Dangers Of Sleeping In A Freshly Painted Room

From time to time, the need to paint different parts of our homes will arise. But have you ever paused for a moment to consider whether sleeping in a freshly painted room is dangerous? If you have never thought about it, it’s high time you learned how inhaling paint fumes can impact your health. The chemicals used to manufacture paint vary from one company to the next. Although this is the case, all the different paint brands have one thing in common: They release fumes after painting that can be hazardous to your health. These fumes contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) that are known to cause respiratory and eye irritation, headaches and dizziness. They can also affect your memory.

How Dangerous Is It To Sleep In A Freshly Painted Room?

Paint fumes can be detrimental to the health of your unborn child if you inhale them while pregnant. In extreme cases, exposure can cause birth defects and even miscarriage. Young children who are still in the developmental stage should also be kept away from freshly painted rooms as exposure can adversely affect their health. There are also some studies that have concluded that you can develop asthma if you inhale paint fumes over a long period. In other studies, animals developed forms of cancer when paint fumes were tested on them.

How Can I Protect Myself From Paint Fumes?

Since you can’t stay from painting altogether, the only option you have is to find ways to protect yourself when you are near freshly painted surfaces. Fortunately, some paints have lower VOC content than others. There are even some that have zero VOC. Always choose the paint with the lowest VOC. You may also want to ventilate the painted area to allow fresh air to flow in. If you are worried about getting rid of putrid smell from painting, there are ways to accomplish that fast!

In Summary

It is a fact that paint fumes are unhealthy. But if you follow safety precautions you have nothing to worry about. Choosing a sunny day to perform a paint job can make a difference in how long you have to wait before the paint dries completely. Proper ventilation and choosing the right paint are some of the other safety measures you can take.