Home and Family – Report Source

Dealing with the pungent leftover pain smells is often one of the most unpleasant (and headache-inducing) aspects of redecorating, in itself a stressful undertaking. Inhaling paint fumes and vapours can cause us to feel dizzy, nauseous and disoriented. It can have even more severe side-effects on children and on people whose upper airways are sensitive to chemical-based irritating agents.

Not many of us are aware of the fact that paint is made up of pigments, a liquid part called the binder (or vehicle) and various additives and enhancers, depending on the particular type of paint. The essential part of the paint is the binder, which not only makes paint liquid, but also ensures the better part of its volume. Oil-based binders and water-based binders are two of the most common such types of vehicles (but by no means the only ones).

Paint is basically made up of two components – the pigment, which gives its color, and the binder, or vehicle – the liquid part which gives its volume and ensures that paint can be applied onto surfaces. As paint dries, the binder evaporates (and the VOCs along with it), leaving behind the gleaming coat we refer to as “the finish”.

Ordinary paint (that is, paint that is rich in VOCs) will very strongly smell. However, there are alternatives – known as odorless, or else low-odor paints. They are usually paints made up of pigments and a water-based binder that is a lot less chemically damaging than the traditional binder present in oil-based paints.

There are several potential routes to take if we wish to avoid the unpleasant after-effects of aerosolized VOCs. One idea is to opt for a low-odor or else for an odorless paint, both of which have a low concentration of VOCs and are therefore a lot less noxious than, say, traditional oil-based paints, Of course, odorless paint is somewhat of a misnomer, as not even this variety of paint will effectively be completely odor-free.

If the paint is already on the wall and we’re dealing with the after-effects, effective ventilation is the key. Open the windows and keep them open throughout the day. Also, leave the fan on and make sure to remove from the room all objects which can absorb paint smells – such as blankets, pillows or rugs.

The Crown Paint Smells makes redecorating enjoyable; change your home using Crown’s wide range of colors and ideas.