Reducing Odors After Painting

Deodorizing the Paint

• Deodorizing the paint will significantly reduce its odor. Add a few drops of vanilla extract to the paint. Alternatively, use peppermint oil if you find vanilla extract too expensive. Otherwise, use odor-free paint instead of the traditional paint. Although odor-free paint are not completely odorless, traditional paint has significantly stronger odor.

Deodorizing the Room

• Use charcoal because it has odor-absorbent qualities that can eliminate paint odor. Put lightly crushed charcoal in a bucket and place it in the middle of the room. Another way of deodorizing is to light a candle, place it in the middle of the room and leave if for three hours. If you are worried about the fire hazard, place buckets of water around the room instead.

Proper Air Flow

• Proper ventilation and air flow will help reduce paint odor. Make sure that the doors and windows are open in the room which you're painting. Although this may cause the odor to spread throughout the house, it will eliminate the odor faster. Keep the doors and windows open until the paint dries completely. Seal paint containers and take away painting materials from the room right after you finish painting.

Toning Down the Paint Thinner

• Use only the required amount of paint thinner to reduce the odor of the paint. Avoid using more than what is required. Follow the instructions in the paint cannister to know the exact amount of paint thinner to use. The ratio of paint to the paint thinner depends on the brand of paint you are using. Add the paint thinner slowly to the paint. Utilize caution when using paint thinners to avoid respiratory problems. Wear a breathing mask if necessary.