Non-motoring > Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: L'escargot Replies: 24

 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - L'escargot
In the past I've always done the interior decorating myself and have never had any problem with the smell of Crown or Dulux gloss paint. This year I conceded that I was no longer up to it, and I employed a decorator to do our lounge. It didn't occur to me to specify a paint with which I was familiar. The gloss paint the decorator chose was Johnstone's Liquid Gloss. It covered nicely with one coat but it has a strong and lasting smell ~ even after twelve days the smell is still very noticeable. I've learned my lesson and in future I'll specify what make of paint I want used.

The question is ~ what's the best way to get rid of paint smells indoors?
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Fenlander
For this very reason once we had our girls some 18yrs ago I went 100% onto water based gloss for interior use (so as babies they were not in the long lingering paint smell).

The answer is you can mask it with whatever you want but the slow drying volatiles are still going to be in the air until it's fully cured.... and I believe it takes a year for gloss to lose 50% of its evaporated VOCs.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Wed 5 Jun 13 at 15:04
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - corax
>> and I
>> believe it takes a year for gloss to lose 50% of its evaporated VOCs.

What? They are horrible to use too, though durable. A pita to clean the brushes. I'd rather use mild smelling water based and redo it more frequently.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Dog
www.howtogetridofstuff.com/odor-removal/how-to-get-rid-of-paint-smells/

www.howtogetridofit.com/how-to-get-rid-of-paint-smells/

;)
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Pat
My Mum would have told you to slice an onion and leave it lying in the room!

Pat
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Armel Coussine
>> slice an onion and leave it lying in the room!

They say a ripe durian can outpong nearly anything. But I suppose a skunk or half a dozen verminous old tomcats would do the trick.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - henry k
>>They say a ripe durian can outpong nearly anything.
>>
After we had one smuggled in to our open plan office from Singapore ( not allowed on flights) we were getting complaints several days after I would agree with its power.
One of the ladies who sampled it was also complaining for several days that the durian smell was still on her fingers.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - movilogo
Charcoal, bowl of vinegar etc.

Water based paints won't have smell for long. That's why oil based paints are now in decline.

 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - bathtub tom
Bowl of fresh grass cuttings.

Means you get out of the house (and smell) for a while each day to refresh them.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Alanovich
Just pretend you're the queen. She thinks the world smells of paint, as everywhere she goes there's some poor sod 100 ft in front of her desperately waving a paint brush.

(With thanks to Billy Connolly.)
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - VxFan
>> The question is ~ what's the best way to get rid of paint smells indoors?

Move to the address that your satnav thinks you live at ;)
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - CGNorwich
Move to the address that your satnav thinks you live at ;)

Tricky - might involve some start-stop. :-)
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Kevin
I tried water based gloss but you could see every brush stroke in the finish despite using top quality brushes. I've gone back to the smelly stuff.

A friend of my dad was obsessive about painted woodwork. He would continue painting and then rubbing down with extra fine wet and dry paper until it looked like enameled glass.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Cliff Pope
Open the doors and windows.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - rtj70
>> I tried water based gloss but you could see every brush stroke in the finish despite using
>> top quality brushes. I've gone back to the smelly stuff.

A couple of months back I went to buy some paint and got some quicker drying paint - useful I thought because the cat gets put in the kitchen at night so the door needed to be dry (she disturbs the house early otherwise and she has food/drink/access to garden).... turns out it was water based (ok I suppose)... but I could see this was going to take many coats of paint to cover the door.... After persevering I went and got 'normal' gloss because the door in question has dozens of panes of glass so takes ages to paint once let alone twice.

What was more annoying was the quick drying paint claimed to cover in one coat! It was never going to do that.

Can't comment on fumes because as usual I got Dulux.... which I know will go yellow over time.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Lygonos
>>which I know will go yellow over time.

Apparently modern whites are designed to stay white with exposure to UV light, and yellow when this doesn't happen.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - rtj70
>> Apparently modern whites are designed to stay white with exposure to UV light, and yellow
>> when this doesn't happen.

Yes but I think Dulux did make some changes. Our hall does get bright at times but obviously it's not going to get direct sunlight. Kitchen door might fair a little better for getting UV.

Reminds me how much better I think car paint used to be - although I now think current VW paint is still better than Ford and Mazda from experience.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 5 Jun 13 at 23:29
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - CGNorwich
The answer is of course not to paint your woodwork brilliant white. Look a bit naff anyway. A subtle off white of some description looks far nicer in my opinion.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - rtj70
Our gloss is not brilliant white. Time will tell how it goes.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Dog
>>The answer is of course not to paint your woodwork brilliant white. Look a bit naff anyway. A subtle off white of some description looks far nicer in my opinion

^ I'm with this geezer.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Zero
>> I tried water based gloss but you could see every brush stroke in the finish
>> despite using top quality brushes. I've gone back to the smelly stuff.
>>
>> A friend of my dad was obsessive about painted woodwork. He would continue painting and
>> then rubbing down with extra fine wet and dry paper until it looked like enameled
>> glass.

Thinning the paint down with each coat?
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Kevin
>Thinning the paint down with each coat?

Oh my Glub!

Please tell me you don't do the same?!!
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Zero
>> >Thinning the paint down with each coat?
>>
>> Oh my Glub!
>>
>> Please tell me you don't do the same?!!

No chance. My father did. His DIY efforts took months. I have developed the "thick enough to cover with one coat but not quite sag" technique.

Tho a paint sag did appear in the front door 8 MONTHS after I painted it!!!! Had to sand that panel and repaint.
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Cliff Pope
>
>>
>> Thinning the paint down with each coat?
>>

Finishing off with a coat of clear varnish, like a coachpainter ?


Gloss paint, especially white, has always seemed rather naff to me. I like satinwood.
I love those mixing machines that give a choice of 1001 colours.
Last edited by: Cliff Pope on Thu 6 Jun 13 at 08:12
 Best way to get rid of paint smells indoors? - Ambo
An open box of fresh grass clippings used to be recommended for sweetening the air in cars.

It is worth persevering with durians, by the way. Get past the smell and enjoy that rich flavour, the taste of custard perfumed with garlic and fudge.
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