After a freshly painted room, the lingering smell of paint can be a bit unsettling. The good news is you can decide how long you’ll have to live with it. If you are tired of smelling toxic fumes while waiting for paint to dry, here are some of the best ways to help eliminate paint odor.

1. VENTILATION
Perhaps the simplest way to get rid of the
paint smell in a freshly painted room is by
making sure all windows are open and a
fan is there to circulate the air.
WATER
A bucket of 1 to 3 gallons of water in the
middle of the room can absorb solvent
vapors and eliminate the smell almost
overnight. However, be sure not to use the
water for anything else afterward, as it will
be contaminated.
CHARCOAL
Placing a basket containing wood charcoal
in the room will help draw in and contain
the paint fumes quickly.
WHITE VINEGAR
Fill a few bowls with white vinegar and
place them in each corner of the room.
The vinegar will help counteract the paint
smell in a relatively short time.
ONIONS
Slicing an onion into quarters and putting
them around the room can be effective
for absorbing paint odor.
SCENTED CANDLES
If you light some scented candles and
leave them in the room for a while, it may
overwhelm the smell of paint.
COFFEE
Freshly ground coffee beans divided
among a few small bowls and placed
around the room will help eliminate the
scent of paint faster than if you left the
room alone.
VANILLA EXTRACT
Before painting the room, add a few drops
of vanilla extract to the paint and mix
it thoroughly. The result will be a more
pleasant aroma while the paint dries.
LEMON
Adding lemon juice and salt to a bowl
of water is another effective means of
removing paint fumes from a room.
BAKING SODA
Open a few boxes of baking soda and
leave them around the room for a day or
so. What works well for removing funky
odors in your fridge will do the same for
your freshly painted room.
AIR FRESHENER
Spraying an air freshener into the room
or using a plug-in air freshener can make a
difference in a smaller room.
VENTILATOR/MASK
Wearing a face mask or ventilator will
make it easier for you to work in a room
with wet paint.
The smell of fresh paint can be a major annoyance. Here are some simple
tips to get rid of it faster.
nolanpainting.com
WHAT’S THAT
PAINT SMELL