How to Eliminate Oil Base Paint Odor
When painting with an oil-based primer or paint, its odor can linger for weeks, sometimes longer especially in cooler, high humidity spaces. The resins and solvents that are evaporating cause the "new paint" smell. If you can help speed along the drying process, you can help eliminate the odors. In addition, circulating the air with fresher air and absorbing the smell can aid in the odor elimination process.
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Open the windows. This will help the paint dry and evaporate so no more smell is emitted from the paint. It also helps dissipate the smell outdoors and carry fresh air indoors.
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Turn on any nearby exhaust fans to help send the odors outdoors.
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Turn on your ceiling fans to blow down and set up more fans to blow toward the painted surfaces to also help dry the paint and eliminate odors.
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Open the doors to any other rooms to help disperse and reduce the concentrate of the odor to help get rid of the smell.
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Open up closet doors, cabinet doors, drawers or anywhere other small spaces you may have painted with oil paint as well. This will help get rid of the paint odors that may lingering in those areas.
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Place a couple pieces of activated charcoal sporadically throughout the painted room to help absorb the odor. Open a couple baking soda boxes as well to help absorb the odors.
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Set up a HEPA or charcoal filter in your room to help eliminate oil base paint odors. Check the filter monthly and clean or replace as necessary.
References
Tips
- Place small bags or fill small containers or bowls with coffee, a couple drops of vanilla, cinnamon sticks or another smelly fragrance to help mask the smell.
Writer Bio
Melissa Lewis is a former elementary classroom teacher and media specialist. She has also written for various online publications. Lewis holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
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