Paint Fumes..

[SonnyH]

Are water based paint fumes OK for baby? My OH decided to paint our kitchen this weekend and I didn't really give it a second thought until I came back from the hairdressers and our whole house STINKS of paint! It's just bog standard Dulux Emulsion? The NHS website suggested the risks are very low, just to keep well ventilated, so I'm currently sat freezing cold with all the windows open I'm probably just being silly, lots of people paint their nurseries etc right? I was looking forwards to painting ours next month but the smell is making me feel so sick, there's no way I'll be painting!

 

[xdxxtx]

I paint my own nurseries, yes, but then I leave the windows open, fan running and door closed so the smell doesn't travel everywhere else. Most paint is extremely safe, NO/LOW VOC. I have an air purifier that works wonders when I paint, but having the windows open will work just as well. Get a fan running in there if you can to help it dry faster and get the smell out.

I'd also take today as a day out of the house. Have any errands to run or shopping to do? Maybe some window shopping at a baby store? No point in sitting there, feeling ill with the smell. It will be a lot better in a few hours, but the smell of fresh paint lingers for weeks, unfortunately.

 

[cleckner04]

I think you will be fine and agree maybe you should make a day out for yourself. I've painted while pregnant and just took breaks if I felt faint and made sure plenty of fans and ventilation was available.

 

[SonnyH]

Thanks ladies. I'm def getting out the house while he finished the room today! Food shopping to do and I'll pop see my parents! I have to say, after having the windows open for a couple hours, the smell had largely disappeared last night. Lingering a bit this morning but not affecting the whole house thankfully! But he's back at painting the second wall right now, so find for me to leave!

 

[xdxxtx]

Oh, man. That's gonna be a rough few days, but yes, it really does dissipate quickly. It probably won't smell "paint-y" to you at all after a week or so. When people come into my house, they ask if we've just painted.. No, that was a year ago. haha

 

[SonnyH]

So I went pottering about my jobs this morning and noticed the car needed filling. Remind me not to do that again. I swapped paint fumes for petrol ones. I nearly threw up on the forecourt! ugh! And of course got petrol on my hands, so then my car stank as well driving home! Doh!
Still, the paint doesn't seem to be making me feel quite so bad today so that's good! I've got more windows open than yesterday! My OH wants to paint the hallways as well.. which is a lot of paint as I live in a 3 story townhouse! I think this is his version of nesting. Get the rest of the house painted that we haven't bothered doing since we moved in last year!