You cannot describe all the sensations caused by the contemplation of your own apartment after a major renovation - everything sparkles with novelty and freshness! True, the air did not change for the better - it became heavy, with a chemical aftertaste. How to get rid of the smell of paint that filled the entire home? If you just wait for a specific aroma to disappear on its own, then it will settle in the house for a long time, clothes and furniture will be saturated with it, there will be a taste of paint even in morning coffee and sandwiches made for a snack at work. Act Immediately!
Actions during repair
Start the fight against suffocating fumes well in advance.
- In winter time. Before painting, dry the air in the room as much as possible - turn on the air conditioner or heating. This will dry the paint faster, and you will be able to remove the nasty smell in a short time.
- On warm days. Do not get tired of ventilating the room while painting: open the windows in the room, turn on the fan, or use the air conditioner again.
- Be sure to remove open boxes of paint, paint brushes, used rollers, trays from the room. Together with them, you will be able to eliminate one of the sources of "fragrance".
Post-repair fight against odors
Do not rush to immediately settle down in a freshly painted apartment - try first to weather the post-repair fumes hazardous to health.
Intensive ventilation
How to get rid of the smell after renovation? Make your relatives happy - stay with them for a couple of days. Before leaving, open all the vents and hoods, the doors to the balcony to create drafts in the house. This method works great in the summer when the weather is warm, dry. Or turn on the air conditioner, choosing functions that will help eliminate heavy odors - ionization, air purification.
Aroma absorption
Try to reduce the smell of oil paint using a wet cleaning with vinegar: wipe all painted surfaces with a vinegar solution (5 parts water, part vinegar). Instead, you can take mustard powder: a tablespoon of mustard will be enough for 5 liters of water. By the way, with this solution, many hostesses wipe all wooden surfaces after repairs.
Use water as a absorber of unpleasant odors: fill in buckets, basins, wide bowls of water and arrange indoors.
To remove odors faster, add a few tablespoons of ordinary table vinegar to the basins: its vapors destroy the molecules of chemical dyes in the air. Change the water more often (every 2-3 hours) to remove the smell completely.
High humidity in the room will help neutralize the aroma after painting. Moisten plenty of clean sheets and towels and hang them in the renovated room, moisten them as they dry.
Burn with the desire to quickly get rid of the smell of paint in the apartment - apply several methods at the same time.
If after the next trip to barbecue you still have charcoal, consider yourself lucky, because it is reputed to be an excellent sorbent of unpleasant odors. Pour the charcoal into containers or flat bowls, place them close to the painted surfaces and leave for several days. Instead of charcoal, you can pour baking soda, drop a few drops of ammonia into each container and place it indoors.
Have a romantic candlelight evening. Light more candles, let them maintain a romantic mood for several hours in a row: together with oxygen, volatile residues of paint and varnish materials will burn out. Optionally, use scented candles to not only remove the chemical scent, but also infuse your home with a wonderful oriental scent.
While you were looking for ways to deal with toxic paint smells, have the upholstery and carpets been saturated with them? Sprinkle baking soda over these surfaces overnight, and then vacuum the next morning. Together with soda - an excellent sorbent - the smell will also go away. Be careful - baking soda can lighten dark upholstery.
Masking odors
It was not possible to completely remove the smell of paint and it still left a "aftertaste" - try to reduce the annoying aroma, masking with others, no less persistent.
Not a single solid repair is complete without the use of paints and varnishes. But how to get rid of the smell of paint in the apartment, cruelly eating up all the post-repair joy?
Worry in advance ...
- Add a few drops of vanilla, mint or lemon essence to the paint can to at least slightly remove the nasty chemical smell.
- Remember, paint smells strong when it is liquid. At high humidity, it dries longer and, if you think logically, it “smells” longer. Therefore, dry the air before work: use a desiccant, turn on heating, air conditioning for a short time.
- When painting, open all windows, turn on the fan and point it towards the window. Allow fresh air to travel freely around the room: it will carry paint and varnish fragrances outside.
What to do after repair
To get rid of paint odors immediately after renovation, you need to be patient and use effective methods!
Airing
At all times, airing has been the most effective method to get rid of any odor. Nothing has changed in our days. The longer you open windows and balcony doors after renovation, the less paint will smell on your things, furniture and yourself. By the way, be sure to get rid of the source of the smell: used painting supplies (roller, brushes), tray and container where the paint and varnish material was stored.
Wedge wedge ...
And if not the season for airing? It is necessary to remove the persistent smell of paint with another - no less persistent. And onions and garlic immediately come to mind! Grate these ingredients, put in small portions on a saucer and lay out on windowsills, tables, bedside tables. There is one "but" in this method: the incredibly strong smell of onions and garlic can be so absorbed into the soft upholstery of your furniture that you will have to get rid of their specific aroma!
Wet cleaning
After intensive airing, wipe all wooden parts of the interior with water and mustard: add 1-2 tablespoons of dry mustard to 10 liters of water. A vinegar or ammonia solution will help get rid of the annoying smell in the apartment: dissolve a tablespoon of vinegar or ammonia in 5 liters of warm water. Wash the painted surface with it.
Smoking out
So that the smell of paint after repair does not linger in the apartment for a long time, smoke it in the literal sense of the word. Light a few candles and let them burn for four hours. Together with oxygen, they will burn the smell of paint - this is the whole secret of smoking. And if you are not stingy and buy scented candles, your home will be filled with a real fragrance!
Just be extremely careful with the fire so that you do not have to puzzle over how to get rid of the burning smell in the apartment.
Using natural filters and absorbents
Soak a few terry towels and old sheets, hang them around the apartment, place wide containers of cold water on the floor. Moisture perfectly absorbs all odors, it will help to remove this one too.
Ground coffee, baking soda with a few drops of ammonia, charcoal, salt are excellent absorbents. Place them in flat containers and arrange them around the perimeter of the room. They will help you get rid of the chemical odor in no time. And ground coffee beans will fill your home with the incomparable aroma of an invigorating drink!
Do not be afraid to combine different methods: this way you will be more likely to get rid of paint smell and really enjoy the results of the repair.
Many are planning to renovate their apartment for the winter. The dwelling is being transformed and, of course, looks very beautiful and attractive. However, after the repair, the smell of paint remains for a long time. The downside of this is not even so much in the pungent smell, but in the possibility of allergic reactions. After all, many are allergic to all kinds of varnish-and-paint materials, without which no repair can do.
This means that the sooner you get rid of the smell of paint in the apartment, the better. We have selected several effective recommendations for this:
Of course, the easiest and most effective way to drive out the "aroma" is to open wide all the windows and wait until the smell of paint has completely disappeared from the apartment. The disadvantage here is quite significant - the final getting rid of the smell will come only after a few days, but for this time you will have to go somewhere, because living in an apartment with drafts is even worse than living in an apartment that smelled of varnish and paint.
Place as many buckets of clean water as possible around the apartment. After a while, the water will successfully absorb odors and toxic fumes, and you can live in the room again. True, this process is quite long, it is better to change the water a couple of times a day.
Recommendation number 3. Coffee
Of course, coffee will not expel the smell of paint from the house, but it can successfully “mask”, “interrupt” it. We all know how strong the aroma of this drink is. Make several cups of strong coffee and arrange them around the rooms. The bad smell will almost disappear. However, you need to know: in this case, fumes, harmful to health, will not go anywhere. The aroma of coffee will just help you stay in a room that smells of paint for a while.
Buy peppermint oil or vanilla extract at the pharmacy, dissolve a few drops of this "magic" product in a bowl of water. Another option is to soak a few cotton pads with oil and place them near the painted surfaces.
Charcoal is an excellent absorbent. Just put the pieces of coal in several containers and place them indoors. Already after a short time, even the strong odor of the paint is neutralized by the coal.
Peel and cut several large onions into 4 pieces. Take a few plates, put a quarter of onion on each and place them throughout the room. Gradually, the aroma of onions will replace the smell of varnish or paint. You can change the onion for fresh after a while.
Recommendation No. 7. Candles
You will need a few regular candles, without any aromatic additives. Light them and let them burn for a few hours. Flammable and strong smelling vapors of solvents and paints will burn in an open flame.
Soak a few sheets in cold water and hang them all over the room. Towels can help instead of sheets. Rinse the fabric every hour in clean water and hang again.
This simple product will help remove paint odors that have soaked into the carpet on the floor. Just sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda over the carpet and let it sit overnight. In the morning, it will not be difficult to remove the soda with a vacuum cleaner, and with it the unpleasant smell will go away.
Cut a few lemons into thin circles, spread the circles around the perimeter of the painted room. After a day or two, discard the lemon slices that have absorbed the smell of paint.
Finally, paint odors can be dealt with more professionally by using devices such as an ionizer and an ozonizer, which can be turned on at the same time.
After renovation, an unpleasant smell of paint remains in the house, which is not so easy to get rid of. Often because of him, the state of health worsens, the head begins to hurt. In addition, the smell penetrates into all nooks and crannies. As a result, the clothing begins to exude a "scent" of the solvent. How to get rid of paint smell quickly and cost-effectively?
How to prevent bad odor
So how to get rid of paint smell? Until the problem arises, you can take some preventive measures. There are a number of rules, compliance with which will prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor:
- Choose the right paint. PF enamel should be without a pungent odor.
- Painting work should be done with the windows open.
- It is recommended to wash off the remains of enamel from instruments in the fresh air.
- Proper storage of paint cans, brushes and rollers will help prevent unpleasant odors.
How to choose paint
PF paint is considered the most popular coating. The range of such material is quite large. This allows you to choose not only the appropriate color, but also the consistency. It is worth considering that water-based paint has a less pronounced aroma. It dries up within 2-4 hours. As for the cost of such products, it is very democratic. To remove residues of such paint from tools, the use of special solvents is not required.
Painting process, storage, removal from tools
If PF paint has a pungent odor, then it is recommended to apply it on the surface only with open windows. This will not only allow you to quickly eliminate the unpleasant "odor", but also significantly reduce the impact on the body of harmful vapors.
It is recommended to remove PF enamel from the surface of instruments only in the fresh air. Otherwise, the situation will only get worse.
As for the storage of paints and varnishes, it is recommended to place cans with liquid not in residential premises, for example, in a barn, basement or in a warehouse. In this case, the containers must be tightly closed and then wrapped in plastic bags.
After painting, tools are recommended to be thoroughly cleaned, dried and then placed in plastic bags. You can store them in the bathroom or in the toilet on a closed shelf, since ventilation works better in such places.
We ventilate the room
How to get rid of the paint smell in the living area? If you could not avoid the appearance of an unpleasant "aroma", then you can resort to folk remedies. First of all, the room should be ventilated. It is necessary to open all the windows for a draft to appear. For greater effect, you can also open the front door. If there are no windows in the room, then it is worth installing a fan.
After 12 hours of such airing, only a slight reminder of an unpleasant odor will remain. After a few days, the scent of the paint will completely disappear. This procedure is relevant only in the warm season. In winter, folk remedies can be used to eliminate the pungent odor.
What can be used to combat paint odor
How to get rid of the smell of paint with folk remedies? For similar purposes, you can use:
- Natural plant extracts.
- Lemons.
- A vinegar solution.
- A damp cloth.
- Water.
- Scented candles.
- Coal.
- Coffee.
- Air humidifiers.
- Soda.
By resorting to such remedies, you can quickly get rid of unpleasant odors. This is especially true in cases where airing the room is impossible.
Plant extracts
Various plant extracts can be used to get rid of the paint smell. Vanilla works best with unpleasant aromas. The extract of this plant is often used in cooking. It will not be difficult to purchase a product. Mint essential oil can also overcome the smell of paint. You can buy it at almost any pharmacy.
It is enough to place a container with cotton swabs soaked in extract or essential oil near the painted surface. Also, these substances can be dissolved in a small amount of water.
Many experienced painters recommend adding a few drops of vanilla extract directly to the paint and then spreading it evenly. This method is considered the most effective. However, the desired result is achieved only when natural, high-quality vanilla extract is used.
Coffee and coal
If you are a connoisseur of coffee, then coffee grounds will help you get rid of the unpleasant smell of paint. It is enough to brew the drink with a small amount of boiling water and place containers with it around the perimeter of the painted room. It is worth noting that coffee grounds are able not only to mask, but also to absorb an unpleasant smell.
As for charcoal, you can buy it at any store. This product is absorbent. In the shortest possible time, coal will absorb all unpleasant aromas. It is enough to spread it out in small containers and place it around the perimeter of the painted room.
Water and scented candles
Today in stores they are sold for every taste. When burning, such a simple device destroys combustible paint compounds. At the same time, the room is filled with a pleasant aroma.
As for water, it also copes well with the smell of paint. It is enough to place several buckets of water in the room after the repair. This method is simple but has some drawbacks. In order for the stench to completely disappear, you will have to change the water several times.
Wet Cloth and Vinegar Essence
To deal with unpleasant paint odors, you can use an absorbent cloth soaked in water. For these purposes, you can use bedspreads, sheets, bath towels and so on. It is recommended to soak things in water and then hang them on furniture doors or chairs. Periodically, the fabric should be rinsed in clean water.
Vinegar is another product that can neutralize paint odors. To do this, it is enough to prepare its aqueous solution. In this case, you can use not only table vinegar, but also vinegar essence. Containers with such a solution must be placed in a room with painted surfaces.
Onions and lemon wedges
A bow can be used to eliminate the stench created by the renovation. It is enough to cut the large heads into 4 parts, and then, putting them in bowls, arrange them throughout the room. It is much easier to get rid of onion smell than paint smell.
Lemons can also be used to combat aroma. It is enough to cut citrus fruits into slices and place them in bowls around the perimeter of the entire room. The product should stand in the room for several days. After that, the lemon slices must be thrown away quickly.
What to do if carpet smells like paint
If a carpet remains in the room where the painting work was carried out, then getting rid of the unpleasant odor will be more difficult. After all, aromas will exude not only the painted surfaces, but also the material itself. To stop the carpet smelling like paint, you need to sprinkle it with baking soda and leave it overnight. In the morning it needs to be cleaned of powder with a broom and a vacuum cleaner. It is worth noting that baking soda will not only eliminate the pungent smell of paint, but also refresh the flooring.
In conclusion
Quick-drying products are products that will refresh the appearance of the room. In addition, it does not create unnecessary problems. After its application, a pungent smell does not hover in the room and you do not need to get rid of it. If you still had to purchase a coating with an unpleasant aroma, then to eliminate it, it is better to use folk remedies or moisturizing devices. It is enough to turn on the device for just a few hours and then ventilate the room.
The fact that a fresh renovation gives the apartment a completely different atmosphere and will delight the owners for a long time is no secret to anyone. But, as you know, no major repairs can be done without the use of varnish, putty, glue, paint, plaster and other building materials, and yet they have a rather pungent odor. Such aromas are often the reason not only for spoiled mood, but also for poor health and long-term headaches. Until now, the question of how to get rid of the smell of paint in an apartment does not lose its relevance.
What you need to do before starting the repair
If you plan to start repairing soon, then remember that it would be much wiser not to eliminate the aroma of paints and varnishes after it ends, but simply try to prevent its appearance, here is how you can do it:
- Before applying paint to walls or other surfaces, add a little lemon or mint extract to it, because, as you know, essential oils perfectly eliminate unpleasant odors;
- Repairs should be carried out at a time when the apartment is warm enough and the air is well warmed up, because the paint dries quickly only in warm rooms. But if your apartment is humid and you are constantly freezing, then before proceeding with active actions, it is recommended to warm it up thoroughly. This can be done with a conventional air conditioner or desiccant;
- If the renovation is carried out in the summer, then you will need to open wide all the windows, and, preferably, also the doors. This is the only way you can create a strong draft that will not allow such aromas to linger in the room.
As you can see, the rules are quite elementary, but if you take them into account, you will not have to puzzle over how to remove the smell after repair.
Basic methods of struggle
If you still could not prevent the appearance of a specific aroma, then in order for the apartment to have fresh air, you will need to try hard. Here's what is commonly used for these purposes:
- Airing;
- Wet cleaning of the apartment;
- Smoking out;
- Natural absorbents;
- Persistent aromas.
All of these methods have proven themselves quite well and are more than effective. But keep in mind that it is not always possible to cope with the task at hand the first time, it is likely that you will need to use several methods at once in order for the apartment to stop smelling of paint.
Wet cleaning
The fact that it is best to get rid of the unpleasant odor in the apartment with the help of fresh air is no secret to anyone, and no one needs to talk about how the ventilation is carried out. But not everyone knows that it is possible to eliminate the smell of paint with the help of wet cleaning. Here's how to do it:
- Add 2 tablespoons of dry mustard powder to 10 liters of cold water. Mix all this thoroughly, and with the resulting solution, thoroughly walk on the floor, as well as furniture;
- You can also clean the apartment with a vinegar solution. All you need to do is mix together 5 liters of water and a tablespoon of vinegar essence.
Smoking out
Plain or scented candles can also help remove paint smell after renovation. In addition, it is worth noting that such products have a very low price, so you do not have to spend a lot on them.
In each room, you will need to light several candles, and place them at a decent distance from each other. They should burn for at least 5-6 hours, it is during this time that the particles will burn, which are the cause of the unpleasant fragrance. The undoubted advantage of this method is also the fact that after such a procedure it will be very pleasant to smell in your apartment. But be careful, such an event must be carried out very carefully.
Using a bow
It is the strongest natural absorbent and will help you get rid of repair odors. By the way, garlic can also be used as an alternative, since it also has a very strong smell. In order for the room to no longer smell of paint and varnish products, follow the following algorithm of actions:
- Grate any of these vegetables on a fine grater (you should have a decent capacity of mashed potatoes);
- Now it will need to be divided into several identical parts and put everything on saucers;
- Place them neatly throughout the apartment in every room.
After 7 hours, not a trace of the unpleasant aroma will remain. In addition, many people also choose coffee, baking soda, or salt as a natural absorbent.
Now you know how to remove the smell of paint from an apartment. As you can see, coping with this task is not so difficult, and you can choose absolutely any method that only you like. And, of course, do not forget that in addition to the above methods, there are special automatic air fresheners on sale today that will also help you correct the situation.