The chemical stench of fresh paint can remain within a piece of furniture days or even weeks after it has been initially applied. Often this sharp stink can take over the room and cause much discomfort to spend much time around it.
Although industrial smells are never easy to treat, there exist a range of household solutions to that can help to remove the paint related odor. By applying one of the below solutions, you can be sure that your furniture will be smelling fresh and paint-free in no time.
Paint Smell Removal Solutions for Furniture
1 Cut Onions in Bowl of Water
This method may sound strange, but it has successfully been used for generations to remove the effects of paint odor. Begin by cutting a full onion into four parts and placing each piece within a bowl. Next, fill these bowls with a cup of water and place the bowls around the piece of furniture that smells of paint. Allow the bowls to sit for 2-3 days surrounding the object while it works to absorb all unwanted odors. Once this time has passed, perform a smell test to ensure that the smell has passed and then remove the bowls.
2 Bowls of White Vinegar
This household acid works well at deodorizing a number of challenging odors within the home. Similarly, you will want to prepare four bowls and pour a half cup of white vinegar within each of them. Surround the piece of furniture that has been affected by paint odor making sure to place the bowl within key locations where they can best surround the item. Allow the bowls to sit for 2-3 days before return to do a sniff test of the furniture in question and remove the bowls.
3 Move Furniture Within Sun
Once of the most effective ways to eliminate the paint odor is to move the piece of furniture outside within the sun. The ultra violet rays will go to work in neutralizing the stench of the paint odor, while the fresh air and open space will gently lift any residual chemical scent. You will need to place the piece of furniture within a location of the yard where it will be sure to receive a minimum of 8 hours of direct sunlight. If any odor remains after the first day, you can try putting the furniture outside within the sun for a second or third day until no paint scent remains within it.
4 Bowl of Orange with Peelings
Similar to onions, oranges do very well at absorbing paint odors within furniture. Unpeel two oranges and take apart all of the wedges within each of them. Place the detached remains of each within two separate bowls and then place these bowls on either side of the piece of furniture. Allow the orange filled bowls to sit for 48 hours before returning to the piece of furniture to smell it and remove the bowls.
5 Vanilla Dipped Newspaper
If the furniture is a desk or chest of drawers, this solution can be very effective at removing difficult odors from enclosed spaces. Begin by filling a small saucer with vanilla extract and crumpling up several balls of newspaper. Take each ball and lightly dip the edged with the solution before proceeding to place these balls within the draws and enclosed spaces. After closing the drawers and spaces, allow the newspaper wads to sit for 24-48 before returning to remove them from the freshened space. The newspaper works to absorb the paint odor while the vanilla will have masked any remaining smell with its own subtle scent.
6 Use Clear Sealer
If nothing has been worked, you can try applying another coat of clear sealing paint over the piece of furniture that is emitting the paint smell. This will help to lock any smell from the original paint within and prevent it from smelling up the room. Because this option can be rather time consuming, it is recommended that you only use this as a last resort.
Prevention of Paint Smell
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract in Paint
If you anticipate that a paint will smell, you can take one small but effective step to ensure that it does not smell. Simply measure one teaspoon of vanilla extract for each gallon of paint and thoroughly mix the ingredient in before use. The vanilla extract will work to neutralize the paint related odor and ensure that it does not contain an odor.
Photo Credit: Esteban Maringolo
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Are you familiar with earthcare odor remover bags ? They are made of sodium aluminosilicate. I remodeled the first floor of my condo this winter and am still bothered by the fumes of paint, etc. The cut onion really helped with the offensive smell from repainting a bathtub.but wondered if the bags would be effective and safe.