How to Get Rid of the Smell of Paint?

When you’re painting a new coat of paint, lingering fumes can be an annoyance and even dangerous. In addition to opening doors and windows to bring in fresh air from the outdoors, which is one of the most effective ways to get rid of the stink of fresh paint, there are other items you can find about the house that naturally absorb scents. You will learn methods that will start cutting down on the overall scent of paint fumes as soon as you start working on your project, which means you won’t have to wait until you’re done painting.

Because of improvements made to the manufacturing process, the overwhelming paint fumes of yesteryear aren’t nearly as potent as they once were. Because paints that are water-based do not give off strong odors, you should only experience lingering fumes for a couple of days after painting with them.

There are a few different methods that can help you get rid of the smell of paint more quickly:

1. Ensure that the space has adequate air circulation.

Keep the windows and doors open and ensure that there is a steady flow of air circulating within the space. If you position a few rotating fans around the room in such a way that they blow air toward an open window, they will be able to assist in the removal of the odours. Don’t switch the fans on until you’ve done your coat of paint and it’s touch dry.

2. Baking soda

Baking soda is miraculous. It naturally absorbs odours, so it’s helpful in places like your fridge.

If you want to use it to cut down on paint smells, pour it onto multiple plates and disperse them over the room. Leave it overnight and then throw it out in the morning.

For soft furniture like carpet or your sofa, sprinkle the baking soda over it, let overnight and then vacuum it up the next day.

3. Activated charcoal

Activated charcoal is another natural odour absorber. Because it is so commonly found in air purifiers and ventilation hoods for kitchens, you can be sure that it is effective.

As you did with the baking soda, put a few tablespoons of activated charcoal on separate plates and spread them out around the space. After a day or so has passed, you can toss it away because the odour should no longer be present.

4. Make sure that your home is cool.

If you leave the windows open and the room isn’t overly crowded, you should be able to maintain a comfortable temperature.

If you are painting during the winter, though, you shouldn’t turn on the heating until the paint is completely dried. This helps reduce the amount of paint fumes that are produced.

5. Low VOC

Pick a paint that has a low volatile organic compound (VOC) content to minimise the odor. Because volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are responsible for strong paint odors, selecting a paint with a low VOC content should result in a paint odour that is not nearly as potent.

6. Air purifier

Smells can be absorbed by air purifiers, which helps get rid of them more quickly. Because, in contrast to fans, air purifiers do not hasten the drying process but do get rid of odors, you can turn them on as soon as you begin painting even though they do not hasten it.

7. Onions

Using this method may result in your home having an onion-like odour for a short period of time, but it will eliminate the smell of paint.

Onions contain a chemical that neutralises the chemicals that make the paint smell. All you need to do is chop an onion in half and place it in the room you’re painting.

8. Candles

Sometimes, the best way to get rid of a smell is to mask it with another; find a candle you love and burn it for a couple of hours to cover the smell.