Workshop
Ask a question

The Bunnings Workshop community can help with your home improvement projects.

How do you get rid of new paint smell?

PaintTin.jpg

The best way to prevent the new paint smell is by working in a well-ventilated environment and not allowing the odour to build up in a confined space. Open windows, use a pedestal fan for cross breeze and consider low-odour paints like Dulux UltraAir. Newly painted surfaces will continue to smell until the coating is fully cured, so allow the room sufficient time to air-out after you have finished the painting project. - MitchellMc

 

If oil-based paint has been used (for example gloss on door frames and architraves) then you have my sympathies. It can take a long time to dissipate. Really the best way is to have doors and windows open for as long as possible. Anything else is just trying to mask the smell. - Isobel

 

My Mum filling bowls with white vinegar and leaving them around the house to get rid of that new paint smell. A quick Google of this method tells me she wasn't completely insane as there are a few resources stating that it's an effective way to absorb the smell. - Jackson

 

Other things you could try are sprinkling Baking Soda on carpets, or put a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice on a cloth and drape it in front of a fan. - Andy_Mann

Why join the Bunnings Workshop community?

Workshop is a friendly place to learn, get ideas and find inspiration for your home improvement projects