Getting rid of paint smell
Today’s question comes from Aaren. Aaren asks:
Hi hope you can help! My daughter’s room will not stop smelling. In fact, I challenged Olympic Paint and Lowe’s – going back and forth until we settled. KILZ and another coat of paint reproduced the original smell! Olympic even paid a professional to do all that work for us. The second coat of Premium One water based latex interior paint still smells. We have 2 air purifiers and had our windows opens for a week while painting and for 12 days afterward. …. As of today however we are dealing with a smell from Friday. It’s awful and I’m afraid to let my daughter sleep in there (although she has for two nights). WHAT can I do to make it go away. The room seems like it’s cursed. No other room in our house ever smelled like this… Please help with ideas of what to do. How long is this supposed to last. The smell is like a sweet, clay smell. It doesn’t really smell like paint at all. We even crawled into the attic to check for smell and it wasn’t present. We tried sprays, onions, vinegar, steam cleaning. Everything. Your advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks. Aaren
The E D Painting Expert Answer
Hi Aaren. When we first answered this years ago, it was a rare issue, but over our 22 years in the painting industry, we’ve seen this exact scenario pop up a few times. That “sweet, clay-like” or sometimes “sour” smell that lingers for weeks is incredibly frustrating.
Based on your description, you are likely dealing with one of two specific issues:
1. “Sour Paint” (Bacterial Contamination) Water-based latex paints can actually “go bad.” If bacteria get into the paint at the factory or the store, it starts a reaction that smells exactly like sour milk, clay, or dirty socks. Unfortunately, no amount of air purifiers or open windows will cure this, because the smell is baked right into the dried film on the wall.
2. The “Wall Odor Phenomenon” Sometimes, the chemicals in new low-VOC water-based paints react with the invisible residues left on the wall from older paints, creating a chemical off-gassing that smells sweet and pungent.
Here is the problem: you mentioned the professionals applied a coat of KILZ. If they used a water-based latex KILZ primer, it will not block the odor. Water-based primers allow the smell to breathe right through them.
How to Fix the Lingering Paint Smell
To permanently kill this odor and make the room safe for your daughter, you have to seal the wall so the smell cannot escape. Here is the professional procedure:
- Dehumidify the Room: Close the windows. High humidity (especially if you live in a humid area like we do here in New England) keeps the paint pores open. Run a strong dehumidifier for 48 hours to pull all the moisture out of the walls.
- Seal with BIN Shellac-Based Primer: You need to apply a coat of Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Based Primer (or a heavy-duty oil-based stain blocker). Shellac is what professionals use to seal in heavy smoke damage and severe odors. It creates an impermeable barrier that the clay smell cannot penetrate. Note: Shellac has a very strong alcohol smell when applying, but it dissipates completely once dry. Do not use a water-based primer here.
- Apply Your Final Topcoat: Once the Shellac is 100% dry and the room is aired out, apply a fresh coat of high-quality, premium acrylic paint. (If you aren’t comfortable doing this yourself, our residential painting services handle this exact process safely).
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John Mitchell
I may be having the same problem that Aaren had. I recently painted two rooms (a master bedroom and an adjacent bathroom) with Olympic Premium paint purchased from Lowe’s. Two coats all around on top of sheet rock. For a day or so there was the typically newly painted odor in the room but that dissipated. After several weeks, the master bedroom developed an odor which is different than fresh paint. It’s not an awful odor but it isn’t what I want to be smelling all the time. When I sniff right up against the wall, I don’t really get the smell. But it is always there in the room and seems to be noticeable in other areas of the house. I had the person who does my pest control stop by for a sniff test to try to determine if a critter might have died inside the wall, but he detected nothing that smelled like that (and, besides, those odors generally go away after a few days.)
I’d would REALLY appreciate the benefit of any experience you had with either Olympic or Lowe’s. I would be very interested in direct contact with Aaren if he/she would be so inclined.
PJ Ramirez
We too have this same problem. Our next step was going to be Kilz per advice from the gentlemen at Lowe’s. But that doesn’t sound like it’s good advice. We too, would love to have some help with this as it’s been three weeks and the smell is as bad now as it was the 1st day.
Laura
I am having the same problem. We painted our 12 month old daughters room on Monday. I went to Lowes and told them I was painting a nursery. The guy there recommend the Olympic One paint + primer. The first two days it did not smell bad. By the third night, I let my daughter sleep in there. When I went to get her up the next morning, I almost threw up the smell was so strong. She was cranky all day and threw up twice that evening. Of course I have not let her back in the room since that morning. The smell has still not gone away. It is the worst smell. I called Lowes today and talked to a lady that was working in paint. She said the guy should have never recommended that paint for a nursery. I am so upset and I do not know what to do. The window has been open since Wednesday and we have fans going. I can smell it just walking by the room (the door is shut). I am thinking about going to Lowes tomorrow and demanding they do something. This is not normal. I have talked with several painters who all say there should not be a smell that strong 6 days later. Help!
julie
We have tried battling against PPG which owns Olympic paint. We painted our new home with the zero VOC paint and after a few days it began to smell. The more you open the windows the worse it gets. They sent a rep out to test the paint. They later told us that their paint tested “normal” and they would only repay us for the cost of paint. We tried treating the walls with BIN which seals in strong odors then repainted. a few days later the smell is back. Olympic (Martica is who we talked to) swore that they have never heard of this happening. Our Homeowners Insurance has sent 3 different contractors out to try and figure it out and the can only come up with the paint being the issue. Most Zero or LOw VOC paints lack the ingredient to kill mold/mildew which may be in the paint,tint or on your walls and once they mix and dry on your walls they stink!! So Our big excitement of owning our home has turned into a giant nightmare!! We have no more money left to cover replacing Drywall and insulation in several rooms.Even if we replace the drywall how would we know for sure that the paint we repaint with doesnt do this again? Yes, we have tried 2 other brands and same smell comes back. 2 rooms ended up fine as did the hallway.Oh and the house isn’t that old. One previous owner and it was built in mid 1980’s
Victoria
I am extremely interested to learn if anyone has had success with mitigating the severe paint odor issue that many of you have blogged about. My parents’ dream of a brand new, built to their specs retirement home, has turned into a smelly nightmare for them because of this very problem. It has been approximately 2 years since the house was built and they swear that their noses will actually burn if they get close to one of the walls and take a deep breath. They have tried everything mentioned previously, except for re-painting. My father is preparing to undertake this monumental endeavor on his own since they cannot afford to pay a contractor…especially with no guarantee that re-painting will eliminate this problem. Even though the contractors who built the house swear that they did not use exterior paint on the interior, sometimes you just cannot trust people to be honest. Would someone please advise what would be recommended remedy if that is what happened? Is one brand of primer better than another (Kilz vs. Zinsser)? Thank you all very much for your advice.
Karen
We had to replace the drywall….It’s the only thing that will help!
John
This exchange has be useful to me as my problem has not resolved (mine was the second post in this thread.) I wanted to give it a while to see if the situation resolved when the windows were open more of the time, but no joy there. I’ve spoken with both the Olympic rep who handles stores in our area and the tech services folks at PPG Industries (parent company.) As a result, I’m no closer to a final solution although PPG has agreed to test samples of the paint if I send it to them. (In searching their data base, they said the batch number I used in the bedroom turns up no other complaints. The batch number of the paint in the bedroom is illegible because Lowe’s put their sticker on top of it.)
Tech services recommended using BIN and then repainting, but it sounds from several other experiences here that didn’t help. Since the bedroom has a cathedral ceiling, it’s a tough job and I’m reluctant to spend the time and effort putting on a coat of primer and then repainting, probably 2 coats, if it’s not going to solve the problem. I shudder to think what it might cost to replace the drywall!
I’m definitely going to send the samples in but I’m not optimistic anything will result from that. I think I’ll also run this situation by a lawyer just to see what he says but I certainly don’t have the resources to get in a protracted standoff with a corporation.
Bottom line is that I refuse to accept the fact that there isn’t some kind of cause-effect relationship here when we never had the smell before but shortly after painting the rooms the smell developed and has continued.
Dina Merick
Our house was painted 16 weeks ago, by a painter. One room – a diff. color from the rest, smelled bad from the beginning. Painter must hv. been brain dead to hv applied it. It was done with BENJAMIN MOORE ECO.
The paint store blew us off- gave us 2 more cans of paint. Repainting just re-activated the smell!!!
They refused to let us talk to B. Moore cust assistance dept. Would only let us speak w/a sales territory rep, who
strongarmed us, and told us that our ONLY option was for us to have a PRIMER painted on over the “tainted” paint.
Yes, the b. moore paint store actually admitted that the paint was tainted, and that they had had a bad shipment the year before, too.
I guess that they can get away with it, b/c we, the little people, cant take them on in court.
Our paint smells like extreeemely strong paint, that has fermented, mixed w/ dead fish, puke and sour milk.
We have had to use an Ozone Generator 5 times, to help curb the odor.
Unfortunately, the ozone only covers the odor, leaving the same lung irritants and toxins in the air from the paint. Also, the ozone gen.is also dangerous – they have been banned in Canada, and CT is trying to ban them.
We used it out of desperation.
We have 2 fans in that rooms windows 24-7, and the air that goes out keeps coming in other windows, even on
the other side of the house! and through the AC’s.
THIS IS A LIVING NIGHTMARE. We had to throw out $8,000 in clothing, furniture, carpeting, and probably replacing wallboard. Wall replacement will be $7-10k more.
I live in fear of replacing walls – what if it happens again w/ a different brand? I think that I will just paint on a wallboard remnant, and let it sit in the room for a month. If there is No odor, then paint the rest of the room. Also, I would test EVERY SINGLE CAN!!!
Amanda
Has anyone had any luck getting rid of the smell? Could you share batch numbers? I think we have the same problem only we have adobe walls with plaster over them.
Joey
I’m a professional painter and I have noticed this with the Benjamin moore paints. Bm is all we use and as of lately some batches smell rancid, sort of like vomit or sour milk. So much so, it is difficult to work with the stuff. I’ve heard that paint company’s are trying to cut the voc’s in the paint, and have taken out additives that kill mold and bacteria.
Mike
I’ve got the same problem. Just painted two large rooms with some “Town & Country” flat Wall – Antique White paint made by Yenkin-Majestic. Now the rooms reek of rotten shell-fish. Is there a solution?
Bill
Just had our house remodled and the front bedroom that faces the afternoon sun sometimes reeks and gets worse when we open the windows. The contractor used Benjamin Moore paints. If its a cold day, there is no smell, only on warm days. Been like this for 3 months, so I do not believe it’s a dead animal. I can smell an odor right against the wall. I am just about ready to replace the drywall and start over…
Martha Derv ish
Four years ago we spent $14,000. to have a little shed in our yard that looks like our house. It meets all the requirements for hurricane strength walls, roof etc. The interior which is plywood walls was paiinted yellow. I don’t know the brand because the people who built it are gone. The awful poison paint smell is still there! I asked the builders when they were still in the area if it the smell would go away and they said it would in time. Four years and it’s still awful. Can’t let the grandchildren play in there. I looked online to see if there is a paint I can use to paint over the stinky stuff and from what I am reading here, it’s hopeless. EPA, please help!
Rob
Here is how you get rid of the smell really fast! I do mold remediation, mold removal, abatement, chemical clean ups, fungi, termites so this is my line of work.
Smells caused by paint are a lot more common in cheaper paints or oil based paints. It can also be caused by the primer. Regardless, if the walls are already painted, there is no way to stop the smell other than applying a quality primer. One primer I know of is called “Anabec 250”. It is not cheap, but it is mold resistant, absorbs chemicals, moisture, odors, anything you can think of. If you apply this as a primer underneath paints, you will NEVER have a lingering odor. It is perfectly safe, and very effective. However, it is not cheap.
Benjamin c. armitage
So…if I’ve already painted he walls , the primer will NOT work on getting rid of smell?
HELP! Having this problem in the baby room
bob
I used olympic semi gloss latex paint on a family room. From the time I started painting, my nose started running and has not stopped in over two weeks. Started experiencing nose bleeds by the end of the first week. The smell is horribly strong and has only faded mildly. I am completely miserable and don’t even feel like leaving the house even though I need to. A week after finishing the family room, I bought Valspar and painted a bedroom. It is fine. I am going to buy new paint and try to cover the olympic. I will take Rob’s recommendation and use primer.
jill
where do u buy the anabec 250 primer mentioned in Rob’s feb 2013 post
Kristen
Does anyone know where or how to purchase the Anabec 250? I have tried searching for it but I haven’t found anything. I have had the same problem with the low voc Olympic paint from lowes. We painted my daughters bedroom a month ago and can’t get rid of the smell. Now she is sick. She has had congestion and a fever for a week now. Her dr. didn’t seem to know what the problem was but said she had an allergy to something. The Dr prescribed some medication but it isn’t working. After reading all these posts my nightmares are now confirmed. It is definitely the paint making her sick. There has to be a solution to this. We just moved into this place and decided to paint her room as well as the nursery as I am 8 months pregnant. Thankfully we used a different paint for the nursery and there hasn’t been in issue in that room. I can’t keep my daughter confined to the couch forever.
Please help!
Cynthia Kecman
We are currently having the same problem with our Game room. We just had it professionally painted with B M matte regal select paint. We noticed the sour milk smell immediately. I called benjamin Moore where my painter bought the paint, the store manager came to my home, said yes it smelled and he would have the batches checked. Then the area sales rep came and said yes, it smells and wrote down batch numbers again and said he would have them tested. A week later he called, said nothing was wrong with the paint but he would reimburse the $ for the pain( not the $2,000) to have it repainted or reprised. My room still STINKS! We waited so long before we could afford to get This Huge room painted, we can’t do it again. We don’t know who to call or what to do. The paint was in one of those 5 gal. Buckets that my painter bought from the BM store. We know its the paint! Someone Please tell me how to prove it. I will be happy to cut out a piece of drywall and send it somewhere to be tested but WHERE and WHO will test? Please help, we are getting sick and I have a surgery scheduled in two weeks! Email me ASAP with ideas and help.
De
Hello, we painted our sons room about 2 years ago. I used a paint from Lowes but cannot remember the brand, but it was the two and one with paint and primer/ We noticed a fish smell that comes and goes and not all the time. It seems if he plays in the room it activates it and then the smell is really bad.. I was going to re-paint the room, but seems like that would not solve the problem. I too wonder if that smell will harm my son who is now 4 but has been in the room for 2 years. Help what do we do?
Linda O'Neill
I am in Australia. I have the same problem there is a chemical type odour after painting. It is now 2 years and the smell has not gone. The company is PPG also. I also know it is the paint and want to prove it also as PPG are not taking responsibility. How do we all get together to lodge a joint complaint to a governing body. I don’t seem to be able to contact any of you directly. Here again is my email please contact me.
linda.oneill2@optusnet.com.au
ermand
If someone in CT is experiencing something similar please give me a call. I’d like to investigate this and maybe we can come up with a solution.
I thought I’d come across one of these cases but haven’t been able to as of yet.
Jamie
I bought and painted every single room with Valspar Signature Paint and Primer. We did one room in a maybe color about 6 moths ago and it always smells awful. Not like paint. I thought something small died in the walls. But to find all these posts, I can only imagine that it is the paint. I am horrified to think we have to replace the drywall after all the money and work we’ve already out into the house. I was going to try vinegar and baking soda this weekend. Does anyone think a class action lawsuit would be possible?
Jamie
Update: called the number on the Valspar can and gave them the batch number and was told there were multiple complaints about an odor from this batch number. A territory manager will be calling to come to the house to look smell and take samples. I am in MA. If anyone has more info or experience, please post.
Carole
I have the same odor problem after painting our bedroom a lovely blue shade in November 2012. I used Lowe’s Olympic Low VOC paint over painted plaster (not sheet rock) walls. The smell was not apparent until the spring of 2013 when we started to open up the windows and the weather was humid and warm. Seemed to activate a chemical, somewhat gaseous smell. I smelled the paint up close on the wall and that was where it was coming from! It smells like chemicals. The smell comes and goes and it is very frustrating. We use a hepa air purifier and I have a lot of allergies. When I sleep out of that room, I have a better night’s sleep. HELP!! What should I do? Contact Lowe’s or PPG? I live outside of Philadelphia, PA
Robert
In Ct.
Interior painted at end of winter. The minute the heat was off and windows opened, the room began to smell like rotten eggs. We hoped it was dead animal, but with AC on there is no smell. We turn off the AC and allow humidity to come in, the smell returns. Clearly it is the Banjamin Moore matte white paint we used. need solution.
Kim
Carole, Thursday August 1, 2013
I am having the same issue. I live in New Jersey and used Olympic Paint. My husband painted out master bedroom in November and everything was fine. When spring came we opened the windows and the smell was terrible, a very strong natural gas-like odor. The more humid it became the worse the smell. I can’t even sleep in that room. The smell travels throughout the house if I leave the door open. I have to keep the door closed and block the openings under the doors with towels. I called Lowe’s and they referred me to PPG. I age then the can I used but they told me there was not enough left to test. They said their control batch and same batch # I used was tested and they couldn’t find odor. THey suggested we paint the room with a sealer called BIN and then repaint but I am reading other comments and people are saying it does not work and the smell just comes back a few days later. I am reading the only way to get the smell out is to rip out the sheetrock and start over. PPG wants me to sign a release of damages form and is giving us a $250.00 refund but that is not going to cover the cost to rip the old sheetrock out and put new sheetrock in and repaint. I am calling a lawyer. I suggest you keep you air conditioner on and call Lowe’s, and PPG to register your complaint and then call a lawyer.
Cindi
Currently we are experiencing everything that as been previously stated, only the paint we used was from Home Depot – Behr Premium Plus with added primer. After 3 coats of this garbage, the room smelled like pickles. It would come and go depending on the air flow and temperature in the room. At first I tried using bleach water to maybe kill it but that was useless. When I went back to Home Depot they claimed they’d never heard of this problem. I contacted Behr and the only advice they provided was to use Kilz – they would reimburse up to 2 gallons of Kilz – what does that tell you? So we used one gallon so far. it’s been a week and i thought the problem was solved after a couple days. Wrong. The weather got hot again and one week later after the initial coat, smell is back, slightly diminished. I don’t know whether to try another gallon of Kilz and repaint using another brand, or am i wasting time, money and energy going that route?
ann
Hi,
Found this thread by searching smells after painting. We used Sherwin Williams paint 4 months ago to paint our daughter’s bedroom. The room has has had a musty smell ever since. No amount of fans, candles, etc. has got rid of it. We used the paint the same day we bought it. Called Sherwin Williams and they said they had never heard of such a problem, etc. This is the most recent room that we have painted. We have painted other rooms in the house different colors, using both Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore, but this is the first time we have had this problem. Another painter, on a different site, said this was tough to get rid of and suggested washing walls with bleach/water mix, completely priming again with bacteria fighting primer, etc.
Dawn
Cindi– I too am experiencing the same thing with behr premium plus ultra (with primer). And that is exactly how we described it after the paint dried– it smells like pickles! We painted a week ago and the smell is still strong, even after airing out with windows open and fans for four days. We contacted behr and they told us the same thing, to use kilz. We also went to Home Depot to see if they could be of some help and they told us the same thing, that they had never heard of that happening. Obviously there is something wrong with a batch somewhere. Have you tried contacting behr again to see what they say? We are going to try priming over it with kilz max and will give an update.
Maryellen
Has anyone been successful in getting rid of the odour. I have had an experience where the smell lingered on for 10 days now.
Someone suggested it might be because the original drywall never had primer applied (15 years ago) and now I am applying Kiltz (oil based) and paint. Is this possible.
Sally Olinger
Help we have the same problem. We use Behr paint then Benj.Moore oil base primer to get rid of the smell. NO LUCK! Should I try kilz oil base primer next? The cost of all of this is getting to me too,
sandy
So glad I’m not crazy and found you folks. I used first Mythic, NO voc paint and that seems fine in 2 of the rooms. The bedrooms, the painter ran out of Mythic and used Yolo (low VOC) on one wall in each room to finish the job, and this paint has an anti-mildew in it that is supposedly zinc, and not toxic. I’ve tried repainting For some reason, the purple room isn’t as smelly as the blue room, which is horrible! Headache, yuck smell and taste. I am washing the walls with white vinegar and water today. It is weird, cuz airing out did NOT help at all in that room. The last few days I decided to close windows and run air thru my heating system that has charcoal filter and it seems a little better. Scared to open windows again cuz very humid outside. I tried onions, baking soda – everything! Color Trend is the coloring used by Mythic and Yolo. I smelled the straight blue coloring and didn’t notice a smell. I already painted over the two walls with Safecoat Sealer (3 coats) and the Mythic paint and it still smells. I heard (for the future) Safecoat is the best paint to use, but expensive and hard to find. I haven’t used it. I live in SF Bay Area, lots of moisture in the air. Frustrated. Any new ideas please let us know.
Any lawyer out there that wants to investigate for all of us and take on let us know. Best of luck to all.
Mary
I had my new office painted with Yolo paint the middle of June and it is August 20th and it still smells. I have tried baking soda, charcoal, fans, heat, ozone generator, dehumidifier, wiping the walls down with alcohol, keeping the door open to the hall way (the window does not open) and I am now going to test AFM Safecoat Hard Seal. I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and thought I was buying the perfect paint. The company says that the painters probably did not let the coats dry enough before applying additional coats. The building maintenance folks say it is the paint. They checked the batch and said they have not had any problems or complaints but did refund my money. I have paid 2 months rent and have a 3 year lease and can’t move in. The one thing that has helped the most has been the ozone generator but it was tough on my lungs just opening the door to air out the room. I consulted with Carolyn Gorman who wrote Less-Toxic Alternatives. She suggested BIN or Hardseal, worst case scenario to redo the drywall. Not a great option for someone with MCS and in a rental space. Sandy, is the sealer you used Hardseal?
Lauren
Ann- We also painted with Sherwin Williams over two months ago and still have a residual smell. Its not quite a paint smell, but somewhat of a chemical smell. I can’t describe it. It almost smells worse when I turn on the ceiling fan, like it is pulling it out of the walls! It’s driving me crazy. Sherwin suggested repainting in a different line of paint, but the smell is STILL there. Same smell as before as soon as we closed the windows after repainting. This is for a nursery, so I am also at my wits end trying to resolve this issue. We originally used the Duration paint, then painted with Harmony the 2nd time.
Does anyone have any solutions? Thanks!
Pete
Sorry to say we tried Benj. Moore oil based primer, 2 coats of B.M.latex, 1 coat of Kilz Original oil base primer, 1 coat of BIN shellac based primer (preferred for odor masking) and NOTHING WORKED. The next step is to tear out ALL OF THE DRYWALL.
Cindi
Update to my log on 8/15. After applying one coat of Kilz water based primer per Behr’s direction, the room took on another odor…from pickles to cigarette ash tray. Kilz did nothing. I contacted Behr again and this time, they were very eager to reimburse me for all of the original paint, the primer and they told me to get a quote for a painter to re-prime and paint the room. They cut a check after I supplied all the documentation (receipts and quote) immediately…no questions asked. Although I am glad they did this, I was/am suspicious that Behr is full aware of issues and want to avoid law suits – but that’s just my opinion. Hired the painter only he advised to use B-I-N shellac based primer. I was assured that this primer will seal off any odors…period. 24 hours have passed — I’ve still got odor problems..from sickly sweet smell to urine. The odor changes with everything we try. Has any one tried to contact their local health department? I am at the point to hire someone to test the walls, in my opinion this is a potential health issue – for all of us.
Ron
What if I use a kerosine heater The smell of kerosine should over power the other smell and the heat should dry the paint…. Maby what u guys think
Pete
Had initially painted two rooms using Behr Low VOC paint and the horrific odor started. That was in Mid June.
Since than I have tried one coat of Ben Moore Prime Lock with two coats of Ben Moore Regal. One coat of Kilz original (oil base) primer. One coat of B.I.N. (shellac base) primer. Nothing has removed the odor which is noticeable when you enter the house and even outdoors when the rooms windows are left open.
It is gratifying to discover through this thread that so many remedies given to me have been tried and failed by so many other people, saving me considerable time and money. The next step is tearing out ALL OF THE DRYWALL to the studs, leaving some pieces in a store room to see if the odor follows and re-installing drywall trim and anything else affected by this carp.
Cindi
Pete, you might want to contact Behr. I originally thought I purchased Behr Premium Plus but actually it was Behr Ultra – the one with primer. I couldn’t provide them with the batch code because I tossed the cans. I find it interesting that you and I painted in mid June and went through the same process, and still an odor persists. Certainly Behr can trace what product/batch went to what store and when. I’m worried that breathing these fumes is toxic so I keep the door shut…and I too can smell it at times through the window in the room next to it and across the hall in the master bedroom. My hope is Behr makes this right in whatever needs to be done to fix the problem, and I hope it doesn’t involve tearing out the drywall. The house is only 3 years old and we painted over the original paint in two rooms and this one is a disaster. Just moved into this house in June too…and I can’t even use the bedroom.
Samar
Yikes! Reading these posts on here has scared me. I just painted my son’s room on Sept 5th with Behr’s primer-paint combo…I came online to find out how I can get rid of the smell and discovered this!
My son has slept a few nights in the room but for the past 3 nights I keep bringing him back to my room due to the smell in his!
We just moved into this house and I had to paint just one wall in my son’s room because it was previously pink.
Now I am worried about all of our health and about whether I should put my son back in that room anytime soon or not!
Cindi
Samar…seriously…contact Behr. They will want info from the paint can, but I didn’t have that info and they’ve still been helping me. They’ve been very responsive with me and are aware of the issues. I would highly suggest that you don’t put anything else on the walls because we’ve put 3 coats of primer on after we painted and still the odor persists.