How To Clear Lungs Of Spray Paint? All Answers

If you decide to use house paint, how long should you wait before returning to a freshly painted room? This is a question people should consider, but often don’t. Paint fumes do not appear to be a serious health issue, but are known to cause problems. Paint products contain chemicals, so it’s important to take paint projects seriously.

It’s usually best to wait at least two to three days for the paint to dry and for the fumes to subside. Children with breathing difficulties and the elderly should avoid prolonged exposure to fumes from interior painting. That means waiting several days before moving back into a freshly painted room. Once they are brought back into the room, you should ventilate the room with air purifiers, fans and open windows.

The type of paint used will make a big difference in how much danger the house paint fumes will pose. If your home is drywall construction like most, you can use latex-based paint, which is much less caustic than oil-based paint. The amount of toxicity even varies between brands, so it’s important to consult a professional painter as to which brands are the safest. When choosing the color to use for your interior painting project, choose colors that are suitable for indoor use and VOC-free.

Also, choose the right time of year for your painting projects. It is best to avoid extremes such as summer and winter. The weather should be mild enough to allow doors and windows to be opened and fans to be used.

If you live in an apartment complex, you should speak to your landlord or property manager about any painting work you plan to do. This can help the manager warn other tenants, which is important as paint fumes could affect your neighboring home. It would be wise to alert your neighbors in case the property manager doesn’t take the initiative.

If you are interested in painting the interior of your home but don’t know what color is the best and safest, give us a call. At Tom Saint Painting and Remodeling we can provide both helpful tips and interior painting applications. Click here for a free quote.

Sometimes people accidentally swallow or breathe in something they shouldn’t. This includes liquids, powders, gases and solid objects such as medicines or drugs, especially:

small parts of toys

Food or drink that “went the wrong way.”

smoke from fires

chemical and toxic fumes, including household gas (like the gas from your stove), aerosols or glue

button batteries

button batteries

Button batteries are small disk-shaped batteries commonly used in toys and small electrical products. Australian doctors have reported an increase in the number of serious and fatal button battery injuries in children in recent years. Button batteries can cause serious injury or death, especially if they get stuck in the esophagus (gullet). Keep them out of the reach of children.

When to call the ambulance

It can be difficult to determine if a small object or liquid has been swallowed or inhaled. If in doubt call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria).

If you or your child inhaled an object, such as a button battery, call an ambulance at Triple Zero (000).

You should go to the nearest emergency room if you have been advised to, or if you or your child:

difficulty breathing

cough that won’t stop

wheezing (or a whistling sound when breathing)

Chemical and toxic fumes

Vapors from chemicals or toxic substances can irritate your respiratory system, skin, and eyes, and inhaling a substance can make your nose and throat sore or swollen.

If you have inhaled chemical or toxic fumes, you should go to fresh air immediately. Open doors and windows wide.

If you are with someone who has inhaled toxic fumes, seek medical attention immediately. If they collapsed, call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance and begin CPR. Tell the operator what the poison was. If you are unsure you can call the Poison Control Center on 13 11 26.

If the person vomits, turn their head to the side to prevent choking.

Do not try to save someone when a toxic gas is involved, as you can also inhale the substance. Call Triple Zero (000) for help.

Some cleaning products can produce toxic gases when mixed together. If this happens, get some fresh air. Dispose of the mixed detergents safely if it is safe to do so. There should be instructions on the side of the package for safe disposal.

Intentional inhalation of substances

Some people intentionally inhale the fumes of common household substances like glue, gasoline, and aerosol sprays to get intoxicated or to harm or harm themselves.

Once you have done this, you should know that you are not alone and that help is available. Please discuss this with a doctor. Learn more about self-harm.

Chemical inhalation

They were exposed to chemical fumes. This can cause coughing symptoms, shortness of breath, eye, nose and throat irritation, and upper chest pain. It can also cause nausea, headaches, and dizziness. The treatment is to breathe fresh air. The symptoms should disappear completely within 24 hours. If lung damage has occurred, you may need further treatment.

Home Care Breathe fresh air for the next few hours. Stay away from enclosed spaces with poor air circulation.

Do not use detergents, paints, mineral spirits, or other volatile chemicals. Stay away from areas where these items are used.

Rest until you feel normal again. This can take up to 24 hours.

Do not smoke cigarettes for the next 24 hours. Stay away from other smokers too.

If this exposure occurred at work, contact your employer to make sure there are safe working conditions to which you can return. Proper safety equipment should always be used.

Aftercare Contact your doctor or as recommended.

What else are the lungs doing?

On this page we explain how important your lungs are, what can damage them and what you can do to protect your lungs.

What else are my lungs doing?

The lungs are exposed to the air, so they also play an important protective role in your body in conjunction with your immune system. Every breath you take not only transports oxygen, but also germs and other foreign bodies such as pollutants. As a result, your lungs are also designed to keep unwanted substances out of your body.

Mucus (a thick liquid) is produced in the walls of the small airways to keep your lungs clean and well lubricated. It’s moved by tiny hairs called cilia that line your airways. They move back and forth, sweeping a thin layer of mucus out of your lungs and down your throat. Undesirable substances stick to the mucus. When it reaches the throat, it is usually swallowed without you realizing it.

If your phlegm is building up or if you have an infection, coughing can help clear it from the airways.

The delicate structure of your lungs is wonderfully adapted to breathing while helping to protect your body from harm.

What can harm my lungs?

Your lungs can be damaged by prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke, air pollution (both outside and inside the home), or dust and fumes at work. When your airways become damaged, you can become more breathless over time. Sometimes the cause of lung damage is unknown.

How can I protect my lungs?

It can be difficult to protect yourself from environmental risks like air pollution. But you can protect your lungs by quitting smoking, improving the quality of air in your home, and doing everything you can to reduce your exposure to air pollution.

If you’re regularly exposed to things at work that could damage your lungs, like brick dust or sawdust, you need to make sure you’re wearing the right respiratory protective equipment (RPE). For example a protective face mask.

Quit Smoking If you smoke, quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health and lungs. Your doctor and pharmacist can help you find ways to make it easier for you. You are about three times more likely to quit with the help of support services and medication. We have more information to help you quit smoking.

Try to stay active

Staying active is one of the best things you can do for your lungs, especially if you have a lung condition.

There is plenty of support and advice out there for you on how to stay active. You can increase everyday activities like walking or gardening. Or you can take a fitness class at your local recreation center or community hall. You can also speak to a healthcare professional about a referral to a local pulmonary rehabilitation program.

First, take a look at our online exercise videos and download our free exercise guide. Keep yourself motivated by downloading our 12 week activity journal.

dealing with shortness of breath

How breathless you feel doesn’t always match the results of lung function tests and scans. Because it’s not just lung function that affects how you feel out of breath. Shortness of breath is also affected by the way you breathe, your lifestyle, and how you think and feel about your breathing.

Read more about shortness of breath in our online information, including advice on how to manage shortness of breath and the different treatment options available.

Download our information on how your lungs work (PDF 883 KB)

There are many reasons you might want to start an interior painting project – furnishing a child’s room, updating a bedroom, breathing life into your living room, to name a few. A fresh coat of paint can completely transform a room and is a great alternative to other costly and time-consuming renovations, like installing new floors or converting your garage into an office for good. However, painting is not without its downsides. Without proper care and attention, paint fumes can pose a serious health problem to those in your family.

What’s in paint fumes?

As the paint dries, the ingredients that keep it in its liquid form — including any harmful chemicals it contains — begin to evaporate, resulting in the familiar “new paint” smell. This is why the smell of wet paint is so much stronger than the smell of dry paint, even though paint can emit fumes long after it’s dry.

When the liquid ingredients in a paint begin to evaporate, they release vapors containing harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. VOCs are carbon-based chemicals that vaporize at room temperature and have been shown to cause a variety of adverse health effects. The solvents present in paint can emit a variety of VOCs, including:

toluene

xylene

ethanol

benzene

dichloromethane

formaldehyde

trichlorethylene

propylene glycol

glycol ether

styrene

acetone

The exact chemical composition of the paint fumes depends on the type of paint used. According to the EPA, water-based paints, typically referred to as latex or acrylic paints, emit fewer chemicals than oil-based paints. Choosing “VOC-free” or “low-VOC” paints can help reduce indoor air pollution and reduce health risks for household members, although they can still release odors or other unwanted substances like pesticides.

Note: Although our focus is on interior paints, art and craft paints can also release varying amounts of VOCs. Working constantly with paints, solvents, resins, and other potentially harmful materials, artists should take extra care to protect the air quality of their studio or workspace.

Health hazards and effects of inhaling paint fumes

The chemicals in paint fumes can have both short- and long-term health effects. While painting and while the paint dries, some people may experience symptoms such as headaches, watering eyes, dizziness, and breathing problems. Other immediate symptoms include throat and lung irritation and blurred vision. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends anyone who notices the above symptoms to leave the room immediately and get fresh air. Chronic exposure to VOCs, such as those found in interior paints, can cause damage to the nervous system, liver and kidneys, and some types of cancer.

Risks for special population groups

Some people are more susceptible to the chemicals in paint fumes than others. If you or a loved one belongs to one of the following groups, extra precautions may be needed to avoid adverse health effects when painting the home.

Pregnant women: Painting the nursery can be one of the most exciting steps in preparing for your new child. However, expectant mothers should reconsider participating in the painting process. Exposure to paint fumes during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, can increase the risk of some types of congenital abnormalities. The nervous system, ears, face, throat and kidney system of an unborn child are all susceptible to the side effects of exposure to VOCs in paint fumes (Hjortebjerg et al., 2012). In addition, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found a positive association between maternal exposure to fresh paint before and during pregnancy and childhood leukemia in their offspring.

Babies and Children: Although children can be thrilled to watch or participate in the painting process, it’s probably best for them to stay away from freshly painted rooms for at least a few days. Children’s exposure to the VOCs found in paints has been linked to increased rates of allergic symptoms, asthma, rhinitis and eczema (Choi et al., 2010). Paint fumes can be particularly dangerous for newborns, as they appear to increase the risk of childhood leukemia (Bailey et al., 2015).

Pets: Pets, especially those who are indoors all day, should be kept away from interior painting projects. Because they have less lung capacity than their owners, animals may be at greater risk of health effects from the toxic chemicals found in paint emissions. Birds are particularly vulnerable to air pollutants and should not be housed in a recently painted room, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

How long are paint fumes harmful?

You’re probably already looking forward to enjoying your newly painted room, but it might be best to wait a few extra days to set up your furniture and decor. It’s difficult to determine exactly how long a particular paint will emit noxious fumes, but most sources agree that a fresh coat of paint will continue to emit VOCs into the air even when it appears fully dried. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in Montgomery County, Maryland, recommends ventilating a room for 72 hours after you finish painting, even after the smell of paint fumes has dissipated, because some of the most toxic VOCs are odorless be able.

Although the majority of VOC outgassing typically occurs in the first week after painting, your walls can still emit harmful chemicals for years to come. In the air, these chemicals can cause chemical reactions that create particulate matter and ozone, both of which have been shown to have negative health effects. To minimize outgassing, many consumer and environmental organizations recommend using VOC-free and low-VOC paints.

How to get rid of paint smells and other safety tips

There are two steps to reducing indoor air pollution from painting: choose a paint with the lowest VOC emissions and take steps to remove outgassed VOCs from your home as quickly as possible. To maintain the quality of your indoor air during and after painting the interior of your home:

Buy only as much paint as you need. Keep leftover paint outside of the home, as paint cans can still emit volatile organic compounds after opening.

Choose a water-based paint and read the label to make sure the VOC level is within a safe range (the Utah Department of Environmental Quality recommends paints at 50 grams per liter or less).

During and up to three days after painting, increase the ventilation of your home, particularly the room or rooms that were painted. You can help reduce VOC levels in your home by opening windows and running fans.

When painting, take frequent breaks to get out of the room and breathe fresh air.

Avoid putting furniture, decorations, and clothing back into a room until most of the outgassing has taken place. If you leave fabric-covered furniture in an area while you’re painting, you can cover it with plastic tarps or drop cloths to prevent it from absorbing VOCs from the paint fumes.

Wait at least 72 hours before returning to a freshly painted room, even if you can no longer smell the paint fumes.

Use an air purifier to reduce VOC levels in the air. The Molekule air purifier destroys VOCs at the molecular level to purify the air in your room.

Whether you’re preparing a nursery for your new baby or trying to freshen up an unused guest bedroom, protecting your home and family from indoor air pollution is one of the most important parts of any painting job. By following the tips above, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor without worrying about the health effects of paint fumes.

Painting is one of the easiest forms of DIY. A fresh coat of paint can make a room look like new. However, if not done properly, painting can have health effects.

What are paint fumes?

Most interior paints have the potential to release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. VOCs are chemical pollutants emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. Inhaling VOCs can affect your health. The good news is that the paint industry is moving towards improving emissions of VOCs from paint. The federal government has established standards for emissions of VOCs from paint, but some manufacturers adhere to refined limits set by California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Conventional paints are generally divided into two categories: oil-based and water-based (latex). Oil-based paints contain a solvent made up of VOCs that are released during paint application and drying. Using a water-based paint can be a good alternative to a solvent-based paint to reduce the release of VOCs. A study evaluating low VOC latex paints concluded that low VOC latex paints may be a viable option to replace traditional latex paints to prevent indoor air pollution. However, paints marketed as “low-VOC” can still have significant emissions of some individual VOCs.

Risks of exposure to paint fumes

The effect that paint fumes cause can vary depending on factors such as the amount of the chemical in the indoor air, the length of time a person has been exposed and a person’s age, pre-existing medical conditions, and individual susceptibility.

Immediate symptoms may include

lung irritation

headache

dizziness

vision problems

More severe symptoms may occur in individuals exposed to high levels or prolonged exposure.

high-risk individuals

When it comes to the effects of paint fumes, risk isn’t necessarily just about exposure. There are certain individuals who are more susceptible to the potential harms of paint fumes. It’s important to take the necessary steps and precautions if you or someone in your life falls under any of these categories.

Pregnant women, babies and children

In preparation for a baby, parents-to-be often paint the nursery or try to renovate their home.

Although there are benefits in completing the painting before the baby is born, being exposed to the potential effects of VOCs released from paint can be harmful for pregnant women. In addition, children who are already at home may want to watch or be part of the action while mom or dad paints. Some studies have shown that having babies or children around when painting indoors is not a good idea.

pets

While you’re painting the interior of your home, it’s important to keep pets out of the room. As listed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), color poses a potential hazard to your beloved pets. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, birds are particularly susceptible to inhaled particulate matter.

People in work areas with high color exposure

As previously mentioned, people exposed to high levels of paint fumes or prolonged exposure may experience worse symptoms. According to a study of painters’ exposure to airborne particles and organic solvents, long-term exposure to paint fumes can lead to loss of lung function and serious lung problems.

Individuals with compromised respiratory systems

Individuals with compromised airways are at higher risk for health problems related to paint fumes. These individuals should limit their exposure.

How to minimize risk and exposure

Plan your painting strategically. While there may never be a time when your home is completely vacant, try to schedule painting when the number of people will be minimal.

While there may never be a time when your home is completely vacant, try to schedule painting when the number of people will be minimal. keep windows open. Open the windows while painting and for a while afterwards. This allows any remaining fumes to find their way out of your home.

Open the windows while painting and for a while afterwards. This allows any remaining fumes to find their way out of your home. Take breaks while painting. Long exposure can worsen the effects of paint fume symptoms. Take breaks to breathe fresh air to reduce your side effects.

. Long exposure can worsen the effects of paint fume symptoms. Take breaks to breathe fresh air to reduce your side effects. avoidance. Stay out of the room that has been painted for 2 to 3 days after you are done.

Stay out of the room that has been painted for 2 to 3 days after you are done. Follow directions and safety labels. Be sure to read all instructions and safety labels before beginning your painting project. It can also be beneficial to go beyond certain guidelines and wear gloves or a face mask while painting.

Be sure to read all instructions and safety labels before beginning your painting project. It can also be beneficial to go beyond certain guidelines and wear gloves or a face mask while painting. Use an air purifier. Air purifiers reduce VOCs in your interior. Consider running an air purifier in the room you’re painting and in other rooms where VOCs may have found their way.

How we deal with paint fumes and odors

TruSens air purifiers use an activated carbon filter to reduce the presence of odors and gases, including VOCs, commonly found in indoor air. The TruSens odor and VOC filter with True HEPA helps remove common cooking and cleaning odors and reduce VOCs.

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure to learn more.

Who doesn’t love the convenience and versatility of spray paint? It’s relatively easy to use, getting into every nook and cranny with ease that rollers and brushes can’t match.

It sticks to any material, glass, plastic, metal, concrete, wood and dries exceptionally fast compared to other traditional painting techniques.

The quick-drying formula has a shorter wet phase and consequently a short off-gas duration, minimizing the toxic load. Maybe that’s why it’s people’s favorite.

Now we know the days of lead-based paint are gone, leaving no ultra-deadly paint hanging around decades after application. However, this does not completely rule out that newer paints are dangerous even after drying.

If you have concerns beyond wet paint, you may be wondering about plain old spray paint.

Is Spray Paint Toxic Once Dry? Most indoor spray paints are perfectly safe when dry. It should be safe to touch and is fine to have around the house as long as it is not ingested. However, you should still be careful when applying spray paint and waiting for it to dry.

This article attempts to provide answers to many questions surrounding spray paint toxicity before and after drying. You’ll also find insights into ways to protect yourself and loved ones from post-use exposure for a worry-free time.

How toxic is spray paint?

Research has long established that some of the ingredients in spray paint are long-term carcinogens. The level of toxicity varies depending on the type and amount of chemical present.

The deadliest are volatile organic compounds. These VOCs usually evaporate into the air as the paint cures, and the fumes pollute the air. Low VOC spray paints are less aggressive than high VOC spray paints.

There are also solvent-based paints with minerals and resins intended to coagulate the paint. Any molecule that misses the intended surface ends up in the air and in the lungs. Even latex paints, which are known to be free of such toxins, contain some chemicals such as anti-corrosive agents, stabilizers and binders.

However, it’s reassuring to know that when spray paint is used properly, only 1% of the fumes are likely to end up in your lungs.

Such small amounts of the chemicals have never caused any serious side effects other than mild irritation of the nose and eyes, depending on individual sensitivity.

Nonetheless, long-term exposure can put you at risk of brain and organ damage. It is therefore imperative that you take safety precautions when spray painting.

Keep your work area well ventilated, or even better, work outdoors. Wearing a mask, gloves and safety goggles is also extremely important.

So when your surfaces are fully cured, you’re completely safe? Finally, it’s good to know if the materials you bring into your home are safe to use. Is spray paint toxic once it’s dried in any way?

Can dry spray paint be toxic?

Dry spray paint could only be “harmful” if it’s not fully cured, although the effect is negligible.

Sometimes the top coat may appear dry but the film(s) underneath may still be wet. In this case, a chemical reaction takes place and fumes are produced, even if you cannot smell them.

Spray paint is virtually non-toxic once it’s completely dry, in the sense that you can touch it without transferring chemicals through your skin pores. Also, it no longer emits toxic fumes after it has already gone through a chain of solidification reactions.

But don’t eat or lick. Ingested dry spray paint may cause mild gastrointestinal upset and vomiting. The real danger, however, is choking and getting solvents (in the case of oil paints) in your lungs.

How to minimize the toxic load of spray paint

To avoid long-term side effects, always aim for minimal exposure by:

Spray loose objects outdoors, e.g. B. in the garden. A separate dedicated workshop or garage is also better than indoors, especially if it has good ventilation.

If you need to spray paint indoors, say doors, window frames, walls or kitchen cabinets, make sure you open all doors and windows to allow free airflow. Ideally, other household members are absent.

Spray paint in dry, hot conditions. No vacation this summer? It would be the perfect time to do some painting work around the house as it dries faster than autumn or winter.

Invest in a fan, or even better, an air purifier like this one. The latter filters out polluted air and lets in a clean gush of fresh air. A simple fan will also help with air circulation and removal of the toxic gases.

Use the product according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pay particular attention to the recommended drying time and allow additional time if you suspect it may be necessary. Better safe than sorry.

related questions

Is there a risk of touching dried spray paint? None that we are aware of. Except maybe smearing it when it’s not completely dry, ruining your perfect, even and smooth coat. But just to be safe, don’t touch spray paint and then touch your mouth.

Can you spray the inside of food containers and kitchen cabinets? No, it is not advisable to use spray paint in food containers as they are not food safe. You can use it on cabinets when the food stored there is packaged or in containers and not in direct contact with the paint.

What is the least toxic spray paint? One-component spray paints such as water-based paint, also known as latex paint, are the least toxic spray paints.

Spray paint toxicity – overview

If the big question in your head was, “Is spray paint toxic once dry?” now you can relax and reach for a can to refresh your stuff with a new color.

Whether it’s the furniture on your porch, your planters, bedroom walls, or the garage door, you don’t have to worry about any carcinogenic effects after application.

Fully dried spray paint is not toxic by touching it or inhaling the airspace around it. You should be absolutely sure.

Next: Is superglue food safe? – The truth

The home renovations have begun and you have finally started making the necessary improvements that you have been dying to make to your home. It could be a change to your flooring, new wood cabinets in your kitchen, or even a fresh coat of paint on your TV stand, walls, or even your front door. Along with these changes, not only does your home gain a fresh new look, but it also transforms the air quality of your home due to the potentially high levels of chemicals that these minor changes to the indoor environment can release.

Paint is a renovation item that can drastically affect indoor climate and affect air quality when applied in that tight space. Although a variety of low VOC and low odor consumer paints are available on the market today, these paints still pose a major risk to indoor air quality and the public health of those exposed to these paint fumes.

In this article, we will discuss the hazards that spray paint poses to the environment and public health, as well as the best method for getting rid of spray paint smell and fumes in a home.

There are many reasons you might want to start an interior painting project – furnishing a child’s room, updating a bedroom, breathing life into your living room, to name a few. A fresh coat of paint can completely transform a room and is a great alternative to other costly and time-consuming renovations, like installing new floors or converting your garage into an office for good. However, painting is not without its downsides. Without proper care and attention, paint fumes can pose a serious health problem to those in your family.

What’s in paint fumes?

As the paint dries, the ingredients that keep it in its liquid form — including any harmful chemicals it contains — begin to evaporate, resulting in the familiar “new paint” smell. This is why the smell of wet paint is so much stronger than the smell of dry paint, even though paint can emit fumes long after it’s dry.

When the liquid ingredients in a paint begin to evaporate, they release vapors containing harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. VOCs are carbon-based chemicals that vaporize at room temperature and have been shown to cause a variety of adverse health effects. The solvents present in paint can emit a variety of VOCs, including:

toluene

xylene

ethanol

benzene

dichloromethane

formaldehyde

trichlorethylene

propylene glycol

glycol ether

styrene

acetone

The exact chemical composition of the paint fumes depends on the type of paint used. According to the EPA, water-based paints, typically referred to as latex or acrylic paints, emit fewer chemicals than oil-based paints. Choosing “VOC-free” or “low-VOC” paints can help reduce indoor air pollution and reduce health risks for household members, although they can still release odors or other unwanted substances like pesticides.

Note: Although our focus is on interior paints, art and craft paints can also release varying amounts of VOCs. Working constantly with paints, solvents, resins, and other potentially harmful materials, artists should take extra care to protect the air quality of their studio or workspace.

Health hazards and effects of inhaling paint fumes

The chemicals in paint fumes can have both short- and long-term health effects. While painting and while the paint dries, some people may experience symptoms such as headaches, watering eyes, dizziness, and breathing problems. Other immediate symptoms include throat and lung irritation and blurred vision. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends anyone who notices the above symptoms to leave the room immediately and get fresh air. Chronic exposure to VOCs, such as those found in interior paints, can cause damage to the nervous system, liver and kidneys, and some types of cancer.

Risks for special population groups

Some people are more susceptible to the chemicals in paint fumes than others. If you or a loved one belongs to one of the following groups, extra precautions may be needed to avoid adverse health effects when painting the home.

Pregnant women: Painting the nursery can be one of the most exciting steps in preparing for your new child. However, expectant mothers should reconsider participating in the painting process. Exposure to paint fumes during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, can increase the risk of some types of congenital abnormalities. The nervous system, ears, face, throat and kidney system of an unborn child are all susceptible to the side effects of exposure to VOCs in paint fumes (Hjortebjerg et al., 2012). In addition, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found a positive association between maternal exposure to fresh paint before and during pregnancy and childhood leukemia in their offspring.

Babies and Children: Although children can be thrilled to watch or participate in the painting process, it’s probably best for them to stay away from freshly painted rooms for at least a few days. Children’s exposure to the VOCs found in paints has been linked to increased rates of allergic symptoms, asthma, rhinitis and eczema (Choi et al., 2010). Paint fumes can be particularly dangerous for newborns, as they appear to increase the risk of childhood leukemia (Bailey et al., 2015).

Pets: Pets, especially those who are indoors all day, should be kept away from interior painting projects. Because they have less lung capacity than their owners, animals may be at greater risk of health effects from the toxic chemicals found in paint emissions. Birds are particularly vulnerable to air pollutants and should not be housed in a recently painted room, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

How long are paint fumes harmful?

You’re probably already looking forward to enjoying your newly painted room, but it might be best to wait a few extra days to set up your furniture and decor. It’s difficult to determine exactly how long a particular paint will emit noxious fumes, but most sources agree that a fresh coat of paint will continue to emit VOCs into the air even when it appears fully dried. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in Montgomery County, Maryland, recommends ventilating a room for 72 hours after you finish painting, even after the smell of paint fumes has dissipated, because some of the most toxic VOCs are odorless be able.

Although the majority of VOC outgassing typically occurs in the first week after painting, your walls can still emit harmful chemicals for years to come. In the air, these chemicals can cause chemical reactions that create particulate matter and ozone, both of which have been shown to have negative health effects. To minimize outgassing, many consumer and environmental organizations recommend using VOC-free and low-VOC paints.

How to get rid of paint smells and other safety tips

There are two steps to reducing indoor air pollution from painting: choose a paint with the lowest VOC emissions and take steps to remove outgassed VOCs from your home as quickly as possible. To maintain the quality of your indoor air during and after painting the interior of your home:

Buy only as much paint as you need. Keep leftover paint outside of the home, as paint cans can still emit volatile organic compounds after opening.

Choose a water-based paint and read the label to make sure the VOC level is within a safe range (the Utah Department of Environmental Quality recommends paints at 50 grams per liter or less).

During and up to three days after painting, increase the ventilation of your home, particularly the room or rooms that were painted. You can help reduce VOC levels in your home by opening windows and running fans.

When painting, take frequent breaks to get out of the room and breathe fresh air.

Avoid putting furniture, decorations, and clothing back into a room until most of the outgassing has taken place. If you leave fabric-covered furniture in an area while you’re painting, you can cover it with plastic tarps or drop cloths to prevent it from absorbing VOCs from the paint fumes.

Wait at least 72 hours before returning to a freshly painted room, even if you can no longer smell the paint fumes.

Use an air purifier to reduce VOC levels in the air. The Molekule air purifier destroys VOCs at the molecular level to purify the air in your room.

Whether you’re preparing a nursery for your new baby or trying to freshen up an unused guest bedroom, protecting your home and family from indoor air pollution is one of the most important parts of any painting job. By following the tips above, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor without worrying about the health effects of paint fumes.

dr Squeezing past trolleys piled high with goods through the crowd navigating the sweltering alleyways of Nairobi’s bustling informal industrial sector, Faridah Were can’t hide her unease when she sees a man sticking half an arm into a large bucketful Food is dipped color.

Framed by towers of colorful paint buckets in front of his small wooden kiosk, Njuki Mwangi stops hand-mixing his new batch of paint and looks up with a smile.

dr Were on a mission. She is working with health and medical experts to help Kenya eliminate lead from its paint industry – the poison added to paint that is responsible for an estimated 600,000 new cases of intellectual disability in children each year.

She asks Mwangi if he is aware of the dangers he is putting himself in. It’s not him. The unregulated informal sector employs three out of four Kenyans, meaning that the majority of the workforce works in settings that lack the health and safety protections enjoyed in formal employment.

Lead-free paint has been used in many countries for decades and has proven to be a viable, cost-effective alternative, but only 36 percent (62 of 196 countries) have legal limits for lead-based paint. The Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint – led by UN Environment and the World Health Organization – has set a goal for all governments to ban lead in paint by 2020.

“All lead in paint must be phased out here in Kenya,” says Dr. were. “We have been working closely with relevant government agencies to develop national lead standards and hopefully we are on track to meet the 2020 goal of completely banning lead in paint.”

Milk is not a cure

A little further up the alley from Mwangi’s paint shop, hidden behind apartment buildings and next to three women sitting against a wall shredding raw chicken, a car painter is busy at work. The fumes from the small yard can be smelled dozens of meters away.

dr Were finds Elijah grinding a used car. Elijah says he knows lead paint can make you sick. He says he sometimes wears a mask but points to his work colleague who is working hard spraying another car without protective gear.

“You should drink milk after spraying,” he says, “because milk helps remove the paint stain from your chest.”

Unfortunately for Elijah, Dr. Tom Menge, chief pharmacist at Nairobi’s Kenyatta Hospital, said the solution to preventing the adverse health effects of lead exposure isn’t as simple as drinking a glass of milk every day after work.

“One of our challenges is that [some people] are aware of the toxic effects and have their own ideas about how to prevent poisoning,” says Dr. Crowd. “We have a lot of people who think they’re fine if they expose themselves to lead in paint and drink milk — there’s no scientific evidence that milk has the ability to stop you ingesting lead.”

In many countries around the world it is still legal to sell lead-based paint for use in industry, to decorate homes, schools and children’s toys. Because lead paint degrades over time, children in particular can inhale or ingest lead through house dust, paint shavings, or contaminated soil. Childhood lead poisoning can have lifelong health effects, including learning disabilities, anemia, and impairment of coordination, visual, spatial, and language skills.

dr Menge said it’s not just children who are at risk. Lead exposure can impair brain function and fertility in adults, can affect the healthy development of an unborn child’s organs and possibly cause miscarriage, and in adult males it can cause infertility.

Although some paint companies in Kenya are now switching to manufacturing lead-free paints – namely Basco, Sadolin and Crown Paints – Dr. He adds that more government support and enforcement is needed, particularly to clean up informal industries where exposure is potentially very high through the use of lead-based paints, solder and batteries.

“It’s a silent killer … it’s not obvious from the symptoms because most often it’s from chronic lead exposure over a long period of time,” he said.

He adds that it’s likely we all have a small amount in our bodies from environmental exposure; However, when that exposure is concentrated, the harmful effects begin to come into play.

“It is high time we addressed the issue of lead in the informal sector. The cost of treatment is so high… the only solution is prevention,” he says.

From 23rd to 29th October 2016 the international lead poisoning prevention week takes place