“Persistent paint smell in the apartment: how to get rid of it and remove it?” - this question is asked by everyone who makes repairs in their own home and uses paint and varnish materials. And this is understandable.
This smell can easily interfere with the quiet life of the owner of the premises in which painting work is being carried out, negatively affect health, cause headaches and:
- allergies (up to the appearance of spots on the skin or suffocation);
- development of bronchial asthma;
- attacks of dizziness and headaches;
- fainting and bouts of vomiting.
In addition, the smell of paint is absorbed into the skin and clothes. Perhaps it’s not worth saying that a person exuding such an unpleasant amber will make passers-by shy away? But the problem can be solved. How? Everything ingenious, as they say, is simple. First of all, we should not forget that the best protection is prevention.
How to reduce paint smell before renovation?
Today there are many ways to do this. So, first you can add 2-3-4 drops of vanilla essence (literally a tablespoon) to the jar with the material. Just don’t forget to do a test before doing this: mix a small amount of paint and product separately. This will allow you to see if it changes color.
At the same time, you can turn on the air conditioner or dehumidifier. They will dry out the air, so there will no longer be a strong “fragrance” in your room. Well, remember that it is better to paint with the windows open and the fan on. A draft moving around the room will take almost all the smell with it.
How to eliminate the “fragrance” after repair?
First of all, you need to get rid of the source of the smell (wrap brushes and rollers in a bag and throw them away or take them to the garage, discard paint cans). Open all windows and doors if they were previously closed. Well, move somewhere yourself for 2-3 days (to your parents, friends, to a hotel...). Because living in an apartment riddled with drafts is much worse than living in one that smells of paint.
If this option does not suit you (for example, you have no relatives nearby), proceed as follows: take 1-2 large spoons of mustard powder, pour them into a bucket of water and wet clean the room. If this spice is not in the house, it can be replaced with ammonia or vinegar essence (1 tbsp per 5 liters of water). Such a mixture will absorb all the toxic fumes and odors, which will be very good.
After wet cleaning, experts advise placing buckets of clean water throughout the apartment. This will also get rid of the paint smell. True, the water will have to be changed two to three times a day.
How to eliminate amber using improvised means?
The products that almost every housewife has in stock can also become faithful helpers in the fight for clean air and a pleasant aroma spreading throughout the apartment. These include:
- Natural coffe. Of course, it will not “drive” the smell out of the house. But thanks to its strong aroma, it can easily disguise it. Pour the freshly brewed strong drink into glasses and place them in the rooms. By the way, you can use tea for the same purpose.
- Lemon.It should be cut into thin slices and laid out around the perimeter of the room in which the painting work was carried out. Let it lie like this for 1-2 days. After this, it must be thrown away (under no circumstances should it be eaten!).
- Onion and garlic. You should do the same with them as with lemon - cut into slices, put on a flat plate and place around the room. The onion or garlic smell will gradually replace the amber emanating from the paint. Just remember to replace the vegetables with fresh ones from time to time. After achieving the desired goal, it is worth opening the doors and windows for 3-4 hours (a little more is possible) so that their specific aroma evaporates.
- Baking soda. It does not smell, does not need cutting or brewing. The only thing worth doing is to sprinkle it on the carpet lying on the floor and leave it like that until the morning. Then sweep away with a broom, vacuum cleaner or brush. It is noteworthy that such a product will not only eliminate the odor from paints and varnishes, but will also refresh the floor covering and make it look newer.
- Mustard. This spice should be added to a bucket of water when washing furniture, walls, floors and windows. Of course, it won’t completely get rid of the smell of paint, but it will make it less intense.
When using these products, remember that coffee cannot “drive out” fumes harmful to your health. Placing onions and garlic around the rooms can lead to their smell permeating all your furniture and clothes. And mustard should absolutely not be mixed with vinegar or ammonia. To avoid an undesirable reaction, they should be used separately from each other.
Additional odor control products
The first remedy is peppermint essential oil. It can now be easily purchased at a pharmacy.To use the oil, you should add it (literally 3-4 drops!) to a bowl of water at the right time and leave it in the room. Another option is to soak cotton pads in oil and place them near the painted surface. If you perform this action, a pleasant mint aroma will soon spread throughout the apartment.
Another remedy is charcoal. This is a good absorbent that can neutralize unpleasant amber in a very short time. You don't need to do anything special with it. Just put the pieces in several containers and leave them in a painted room.
You can also use candles – both regular and scented. Their smell will cancel out the unpleasant amber emanating from the paint, and the apartment will be filled with fragrance. But be careful, do not forget to keep an eye on the burning candles so that a fire does not start in your home.
In addition, sheets or towels can help eliminate unpleasant paint odor. They need to be moistened in wet water (it will be good if you add 3-4 drops of essential oil to it in advance) and hung around the room. When the products dry a little (after about an hour), they should be rinsed again in clean water and placed in their original place.
Well, and, of course, do not forget that such modern technical devices as an ozonizer and an ionizer are always ready to come to your rescue. They can be turned on simultaneously.
Additional tips for eliminating odor
To remove unpleasant odor, don’t be afraid to combine different methods. For example, place buckets of water, hang wet towels, place containers of essential oils around the room, and on top of that, open doors and windows. This will allow you to achieve the desired result in a matter of hours.Afterwards, all you have to do is enjoy the results of the work and the beauty of your renovated home.
Do not forget to immediately after finishing the painting work put the dishes and brushes away, otherwise all attempts to remove the amber will be fruitless. Do not flush water used to clean these items down the toilet. In no case! Otherwise, paint particles will settle in the pipe and become another source of such an unpleasant odor.
That's all. We hope that our recommendations helped you, and the space of your apartment was filled with the wonderful aromas of vanilla, mint or baked goods that you decided to make for your beloved family.
