Is It Safe to Sleep in a Freshly Painted Room?
28 February 2022
The walls were cleaned, the paint applied, and the drop sheets removed. Now, you are staring at the results. Perfect! Next, you just need to move your furniture in, and to put the curtains or blinds up again and you’re all done.
But wait... can you sleep in a newly painted room? Keep reading to learn more about how you can keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
Why should you wait for the paint to dry?
You may be asking why it is necessary to wait for the paint to dry before you sleep in a newly painted room. Isn’t it enough to make sure you don’t touch wet paint? It's not what anyone wants to do on their gorgeous new walls.
VOCs are why paint must dry before we can use it. VOC refers to volatile organic compounds. Organic doesn't necessarily mean that it is healthy. It's quite the contrary. Organic is a chemical that contains at least one carbon molecule. VOCs can easily become gases at normal room temperatures and are very harmful to you. You should be careful when you are going to sleep in the newly painted space.
We all know house paints come in liquid forms. They are made up of a combination of chemicals. The paint will dry as you apply the chemicals to your wall. Some chemicals will become vapor. These VOCs are what you want to avoid. When they turn into vapour by reacting with sunlight and nitrogen dioxides.
You won’t just find VOCs in paint. They are also in cigarettes, air fresheners, cleaning fluids, wood preservatives and pesticides. So now we can see why we don’t want ourselves or our loved ones sleeping with harmful fumes.
Not all paints are created equal
Once the paint is dry, and all paint smells are gone, it's safe to move the furniture back in. Professional
residential painters in Perth can provide safety advice and will be able to confirm the safety and durability you are choosing for your home. Master builders and Perth residential painters won't compromise your safety and health. Choose a local and owner-operated accredited professional interior painting company, like
Contrast Painting care for their customer's health and safety and offer expert advice.
Not everyone will choose to use a 'safe' paint brand or hire professional residential painters in Perth. It is then up to you to verify the active ingredients if you're going against the grain. You can do your research online or talk to experts to find out if the active ingredients are safe for you to use in your bedroom. Do not cut corners, or it will cost you.
As Perth house painters we suggest using low or zero VOC paints. Volatile Organic Compounds, also known as VOCs, are dangerous chemicals that evaporate when the paint is wet. These chemicals can include formaldehyde.
Avoid exposure to harmful paint fumes if you can remain out of the area until it has dried completely.
Is it safe for me to sleep in freshly painted rooms?
The answer depends on what type of paint you used. Let's take a closer look at it.
Zero-VOC paint
Zero-VOC paints are very safe. A bedroom that was painted in one day can sleep in the same night. The paint does not emit any toxic chemicals and is virtually odourless.
Paint with low-VOC
Low-VOC paints are also safe. A bedroom that was painted on the same day can be safe to sleep in. However, low-VOC paint isn't odour-free. We recommend waiting 24 hours to sleep in a freshly painted room if you have a sensitive nose.
Water Based Paints
Interior painting and homes are more likely to use water-based paints. They are more versatile than oil-based paints, offer a greater range of colours and dry faster.
Oil-based and regular latex paint
Paints that have not been labelled eco-friendly, low-VOC or sustainable require a long curing period. Paint may not feel dry for as long as 8 to 10 hours after being painted, but toxic chemicals can be released for up two weeks.
As Perth house painters we suggest you make sure the room is well ventilated. Keep the windows open and the fans on. Avoid sleeping in the room for at least two weeks.
Airing Out the Room
Ventilation and air circulation are key. Make sure to keep the windows open with fans running. Do not use air conditioners. The residual dampening effect could hinder the very thing you are trying to encourage.
It may be worthwhile to spend a few days away from home to allow the fumes time to completely dissipate.
You can also ventilate your bedroom by putting buckets of water inside. This will help eliminate paint fumes. The water will absorb some of these vapours, allowing the fumes to leave the room quicker. Be sure to empty the buckets when you're done using the room.
You can also light candles in your room to accomplish this. The flames will burn the volatile compounds in paint and consume them. As you can see, this is not a safe method to remove fumes from your room. Always supervise the lighting of candles, especially around children.
What's at risk?
Side effects can occur if the paint is not dried properly, or the fumes are not adequately removed. Side effects can include headaches, dizziness, throat irritation, and even lung irritation.
Have your home professionally painted
Are you looking to renovate your home? Do not spend thousands of dollars and waste time on DIY projects.
Contact Perth house painters,
Contrast Painting for quick service and a professional finish.