated for better results. It is more porous and can fully absorb smells and fumes around it. Activated charcoal usually comes in pouches, tubes, and crushed forms. Pour it in a bowl and place it in a room in which you are using spray paints. You can also place buckets of activated charcoal bags in the corner of the room to eliminate the paint odor. Instead of crushed charcoal powder, bags and pouches work well in eradicating the smell.
5. Onions
Onions have a very strong smell and it has the quality to absorb harmful elements from the environment. So it can work very well in absorbing the strong smell of spray paints keeping you away from hazardous effects of it. Simply cut medium onions into two pieces and place them in small containers all around the room. It will absorb all the bad odor. Make sure to dispose of it after use. As it will absorb VOCs which can be harmful to health if you prefer to eat.
6. Natural Extracts
Some natural extracts like peppermint and vanilla also work well to absorb the odor and refresh the air. Place the cotton balls in a small bowl and add a few drops of extract to each of them. It will absorb the odor very effectively. Moreover, it can also be used directly in the paint cans before painting to reduce the odor.
7. Vinegar
Vinegar has a very strong smell but is still safe to use as compared to chemicals to eliminate the odor. Pour 1 cup of apple cider vinegar or simply distilled vinegar in containers and place them in a room. It will absorb the spray fumes without adding any toxicity to the environment. Throw away the vinegar after use because it would absorb VOCs.
8. Candles
Scented candles are also one of those things which help in adding a good smell to the environment. Lightening the candle is a powerful way to remove the smell from the room. There are some flammable components present in the plain solvent which can be burnt by the flame of a candle. Scented candles are available in the market in a variety of flavors. Just by lighting the candle you can easily remove the bad odor and it will add a flavored aroma to your environment.
9. Electric Fan
To blow out the smell of spray paint, electric fans can also be used. Put on the electric fan and open the windows and doors. In a few hours, all of the smell will be dull.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
However, prevention is better than cure. It is advised to do some preventive measures to prevent spray fumes from producing rather than using ways to eliminate them after. Some ways can help to prevent the smell out of your room.
1. Using Low VOC Paints
Always prefer to use paints with organic compounds. These will help in producing fewer fumes as compared to products having VOCs.
Selecting low VOC paints will be beneficial to your health and will reduce the risk of spray paint fumes. Low VOCs paints are safe for your overall health. Oil-based spray paints are also suggested as they are composed of natural products such as clay, plants, milk, and other minerals that are less harmful to the environment.
2. Avoid Humidity
Keep on checking the weather forecast before using spray paints. Humidity in the environment has a huge impact on spray paints producing a smell. Avoid painting on days when there is more humidity in the air. In a humid environment, paints emit strong fumes during the application and drying process. As we know in humid weather paint will take more time to dry making it vulnerable to producing a strong smell.
3. Use Of An Air Purifier
Air purifiers neutralize the smell of spray paints and dilute paint fumes reducing the strong odor. It promotes better airflow in the room allowing fresh air to come in the room. Air purifiers are designed to filter out chemicals and odors.
4.Ventilation
Another way to prevent spray paint smell is to ventilate the room as much as possible. Proper ventilation will ensure that you are not exposed to harmful chemicals and unpleasant odors. By opening the doors and windows fresh air will enter the room. It will dilute the paint fumes reducing the smell.
5. Allowing Each Coat Of Paint To Dry Completely
Another important thing that should be kept in mind while using spray paint is to allow each coat to dry first before applying the next coat. Damp walls usually release strong fumes and toxic gasses for a longer time. So, let each layer of spray paint dry first before applying the next layer.
CONCLUSION
Spray painting is indeed the easiest and fastest method of painting. But it produces a strong smell which can be harmful to overall health. It is important to get rid of that smell by using some simple home remedies like using baking soda, onions, scented candles, coffee beans e.t.c. You can easily eliminate the smell of spray paints by adopting any of the methods. Moreover, instead of searching for ways to eradicate the smell, you can also adopt some preventive measures to prevent the paint from producing any kind of unpleasant odor.
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