Painting is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to make your home look beautiful and modern, but it can be a hassle. Paint odor can be overwhelming when you're painting with a whole tub full of the stuff. You may choose not to use certain paint colors because they have an offensive odor that will linger for days after you've painted.
If you don't want to breathe in irritating fumes or deal with bad paint odors, what are your options? Here are the tips on how to eliminate paint smells and keep them from coming back:
Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is good for absorbing odors in the laundry and refrigerator, so try to use it to trap paint fumes. When you're done with your painting project, cover the smelly clothing and equipment in a thick layer of baking soda. After about two days, remove the baking soda and wash everything as usual. With baking soda, you don't have to worry about that strongest paint smell coming back.
Use Vinegar
Vinegar helps in absorbing paint fumes. This is because vinegar tends to break up chemicals. Before painting cabinets or anything in your home, add some vinegar to a bucket of water and use it to wipe down your tools and surfaces. If the paint smell still lingers after washing with soap, add a cup of distilled white vinegar to absorb paint fumes. Once the smell is gone, you can wash your garments as usual.
Use Lemon Water
Add a few lemon slices in your bucket of water while you wash any item that smells of paint. The citric acid in lemon can remove the paint odor from your skin and clothing. Do not put wet clothes together with unripe lemons. They may rot the fabrics.
In addition, the water will absorb the paint odors, while the lemon will leave your room with clean and fresh air. To get the best results, sprinkle salt on the wet clothes. This removes the paint smell from your hands and other things, such as furniture. Also, leave the bucket in your freshly painted room to sit overnight.
Use Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds absorb odors well, especially paint smells. Put them inside small bowls in your room. They will smell fresh after a short while. But if you want to ensure the smell is completely gone before using them again for other purposes, put some vinegar in the bowl with coffee grounds and leave it overnight.
Coffee beans are a sure way of ensuring that fawl paint smell doesn’t linger around for long. They will not only reduce paint fumes and absorb a strong smell but will also leave your entire room with fresh air.
Use Odor Eliminating Candles
Since candle-lit rooms quickly lose their new paint smell, you can try this method after painting your room. Candles, especially scented ones, offer a great solution to eliminate paint odor. Put them in strategic spots around the room, and they will absorb the smell of paint. Candles also come in various flavors so you can choose your favorite fragrance among vanilla, clean cotton, and many more.
People who’re sensitive to strong smells must prefer this method. Candles will make the room smell fresh without causing any discomfort. They are available in various sizes, shapes, and colors, so you can choose one that matches the overall ambiance of your home.
Consider Natural Extracts
The best natural extracts available that can help to eliminate paint odors and refresh your room after a paint job are peppermint and vanilla. Put a few drops of vanilla extract on a cotton ball and place it in small bowls around your room to drive out the bad smell in an effective manner. You can also place a wet sponge with some cinnamon powder along walls or cupboards that emit a foul odor.
Alternatively, add one or two drops of extracts directly to your paint before you start painting. This will keep the area smelling fresh and eliminate any unpleasant smell.
Cut Up a Large Onion
This might sound weird, but it can work well to absorb any lingering odors as you upgrade your home. Cut onion and leave it on your shallow bowls around the house to soak up any nasty smells you may have lingered on. However, don't use these onion slices after completing the job because they may have absorbed volatile organic compounds.
You can also make an onion poultice to absorb any remaining paint smell from your body. Just cut up two or three large onions and soak them in a bowl with about a cup of water for 10 minutes. After drying off the skin on your hands with some paper towel, take a small piece of cheesecloth and tie it around your neck. Then take a large handful of the onion slices and push them up under your pits, back, and wrists. Leave this on for at least an hour to help neutralize any lingering paint fumes before taking a shower.
Use Charcoal
Try to use activated charcoal to reduce that odor smell. Charcoal is very effective and provides instant relief when it comes to removing fumes from a newly painted room..After purchasing them in small pouches, all you have to do is place them in bowls around your room, then wait for a few hours. Don’t throw the leftover sachets away. Instead, use it to eliminate bad smell from your shoes.
Ensure Proper Ventilation
Lastly, ensure there's proper ventilation to keep odors from your interior. Keep doors and windows open after painting to eliminate odors and fumes. Ensure you keep doors of other rooms closed to prevent fumes from spreading in your house.
Make Your Room Odor-Free With the Above Tips
To make your home odor-free, you need to follow these steps and ensure the paint odors don’t come back. You can also begin to capture these fumes from the start instead of waiting until the painting is over. Also try to avoid heavy fumes by selecting a low paint formula. If you must use oil based paints, then choose the ones marked as low odor.
