The Handy Product That'll Control The Overwhelming Odor Of Paint

Adding a fresh coat of paint to your walls is a cost-effective and efficient way of giving your home a facelift. However, the odor emitted by freshly painted walls can be hard to live with. This is because a paint's solvent contains VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that begin evaporating when the paint dries, stinking up the room in the process. So, if you're looking for a handy product to control the overwhelming odor of paint, grab the bottle of ammonia from under your sink.

While you'll want to get rid of the offending smell to spare your nostrils, inhaling the VOCs is bad for your health, too, as it can cause several issues, like headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, and watery eyes. Even if you pick a low/zero VOC paint to minimize the exposure to harmful VOCs, the smell—while less potent—will still be noticeable, making it necessary to use ammonia to get rid of paint smells. If you don't have this ingredient handy, you can purchase a 64-ounce bottle of clear ammonia by LA's Awesome Products for under $11 from Amazon.

Ammonia is a great odor absorber not because it conceals foul smells, but because it balances out the odor-smelling particles and sends them packing from your home. You don't even have to worry about pouring ammonia back into the bottle or using it around the house unnecessarily since liquid ammonia vaporizes at room temperature. All you need to do is don a pair of gloves, pour ½ cup of clear, liquid ammonia in a few bowls or dishes, and spread them around the freshly painted space to neutralize paint odors.

If the paint has a high VOC concentration and the smell lingers after a few days, refill the bowls. Throw open the doors and windows to the room to ensure it's well-ventilated. This won't just speed along the paint drying process but also help ammonia neutralize the offending scent within a few hours. However, if the weather is scalding hot or freezing, check the advised paint temperature range on the paint can before you open the doors and windows. Alternatively, you can strategically place fans along the length of the room such that the fumes move out. Remember, you shouldn't utilize the space until the smell is completely gone.