Sick of having to put up with the smell of paint? Here are 11 easy ways to get rid of it quickly.
Painting in the home gives it a fresh look and new aesthetic appeal, but sometimes it leaves something more than a beautiful transformation, something that you don’t want lingering around.
That something is paint smell.
Paint smell is created by the solvents in paint evaporating, part of the natural process of paint drying. The issue is prominent with oil-based products like eggshell, satinwood and gloss because they are solvent heavy.
These paints are highly effective, versatile and create a beautiful finish, but using them comes at a cost.
The fumes from using them are not only stinky, but some studies and organisations suggest the VOC’s within them (Volatile Organic Compounds) could even be bad for indoor air quality and the health of everyone who spends time in the area that has been painted.
The good news is, there are lots of ways to get rid of those fumes and that eye watering smell so you can get to enjoying your freshly painted walls without compromise.
Here are 11 highly effective ways to get rid of paint smell:
1. Unibond Aero 360º
The Unibond Aero 360 is a device that absorbs moisture in the air, like any standard humidifier. The reason it is superior in its ability to absorb moisture is the special aerodynamic design which boosts air circulation, all whilst working without electricity for extra placement freedom.
The reason it’s a great idea to use a Unibond Aero 360 when you are painting with solvent paints is that it has special design features that mean it’s able to effectively absorb odours. So the moisture from the air it absorbs, such as the solvents evaporating from the paint, are not only collected but the odour is neutralised.
It’s a fantastic, fuss-free option for paint smell control in domestic and business settings.
2. Bamboo Charcoal
If you’re looking for a natural, chemical-free option for paint smell elimination bamboo charcoal is an excellent choice. The Nature Fresh Air Purifier Bags use highly absorbent activated charcoal that is able to remove nasty odours in less than 24 hours.
You only need one bag for 100 square feet, so you can easily place the bags around whilst you paint the home and feel sure they’re helping to get rid of nasty paint odours.
Customers who are conscious of the aesthetics of practical accessories like odour absorbers will love how attractive the bamboo charcoal bags are. They fit in with any decor style using natural materials and a neutral colour design.
3. Neutradol
Neutradol Gel Odour Destroyer is designed to effectively remove nasty smells, like paint smell, quickly and effectively. The device is really compact at just 520 grams so it’s easy to place anywhere near the painting you are doing.
Despite its small size, it is highly effective at absorbing odours, using a mixture of select chemicals to collect and retain bad smells quickly.
4. Onions
If you need a quick and natural way to get rid of paint smell of paint in your home, you may not know that onions can help. The onions not only absorb the fumes from the paint, but they neutralise the solvent fumes.
Solvents evaporating from the paint smell because of a chemical called an aldehyde. The strong aldehyde odour is then neutralised by a chemical called syn-propanethial-S-oxide which is naturally created by onions.
All you need to do is cut the onions in half and leave them near the area being painted and they should neutralise the smell without making your home smell of onions.
5. Baking Soda
When it comes to natural cleaning and home maintenance, is there anything baking soda can’t do? Probably, but that’s not the case when it comes to absorbing paint smell. It’s an amphoteric compound. This means that it reacts with any strong molecules it comes into contact with – acidic or alkaline – neutralises them, releases CO2 and turns them into a different substance that doesn’t smell anymore.
All you need to do is place some bowls of baking soda right near the painted surface and allow it to absorb the smell. It may not completely remove the odour altogether, but it could significantly reduce it. The trick is to close the doors and trap the fumes in with the baking soda for it to be an effective method of odour control
6. Coffee Grounds
Have you ever purchased freshly ground coffee, stored it next to something perfumed or strong smelling and found you have an awful tasting coffee when you use the grounds?
This happens because coffee grounds are fantastic at absorbing odours. It does this because it contains nitrogen and caffeine. Caffeine gives the nitrogen a special boost that helps it absorb sulfur and other nasty fumes in the air.
All you need to do is place coffee grounds in some bowls or tubs around the area you are painting. Some people also recommend spreading it on sheets of paper for the odour eating capabilities to work their very best.
7. Scented Candles
You can use any scented candle to replace a bad smell with a nice smell, which won’t get rid of the bad odour but it will improve it. You can also get special odour eliminating candles that work slightly differently.
This is because they produce negative ions that neutralise nasty odour molecules in the air. Those molecules are then absorbed or they fall away, and the air is cleared of the bad odour.
8. Essential Oils
Essential oils can replace a bad smell with a nice smell, much like a scented candle. You may find that burning essential oils is more effective because the smell is often more concentrated and strong.
If you don’t know which essential oil to try, citrus smells are particularly effective at reducing nasty odours in rooms.
9. Vinegar
White vinegar contains up to 9% acetic acid which when in contact with alkaline molecules, it neutralises them effectively. You can finely mist white vinegar in the room you are painting to absorb the paint smell.
You can mix the vinegar with water is the vinegar smell is too strong for you. Some people also swear by simmering vinegar and allowing the steam from the vinegar to find the bad smells, bind and neutralise them.
10. Lemons
Lemons are an effective natural option for dealing with paint smell replacing it with a pleasant citrusy scent instead. There are multiple lemon air freshener recipes and techniques you can follow but we like this one the most:
- Cut the lemon into slices
- Place the lemon into a pan with a few cups of water
- Add additional herbs like rosemary or mint if you want a different flavour profile
- Simmer the water
- Add water as needed
This should only be done with complete supervision of the pan. The idea is that the odour of the lemons and herbs fills your home and neutralises any bad smells.
11. Proper Ventilation
Ventilating the area being painted allows fumes to escape, which will result in the area eventually smelling neutral again. Ideally, you will allow air to flow through the space with multiple ventilation points being open as much as possible for the days following painting.
Beautiful Walls And No More Paint Smell
The eleven methods above can help you enjoy stunning, freshly painted walls for a gorgeous new home aesthetic and no nasty odours to contend with.