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).
Need Professional Painting Help in Hartford County, CT?
Fixing a botched paint job or dealing with mysterious wall odors can be a nightmare. If you are located in our service area of West Hartford, Farmington, Avon, or the greater Farmington Valley, you don’t have to tackle this alone.
With over two decades of experience, E D Painting knows how to prep, prime, and paint your home correctly the first time. Give us a call at (860) 989-6517 or request a free consultation online!
Lynne
Brenda…you might keep a part of the wall originally painted which caused your problems unpainted so that down the line you will have the evidence…painting over it destroys it…also save the paint cans for possible testing as well…so sorry for all you’re dealing with now…many of us understand…it would be helpful as well if any out there have tested the paint in an accredited laboratory and can share some information without compromising themselves if they are in litigation or contemplating it, check with a lawyer if so…also there are some websites and books dealing with toxicity and dealing with it natural solutions by detoxing safely and with approval of your doctor…difficult but keep positive relying on whatever religious system or philosophical which works for you as it is very healing…body is primal and mind pretty much influences greatly…you’re not alone in this…many of us are dealing with the same or similar things…if anyone has any info on paint testing and labs to use, kind of tests, please let us know…very difficult to find, expensive, like needle in haystack and, importantly, it is common knowledge in the industry and elsewhere that there is no such thing as zero voc paint yet they are getting away with advertising it and hoodwinking the public in believing it…they also put you the consumer in the position of proving what the odor, etc. is, even though it is evidently a problem with a continuing odor or other problems which affect a reasonably large percentage of the millions who use paint on the interior of dwellings or houses…billions use it…so any percentage is huge…and so laws should be changed, there should be somewhere we can go to deal directly with it as now we can only go to an agency, etc. which is general and few know about the complexity and dangers of the substance we call paint in many instances…there’s a glitch in the system and we have to either organize or get a connective thing going where we can share information, again, safely so we do not compromise any legal eventuality if it comes to that. It can be done, and there are some wonderful posts with good advice and all the experiences resonate with all of us…have to stay strong, keep the faith, and know that the body can heal…important, hard as it is, to keep a handle on our emotions as it’s the kind of thing we cannot walk away from…it’s right in our home…the elephant in the room…it’s there…keep up the courage, we’ll all get through it, and hopefully we can, if not all of us, some of us, win and get justice…we all win that way, and perhaps it will make a difference for the others yet to come and ourselves now if the right people out there know about it and help, and think you’ve some great suggestions…thanks..
Brenda
Thank you Lynn for the encouraging words! I am so glad I found this site as I felt so alone and confused.
My husband did paint 2 coats of Kilz yesterday and today but I di have documentation from a Remeidiation Company that came out to check the odor and he noted it was very strong and concluded it was the paint and we saved the paint cans of the first Kilz and the Olympic paint, we had bought a five gallon tub so lots left over. My husband wants to put one coat of Sherwin Williams Harmony paint in 3 days from today. I don’t know what to think I said just leave it white but he’s hard to argue with. He’s going with what the Remeidiation guy said to do.
I have made an apt with an allergy MD who specializes in Houlistic treatments when possible but can’t get in til May.
And to answer Mark’s question, NO I don’t feel safe about painting and never will again unless this situation gets fixed by changing whatever it is they are doing to the new paints in the last two years.
Brenda
Was anyone here at all successful with covering the paint fumes? We are putting on the Kilz Ultimate Primer, 2 coats then trying Sherwin Williams Harmony. But I’m so afraid we are wasting time and money. In the meantime I live in our small trailer as I’ve had bad asthma from this. It’s no fun in a trailer when it snows out! But at least I can breath. This is such a nightmare!
Mark
I just painted a bedroom with Benjamin Moore Regal Select in my upstate New York house. The first day I prepped, painting corners and edges. The slight smell of vomit was familiar as I had recently painted the interior of a closet in my NYC apartment where I first noticed this new paint smell – also Benjamin Moore. I figured the smell would go away in time. Yesterday I completed the bedroom and although only 24 hours have passed, the smell is noxious – door is closed, windows open, fan blowing and it’s 37 degrees outside. Based on what I’ve read I’m alarmed by what I may have done to the bedroom and closet. Frighteningly, it seems to be a widespread problem with most brands of paint, not just BM. BIG question now – does anyone feel safe on confident painting their home now?
Kane
@Brenda, see my previous posts on resolving odor issue. In short: 1 coat of Sherwin Williams Loxon Concrete primer and 1 coat of Sherwin Williams Harmony line. Each retail for over $50 per gallon but there is a current promotion for 30% off. Even at regular price it’s well worth it and if I had known earlier I would pay $1000 a gallon after a year of awful fumes.
Prior to this fix, I tried Kilz, Zinsser BIN shellac, Zinsser 123 and all failed. I strongly suggest testing a small area before going all out. Allow full 24 hours for primer to dry before painting over it. Many of these odor issues are caused by users not reading paint can labels and allowing paint to reach “recoat” time rather than just “dry to touch” time. Good luck!!
Lynne
..
Why not a registry of consumers, including those on this page, who have had problems with the paint brought into their home, whether by themselves or by contractors, etc., listed state by state yet accessible to all, and that will still maintain the privacy of the individuals if they so wish it. They could also provide a separate e-mail address they would feel safe providing for just this type of interchange for contact.
It would show our numbers to officials and the media, and could be used in a class action case if the situation ever warrants it in the future, and list who to contact and where.
Testing of the paint itself is rarely mentioned. More info would help a lot on that, as paint is complex and testing difficult, cost prohibitive to the poor consumer which paint mfgs. know…and this is very relevant as there is no such thing as zero voc paint…mfg’s are getting away with not listing many many small amounts of substances which can be the culprit. It also shows bad faith on their part and inordinate greed…where are our lawmakers, watchdog environmental agencies, the media…paint is in every structure internally, where we spend most of our lives…children, the elderly, animals, and the rest of us.
By organizing, showing our many, gives us more power, strength, let alone the support, help and courage we all need from each other.
Although this site is an excellent one providing important information as to how to get rid of paint smells and the like, it doesn’t work all of the time, and down the line the consumer may wish to pursue not only legal means but contact local agencies who may wish to have samples and validate their complaint…proof is sometimes needed.
Therefore, as several have alluded to, why not have a central place to share information easily, such as the type of problem, solutions and if they work, health issues, and, importantly, agencies available in the area.
Just some thoughts based on your thoughts…also, everyone professionally I’ve spoken with, including governmental sites, say they hear about the paint problem all the time…lots of us…but lost in the crowd.
Brenda
Lynn I highly agree we need to organize and not let the paint companies get away with this horrible ordeal we are all going thru. I swear it is taking years off our lives with the stress alone!
I’m not all that computer savvy but I participate in whatever way I can.
Brenda
Thank you Kane! When did you repaint your bad paint? Has it totally worked?
Kane
@Mark, I have a few posts in this long thread and my odor issue started also with Ben Moore paint. I have found that many of the stores at least in the NYC area that carry Ben Moore paint lack quality control as in paint is stored improperly and dyes can be old. Painting when the temp is under 50 degrees isn’t recommended and I have seen cans stored in freezing cold Janovic stores probably contaminating the paint. Home Depot probably is a little better with quality control since they sell so much paint but Behr just plain sucks according to every pro that posts on professional paint message boards and from the two times I helped friends paint with that brand.
My issue was resolved as described in above post with Sherwin Williams brand products and their paints are carried in own and operated stores unlike Ben Moore, Behr, Valspar, etc. It seems like their employees care more and at least the location I went to the paint was stored in a cage with temperature control.
Brenda
Kane my husband is being stubborn and is afraid to use concrete paint on drywall. He wants to just put the Harmony on the walls do you that that is futile without the concrete primer? ?
He has sinus issues where he can’t smell much and doesn’t have lung issues like me so just doesn’t understand how awful I feel.
Kane
@Brenda, I wouldn’t have spent the money on the concrete primer, gone thru the labor if I didn’t think I needed it. I came upon the idea ONLY because of many people in Europe with this odor issue and a an organization there reporting it as the only remedy. Again here is the link: http://pra.clients.squiz.co.uk/technical_services/consultancy/wall_odour
Keep in mind that domestically there is little to no paint products sold as “alkali resistant primer” but what the only products that are made for resisting alkali is “Concrete & Masonry Primer”. On their website, SW describes it as “Loxon Concrete & Masonry Primer is perfect for sealing and conditioning porous above-grade masonry surfaces. It tolerates the high pH common in new masonry and ensures a uniform look and long-lasting finish.”
Based on the hundreds of post here, I believe the odors are caused by a chemical reaction. Strong products such as Kilz or BIN may cover up odors such as pet urine, smoke,or mold, it doesn’t neutralize the bad chemicals caused by the products we have painted on. It seems the Masonry primer does. Before I put it on the walls, I sniffed it from the can and it was better than the odor in my contaminated room. I primed a piece of cardboard and wood that I let dry overnight then applied Harmony. Within a day the wood and cardboard had virtually no odor, I tried the same on a portion of my contaminated walls with the same good results. Then I painted the remainder of the room and have been happy ever since.
Good luck and any questions please ask!
Brenda
Thank you wish I could convince my husband. He can be so stubborn and thinks he should flow what the Remeidiaton company said to do but I agree with you this is a chemical issue it needs to be sealed.
Let me ask you this once the walls hopefully get sealed one way or another I’m assuming you can’t put nails or screws in the walls to hang pictures, etc as wouldn’t that let some fumes out?
I’m giving in and letting husband do it his way but said I’d smell comes back use the concrete primer.
I appreciate your help at least it gives me hope!
linda
The link to the uk site. what a crock of shit. http://pra.clients.squiz.co.uk/technical_services/consultancy/wall_odour
No ill effects rubbish every time I went into the rooms I got mouth ulcers god knows what it has done to my lungs.
Contact the paint manufacturers who deny everything and give you the run around.
They don’t fully understand the problem. Well they are multi billion dollars companies. Get going and do research. I paid a lot of money to get the air tested etc another crock of shit.
This is stressing people lives no end. Class action is what is needed.
Brenda
Linda YES I highly agree! I’m so sick of this, I can’t live in my home I’m living in a small trailer and we are due to have a big snow storm by morning. And there sits my comfy home that I can’t go inside all because of a can of paint! I am so outraged! How do we start a class action lawsuit and wake up these greedy paint manufactures?
Lisa
DO NOT PAINT OVER THE BAD PAINT
Call the manufacturer and insist that they send a rep.
Tell them you’re aware that low and zero VOC paints are prone to “Wall odor phenomenon” – even though it doesn’t happen with every application.
Tell them you expect them to give you advice on how to fix it and that until it’s fixed and doesn’t smell through one whole summer – THEY ARE ON THE HOOK. Don’t give them all your left over paint.
People – these are defective products. There are no warnings on the cans, but the manufacturers are aware that these products are causing property damage.
Call your local health department. In the US, notify the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
https://www.saferproducts.gov/CPSRMSPublic/Incidents/ReportIncident.aspx
Go to a doctor if you’re having symptoms.
If you can afford it, get a lawyer. Get the air tested. If you can, find a lab that specializes in this kind of problem.
http://www.mayflylab.com/3.htm
I dealt with this problem while being ignorant of the fact that the manufacturer KNEW about the problem. The manufacturer denied any evidence of an odor issue – so – I was led to believe that we were on our own to solve the problem. DO NOT accept that from the manufacturer. Learn from my mistakes. Let the manufacturer take responsibility for solving the problem that its product created.
These multi-billion dollar corporations will get away with this as long as they can. Spread the word: if your room and your walls don’t smell before you paint them, and if you follow directions, and if the walls and your room smell afterwards – IT’S THE PAINT. Don’t let the company get away with telling you anything different.
If you want to try BIN or some other primer – or even masonry primer – go for it BUT: not without some kind of guarantee from the company that if it doesn’t work they’ll take the next step with you.
Because what’s happening is: the company’s aren’t admitting it’s their fault. But they’re reimbursing people who complain enough for BIN or the like – which will probably at least work long enough for you to sign a release. (you sign the release and they send you a check for the BIN) Then the smell comes back and you’re SOL. So – if you use a primer, you need to wait long enough to be sure it worked. And I would recommend you wait until hot and humid weather is in full force, since that is often associated with the smell flaring up.
Brenda
Kane we have decided to try the SW Loxon primer but there are a few of them which one did you use?
And does the Harmony paint go over it ok? We have a new gallon of Harmony eggshell finish
Also it’s still cole here should we turn the heat up while having the windows open??
Thanks for your help I sure hope it works for us, otherwise it’s getting ripped out
Brenda
Kane also our room with the toxic paint is our bedroom is concrete primer ok to sleep in?
Brenda
Kane also our room with the toxic paint is in our bedroom is concrete primer ok to sleep in? And do you think the toxic fumes will just filter in the other direction and go into the rest of the house? Very scared here!!!
Brenda
Thought there were a few different Alison’s but only 2 so purchased the Cement and Masonqry tonight and will try it tomorrow. I was reading another blog and someone mentioned sealing with Safecoat but then said mold might grow, any suggestions on that? Can mold grow under the Loxon? OMG I’m so confused and brought to tears!
Brenda
Oh dear my typing was way off on last comment…Alison was suppose to be Loxon
Lynne
Brenda,
Have you tested the paint and other substances put on your walls to see what is causing the toxic odor?
You can have VOC testing, and perhaps a professional can zero in on what the small may be or the type of fumes it’s emitting. Your symptoms are strong ones, therefore there is a strong amount of toxicity which should be more easily found. Then with this info, you can confront the manufacturer or any others involved as it will prove your case.
All the major paint companies are spending millions looking for,ironically, actual zero voc paint which they have not as yet discovered as we all know and the courts are allowing them to advertise it as (does anyone know why they are being allowed to get away with this as it influences the outcome of people like us with the resultant problems.)…my point being that they have very expensive labs with equipment that can find the problem with their paint very quickly…why are they getting away with not testing contaminated, bad smelling paint they manufacture and sell to us, which then makes many of us ill and literally can ruin our lives for long periods of time. Instead, we have to prove we have a bad odor in our home originating with the paint, and spend thousands on lab testing. All of which we all know makes no sense. If it were chocolate it would be a no brainer as it’s easily tested.
Paint is extremely complicated which everyone, the courts, governmental agencies, manufacturers, environmental contractors and scientists all know and is very, very difficult to test.
I was told the industrial corps. can afford to do it in the thousands, some spending in the hundred thous…as they get reimbursed at the other end with sales.
Paint companies, contractors and everyone else know this and so they just walk away saying ‘prove it”…our homes stink and we are ill and left with a horrific situation if we can’t find a solution…and why should we have to find the solution when we did not create the problem…and, importantly…there is often NO SOLUTION WITHOUT KNOWING THE CAUSE. It becomes a bunch of good neighbors trying to help each other out.
Paint can be a poison. Hello world. Is anyone listening?
There needs to be a central place where all of those affected can be counted, our specific areas of problems listed in categories, etc….as for scams on consumers parts, these can be weeded out easily. We’ve all enough proof when it comes to a potentially hazardous,dangerous substance.
Food is monitored…we ingest it…spoilage can cause humans and other species health problems,. Paint is not monitored…we ingest it through our pores and breathing apparatus andt can cause health problems and worse, .
Someone mentioned Erin Brockavich…why not? Is Joan of Arc still around?
.
Brenda
I mentioned Erin Brokovich as it feels like there is a huge coverup. I’ve been asking lots of questions to contractors, paint store managers and they claim they’ve never heard of this! Come on really!?! I’ve found this forum and other blogs with hundreds of people all dealing with the same issue.
It’s like at this stage we are so burnt out we just want it fixed. I want to sue but I can’t wait for how long that would take. We called PPG and they said a rep would get back to us that was a week ago. In the meantime we are living in a very small trailer and its 0 degrees out tonight! Grrrrr
Lisa
I made this same comment above, but it seems to be stuck in moderation, so I’m posting it again and taking out the links for the CPSC and the Mayfly lab report. I’ve posted those links earlier, so perhaps that’s the problem. At any rate:
DO NOT PAINT OVER THE BAD PAINT
Call the manufacturer and insist that they send a rep.
Tell them you’re aware that low and zero VOC paints are prone to “Wall odor phenomenon” – even though it doesn’t happen with every application.
Tell them you expect them to give you advice on how to fix it and that until it’s fixed and doesn’t smell through one whole summer – THEY ARE ON THE HOOK. Don’t give them all your left over paint.
People – these are defective products. There are no warnings on the cans, but the manufacturers are aware that these products are causing property damage.
Call your local health department. In the US, notify the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
(link deleted -see above comments)
Go to a doctor if you’re having symptoms.
If you can afford it, get a lawyer. Get the air tested. If you can, find a lab that specializes in this kind of problem.
(link deleted, see above comments)
I dealt with this problem while being ignorant of the fact that the manufacturer KNEW about the problem. The manufacturer denied any evidence of an odor issue – so – I was led to believe that we were on our own to solve the problem. DO NOT accept that from the manufacturer. Learn from my mistakes. Let the manufacturer take responsibility for solving the problem that its product created.
These multi-billion dollar corporations will get away with this as long as they can. Spread the word: if your room and your walls don’t smell before you paint them, and if you follow directions, and if the walls and your room smell afterwards – IT’S THE PAINT. Don’t let the company get away with telling you anything different.
If you want to try BIN or some other primer – or even masonry primer – go for it BUT: not without some kind of guarantee from the company that if it doesn’t work they’ll take the next step with you.
Because what’s happening is: the company’s aren’t admitting it’s their fault. But they’re reimbursing people who complain enough for BIN or the like – which will probably at least work long enough for you to sign a release. (you sign the release and they send you a check for the BIN) Then the smell comes back and you’re SOL. So – if you use a primer, you need to wait long enough to be sure it worked. And I would recommend you wait until hot and humid weather is in full force, since that is often associated with the smell flaring up.
Brenda
Kane how long ago did you prime with Loxon? And did you go thru any hot and humid conditions since?
Brenda
Lynn no we haven’t had it tested, I know we should be doing all you and Lisa say to do but we are so beaten down by stress and illness that all we want is to fix this’s do get our life back. We are trying the Loxon tomorrow since Kane said it worked for him but now I’m wondering how long will that last? Will it eventually come thru again?? But we bought it so will try it. If it comes back the walls come down. But does the ceiling have to come down if it wasn’t painted with the toxic paint? Will the fumes be imbedded there? Does the insulation have to go too? Ugh
I had a remediation guy come in but all he did was test for mold and check to see if the paint cured and it had. He agreed it was a bad chemical smell coming from the paint. I asked for a letter stating that with his signature and he never got back o me. Called today and no word back yet. How frustrating! I saved my ER paperwork stating I had inhaled chemical fumes. I will try calling rep back but since we’ve covered the paint will Kilz and now Loxon probably blew that. We do have paint left and will save that. We put some in a plastic container also.
I can’t believe no one is investigating this yet! I called NBC, I think everyone should be bombarding them with phone calls and get them off their ass. It’s the only way companies will listen and take action when the media exposes them for the greedy bastards they are!
Sue
Please send out the name and phone number of the individual at NBC that was contacted so that we can all call and bombard them with calls. Just one or two calls to different people is going to do nothing.
Also, perhaps we should contact Erin Brokovich. The timing is right in that there has been national attention regarding the problems in Flint and Porter Ranch, California.
Brenda
I have to scroll up to find the phone number and wil do that night to post it again. We are in the process of ripping out the Sheetrock today so it’s crazy.
Kane
@Brenda. The Loxon I used was Concrete & Masonry Primer which was applied 3 weeks ago. The Sherwin Williams website has a printable 30% off coupon good til end of March 2016 or you can have the cashier at the store scan the one they have taped by the register which is what they did for me.
Although some people here may be afraid to try this due to the product primarily used for concrete, the odor is minimal and much less than the products such as BIN Shellac and Kilz that I tried before. I strongly suggest you try it on another surface such as a cardboard box, piece of wood before attempting applying to your contaminated walls. If you must apply to walls before testing on a different surface, do a small area to see if you notice any difference before going thru the trouble of an entire wall or room.
The product has a 1 hour dry to touch and 24 hour recoat time so allow a full day before attempting to topcoat it with paint. By itself, it covered the previous odor and I would have left it as is but my spouse didn’t like the “flat” appearance of the primer. The previous bad odor and Loxon odor was gone within 2 days. I made sure to apply during a day with low humidity and temps above 50. I topcoated with a coat of Harmony and within a day slept in the room again.
Good luck and let us know how things go
Kane
@Brenda, to answer your other questions in earlier posts I missed.
My spouse and I sleep in our room now after the Loxon and Harmony being applied. I believe it is safe cause neither one of us can smell or react to the previous odor. We had tried everything before so trying Loxon and risking it not working was hardly a concern at that point. Yes it was another $50 spent but that is nothing compared to the hundreds already spent and trouble we had already gone thru.
As far as your ceiling, I didn’t paint mine with the bad paint and it seems to be fine. Insulation (and furniture, clothes, etc) probably absorbs odor but once the source (stinky walls) is gone, anything in the insulation should dissipate.
I never had a tester come to my home but I can’t blame anyone for not wanting to put their signature to something. Latex paint usually is fully cured in 30 days according to PDF of paints on Benjamin Moore and other paint manufacturer’s website. They usually say it can be wiped within 2 weeks which probably means it’s almost fully cured within that time frame. But we all know by now that cured does not mean odor gone.
Brenda
Thanks for all your help Kane. We did decide to gut the walls as we just want peace of mind that it’s gone. We are tearing out walls now so gotta run but I am keeping posted with every one here for updat s and law suit
Lynne
Is there anyone who has information about the testing of paint. It is relatively easy to test for mold or bacteria, but paint is very complex and odors can be caused by many things, i.e. VOC’S, as the ingredients are many and there are other factors such as temperature, handling, etc.
For example, the specific kind of labs that
Lynne
For some reason, my computer suddenly submitted my last incomplete e-mail while writing it….sorry.
Secondly, has anyone gotten a lab report or proof of any kind with regard to what might be causing the paint odor or problem, submitted it to the manufacturer or store, and what then happened. Several have said they had success in someone else taking responsibility and offering various solution, did they work and could they tell us how it played out, as many of us are trying to do the same thing with nothing to go by. It would be extremely helpful and don’t believe it will compromise them in any way.
m
Lynne
Switched me again when I wrote a third longer concise three question e-mail concerning the testing of the paint which disappeared. This was after the second one you see posted was submitted mid-writing without my hitting submit.
My point is this site is excellent and focuses on remedying the problem ourselves and coming up with solutions for each other when no-one else will.
However, it would be helpful also to get to the cause of the paint odors so we can hold the manufacturers and stores responsible and have them solve the problem quickly…those who are made ill should also know what in the paint is causing them to have health problems so they know how to treat the symptoms properly and heal.
Brenda and other’s suggestion that we contact the media, consumer advocates like Erin Brokavich, and organize a law suit of some kind are excellent, as it is the only way to help many of us who cannot gut the walls for various reasons, and are left with not only unusable rooms but law suits as well.
Would also appreciate the contact at NBC and a law suit makes sense not only because I believe we would win and help others avoid what we’re going through, but I believe there are lawyers out there in the main who would want to help out with this kind of thing…perhaps through centers, universities very involved with environmental issues.
A law suit and all of us contacting the media would also make the manufacturers and others take notice and not just blow us off. They care a lot about PR…how the public sees them…
.
Anita
Brenda we’ve been to ER 3 times for vomiting, smelling like the chemicals in our house from the paint, and chest burning. Still can’t stay in house. The health department said paint should be tested for formaldehyde. Test the room for formaldehyde. Galson Labs has a 24 hour badge test for formaldehyde. They have been working with a lot of consumers because of the Lumber Liquidators laminate flooring nightmare. Media outlets don’t want to jeopardize the big money they get from retailers like Home Depot for ads. I agree with Kane and others, Behr is the worse!!! This is not just an odor like the paint industry wants us to believe. It doesn’t have anything to do with application. The paint is going bad in the cans, and the paint industry knows it. We are all being exposed to dangerous fumes from chemical reactions. What is going on at my house is the equivalent of a chemical attack!
Lisa
Anita, if you haven’t already, i would suggest you contact a personal injury lawyer. They typically only take a % of whatever they can collect for you. You will need to have your health issues documented and linked to the paint fumes. I called one, but there was no help for me because I was never treated for any health issues, and I never had an air analysis done. I wish I had.
So far the only class-action in the case of the smelly paints was against Benjamin Moore for its “Natura” paint – and that was because the paint was advertised as zero VOC when it wasn’t (when colorants are added especially) Also, Sherwin-Williams and PPG settled with the Federal Trade Commission for making the same claims.
But as far as actually getting together and forming a class-action for these smells – it would be strategically very difficult. There are likely different problems happening here. Some formaldehyde, ammonia, or, as detailed in the Mayfly labs report: some strange combination of slower-drying components affected by ozone in the air. Also, bacterial contamination. Also – there’s more than one company involved here. Collecting and co-ordinating evidence is difficult and expensive.
My own opinion is that finding an interested investigative journalist with a background in science would be most effective in publicizing this. This may sound a little conspiratorial: but all network news is corporate news. I think it would be difficult to generate interest based on our reports. This has affected our whole world, but out of 350 million people, we’re still a small bunch.
As I’ve said before, I’m willing to participate. But all I have at this point is my testimony and some pieces of drywall that still stink. My e-mail is somewhere on this page. I had agreed to keep people’s contact info against the chance that we’d all want to be able to get in touch with each other somehow.
Lynne
Lisa, thanks for your input which as always is very helpful.
However, my experience in contacting local watchdog governmental agencies, contractors, environmentalists, scientists. universities and lawyers while trying to find the appropriate lab for testing paint, has been that they all say, yes, they have heard of the problem, and it’s fairly common. There have been only one or two exceptions, and I was quite surprised as I had not heard of it. Most haven’t.
It was a fluke that I found this site, most haven’t, and there are not very many of us posting. I believe there are thousands experiencing similar problems within the timeframe of a year.
Word needs to get out there far and wide. As to how, good investigative reporting as you say or a book, perhaps a university group who will take on a damgerpis glitch in consumer protection.. They’ve done it with wrong imprisonment, medical research, and food safety. Why not paint?
Also, I believe some schools use individual and groups of law students to work on investigative projects for a semester. We could approach them with the suggestion of taking this on, and there are legal societies, both governmentally and academically, that could help us locate those schools that focus on this. Calling law journals might help, There is no financial cost doing it this way.
Could be someone in Academia doing this kind of thing who has lots of contacts nationally, could turn us on to someone in their circle of professionals who’d be willing to take it on and help us. The word would start getting around. Right now nothings happening. Gotta be a way. The office of Erin Brockavich might have some referrals or suggestions. That kind of thing..
I
None of us are ou
Bottom line. The paint manufacturers are selling a falsely labeled product (ie. zero voc) knowing it is not and their refusal to acknowledge any responsibility for a chemical substance applied to the interior of family homes i, l
Lisa
Good suggestions Lynne!
I think the industry has been ordered to stop claiming “zero VOC”.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2013/03/ftc-approves-final-orders-settling-charges-against-sherwin
But they are still claiming low odor – which we know is false. Perhaps this is a trade violation as well as a defective product issue?
Lynne
Lisa, just checked the websites of a few major paint companies, Dunn Edwards, Behr, etc. and they are all claiming their paint is Zero VOC. You may be referring to a lawsuit where one paint mfg. sued another several years ago and the one sued ordered not to advertise it’s particular product as Zero VOC anymore. I don’t know the details, but bet there’s a lot of info somewhere about the details and ingredients of a zero VOC or regular paint..
Reading all the recent posts i’m walking around in disbelief at what I see is criminality in all of this as they are well aware of the dangers of paint which is chemically based. Nothing to fool around with and which should be monitored as other industrial substances are, and this is industrial and manufactured as such. That it is sold differently has to do with smoke and mirrors which we call advertising, what their well paid lawyers tell them they can get away with, and lobby for. How else could they get away with claiming it is something that it is not.
Think as zero VOC paint was on the rise, the competition got heavy which is why one mfg. tried bringing the other down and sued for false claims and advertising.
You’ve mentioned somewhere and I was told paint has many chemical ingredients, some miniscule, that can interact with each other…all you need is one speck of poison to contaminate a vat of milk. When the toxic ingredient is very small, the law says they can erase it from the books and make believe it was never there..
There is now a red line under what I am writing…don’t think it’s my computer and hope this posts..
Lisa
Lynne, you’re right. Sorry about that. Paint is being sold as zero-VOC. And that is because there are now colorants that don’t add more VOCs. But you’re also right in that there’s really no such thing as zero VOC. As long as there’s less than a tiny amount, the manufacturers can call it zero VOC. This is a problem for any of us who would like to know what’s in our paint. There’s really no way to know without really expensive analysis – and by experts who know what to look for even if the paint company doesn’t tell us.
The lawsuit against Benjamin Moore, and the FTC ruling against PPG and Sherwin-Williams was for a situation where those companies were advertising paint as zero-VOC, even though the colorants that were added at that time were increasing the VOCs above that trace amount.
This isn’t really relevant to the problems we’re having here EXCEPT that in some cases these are probably VOCs we’re smelling. Also, it goes to show that the paint companies aren’t being honest in labeling, and that it’s a long-standing problem.
I will definitely call the phone number someone gave above. No reason why I shouldn’t 🙂
Brenda
I finally found the NBC investigating reporter phone number, it was Anita that first posted it a while back. 310-520-8477
It’s a quick call you just leave a message with your name, contact number and a description of issue. Someone called me back the next day from Texas to hear more about my issue and I told him there were hundreds if not thousands of people dealing with this issue and becoming dangerously I’ll from it. He said he would pass it along to the investigating reporter and if the reporter deemed it Worthy of a story” they will investigate.
So everyone on this site please call!!! We need to bombed them with this so they have to investigate. Put this number on any social media you use. I’ve posted on aFB and friends are sharing it. I think Twitter would be better. I never went on Twitter but if any of you do get it out there. I will get on it once my nightmare is done and I can get organized again
Day two tomorrow finish taking Sheetrock walls down and another day at the laundramat. This is costing a fortune, no vacations for a while and we sure need one!
One I can cope again I am checking with the collages in my area we have 5 and a few are very much into the Environment. That’s a good idea Lynne
I’ve heard that class action lawsuits are only against one company and there are numerous companies at fault here. Although I wonder do all these companies get their paint from the same manufacturer which so far all I’m seeing is PPG mentioned.
It was also a fluke I found this site and I am so very grateful I did!!! I thank you all for your stories and your trials and errors, it has helped me not totally lose my mind.
Brenda
Please everyone on this site share the NBC investigating reporter phone number! Again it’s 310-520-8477
It only takes a minute, if we bombard them they will have to listen. Tell all your friends to call and report your case, the people that know the better.
the people I’m sick of talking to are contractors, had one come in to give apps a quote on putting up the new Sheetrock, and he’s a friend…he said I was over reacting and he couldn’t believe my husband would gut the room. Said all it is is paint smell, he couldn’t smell it we had the Sheetrock torn out, windows open, fan running. Then he said you had pets it’s urine in the floor. yah right urine sent me to hospital and that’s why husbands eyes and sinuses are burning, oh and the dry cough, losing voice, urine right! I could have slapped him. I just walked away. Contractors must be dealing with this also, where are they???
Brenda
Another thing you can do to report this is go onto http://www.saferproducts.gov. It’s the site for complaints to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Click on Unsafe Product and a complaint form will come up to fill out
So a question for everyone, of those of us that ended up resheetrockibg, what paints do we use? We bought Harmony from Sherwin Williams but I’m so nervous to paint. And primer? Can the same thing happen with primer? Husnand opened the can of harmony and said it didn’t smell bad, I need to smell it for myself and will do a test patch on a spare price of Sheetrock and leave it in the garage. Will also do that with primer and the two together. Any suggestions on what primer to use? wasn’t crazy about Kilz.
Brenda
Lisa and whoever else replaced your Sheetrock did you also replace the insulation?
Kane
Brenda let me add that it would be a good idea to prime and paint a small area first to make sure there is no repeat of odor issues. You mentioned its cold. Read labels and do not paint when temp is below 50 degrees, allow proper time for curing and ventilate.
Brenda
Thanks Kane. We are definitely going to test the paint on a new piece of drywall once it’s done which won’t be for another two weeks so that will take us into April. We will wait unti May if we have to until the temps are warm enoghh and make sure it’s a dry sunny day.
Do you think the Harmony paint which has the primer in it will be enough or do we need to do separate primer on new drywall? That is if Harmony pages our test!
Kane
@Brenda, once new sheetrock is in place, let the plaster dry cure for at least 7 days before priming. You MUST prime and not skip this vital step!! Zinsser 123 is an excellent basic primer that sells for $20 at Home Depot and $30-$35 at hardware stores. You can topcoat with the SW Harmony you already bought.
I suggest you go on some DIY message boards for the best advice on how to prime and paint new sheetrock
Brenda
So all the painted walls were removed yesterday. But there is still a smell coming from our walk in closet which wasn’t painted. I’m just so sick thinking about it. Husband wants to try to cover with primer as its not a simple closet to gut.
And now I’m worried that the ceiling must smell too. Just hoping primer works as there is no toxic paint on them maybe it can cover it. I’m at my wits end, both my husband and I were in tears today. I wish a tornado would come by and whisk the house away so we can start over.
linda
Hi Brenda,
We went through the same as you. You need to consider t he insulation. There might have been some sort of chemical reaction between the paint and the insulation. We removed dry wall and gyprock.
We were under so much stress also, you have our sympathy.
Linda from Sydney the paint we used was from Ppg.
Brenda
Linda we did end up taking out the insulation in the walls but we haven’t taken down the ceiling. We have a ranch style house so the ceiling goes to the attic with lots of wires,minsulation, etc. A complete horror to take down.
We didn’t paint the ceiling with the bad paint, it does have a coat of Kilz primer and 2 coats of white ceiling paint. Do you think the smell would permeate thru the ceiling to the attic? I guess we better get up there and check. Tha attic is vented, do you think is we painted a fresh coat of primer or even the Loxon cement paint that it could stop the smell if it’s permeated into the ceiling?
This is the worst stress other than a death!!! And I’m afraid for my husband he’s doing all the work himself other than putting up the new sheet rock which they are doing next week.
Also our walk in closet smells and we never painted in there. It had been closed up and we took the doors off to air it out but I can’t imagine that that will work.
linda
Hi Brenda,
We did the same as you with the ceiling. It was not painted with the PPG paint but we still went over it with sealer and fresh paint. Sorry I don’t know anything about cement paint people talk about here. We did a lot of the work ourselves to. Fortunately the incident was in a Garden studio and not our main home. Still drove me mental. I got money from PPG. I have retained most of the emails back and forth from PPG should this never manage to get the publicity needed.
Regards
Linda
linda
Hi Brenda,
our ceiling was not painted with the PPG paint but we still went over it with sealer and fresh paint. Sorry I don’t know anything about cement paint people talk about here. We did a lot of the work ourselves to. Fortunately the incident was in a Garden studio and not our main home. Still drove me mental. I got money from PPG. I have retained most of the emails back and forth from PPG should this never manage to get the publicity needed.
Regards
Linda
Lynne
Linda, for those of us who will be dealing with the paint manufacturer and have had the same issues, can you share the main points of those e-mails or how you were able to get them to accept their responsibility for the paint…I was told to bring the paint cans to the brand store, Dunn Edwards, to have them compared to new cans of paint of the exact same kind…my paint had a much stronger smell and was slightly sour…the other was not…the two employees wrote that on my receipt…the paint mfg. only tested it for mold and bacteria but odor is usually from VOC’s which they did not test and refuse to. they then said it was not their problem…my contractor said it is not his problem either and is between the paint mfg. and myself even though he purchased the paint and brought it into my home and painted my walls…and the law as written now nationally I believe is that we would be responsible to prove that the paint has an odor, what is in the paint causing the odor that should not be there…even with the obvious proof in the cans and in my room…something is terribly wrong as we have no protection…hard to find a lab and it cost thousands for the consumer to test this…and not all of us have the money or help to get rid of the odor in the room…and are left with an almost unsolvable problem and why i’m up at 4:22 in the morning…since my paint is advertised as ‘virtually no odor on the web page’ , there may be other ways…but takes a lawyer and once again money…great site tho with some good advice…blessings to all and good luck
Kathy
Hello!
We ripped out the drywall in a small 11 x 14guestroom 2 weeks ago that we have not used or slept in for almost 5 months.
I painted this room in November 2015 with a Glidden paint that was still out-gassing after 11 days. I contacted Glidden with my concerns. They checked their records and claimed the paint was good even though I shared every detail of what was wrong.
I explained our son was coming for Thanksgiving. He’s in remission with Stage 3 Cancer and I would be canceling his trip. Glidden sent us a check for $250.00 for a $25 can of paint, which makes this awfully suspicious.
We hired a paint contractor to fix the strong VOC problem. He uses only Sherwin-William products. He believed the odor seemed like it was an exterior paint not a interior. He suggested SW White Synthetic Shellac primer to seal the problem followed by 2 coats of Harmony. I was told by the weekend everything would be fine and not to cancel Thanksgiving.
Sadly we have canceled every holiday since. I have needed medical care since I was exposed to the vapors when it was applied and the 24/7 out-gassing for the last 5 months.
We were told by 2 SW representatives that their Synthetic shellac should not be used for residential homes. After too many phone calls, emails and 3 visits to our home, we’re just “dissatisfied customers”. This is serious toxic exposure not a color problem.
Like many of you, this has been more than stressful. We final decided it was time to hire a drywall company to start over. The bids were crazy, $3200 to $8200 not including the demo fees.
If you want it done right do it yourself or with the help of friends.
Here’s an interesting link.
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/toxic-torts-overview-32204-2.html
I wish I kept a daily log. I’m going to give SW one more opportunity to do something to educate the public
when you buy a can of poison!
Thank you all for sharing.
Chris
First let me say that my sympathies go out to all on this thread who have suffered from the paint/pigment issues. I have been reading these post for the past 4 days and wanted to throw my story in with yours. I DO plan on calling the number listed for the NBC investigation group.
July 4th, 2011 on a Monday in Charlotte, NC. Bothof my boys and husband are out of town, boys on a week long scout camp trip and husband out on business. I have decided to paint our 1/2 bath on the main floor of our 2 story home to keep me busy. Earlier that same morning I headed out the ole Home Depot for a gallon of semi-gloss Berh paint tinted to a glorious milk chocolate color. Paint mixed, shaken and ready to “roll”. Chose Berh because I had already painted both of my boys rooms the year before and they turned out great, even though it took a week for the odor to finally go away.
At 4pm the same day, I am ready to paint. Bathroom is prepped and ready. I have the one small window open with the exhaust fan running. There is a good base of the builders chosen color on the walls, neutral off white, so I decided not to prime the walls before hand. I open the can of paint and remember thinking, “Whoa, this is some strong smelling paint. Sure hope the smell will abate fast.” Ok, first coating going on for trim work. Glad I have the window open despite the mild humidity outside, this paint it the strongest smelling I have ever experienced. Hour later I take a break. Open paint can again to stir, smell is still strong. Remember a friend telling me she used a couple of teaspoons of vanilla extract to cover the smell of her painting projects since the vanilla will evaporate. Weird but why not, I can always prime and repaint if anything goes wrong. I desperate at this point. Small room consumed with paint fumes.
Vanilla added, paint stirred, smell is a little better. It’s now 7pm. I’m rolling the walls with paint. Almost done with 1st coat. I’m on the ladder to finish the higher area on the walls and get a little dizzy. Never having this happen before I quickly finish the last corner and get off the ladder, clean up for the night to let the walls cure.
I go back in to the bathroom to check on my masterpiece and to look out of the window to watch some of the neighbor fireworks going off up the street. I still recall thinking how strong the smell of the paint was. I have had the door open, the window open AND the exhaust fan going the whole time. What the heck ? So I leave the window open, leave the fan running and close the door.
8am next day I go check the bathroom. Smell not too bad but I still close the door.
5pm, same day. Getting ready to apply the 2nd coat. Still mildly humid out but open and run everything as before. Shake the paint can, open to stir it and the smell is a little better with the help of the vanilla extract. Crazy. Finish 2nd coat within the hour, it’s a basic small 1/2 bath if you recall.
Ok, project complete. All is back where it should be, the smell is manageable, but I keep the window open a couple of inches and the fan still running, door closed.
Wednesday, 10 am, check the bathroom again. Not bad. Smell tolerable. Close window, turn off the fan. Hour later, turn fan back on. Smell is still just a tad too much, dogs were even sneezing a little bit now that I’m recalling all of this.
By Friday the weather is fair, hot and low humidity. Paint smell is lower that previous day. Turn fan off. Husband is now back from his trip and comes in that afternoon to checkout my handy work. Compliments me and then comments that the paint smell is sweetish, but hint of something odd. We left it to the paint not being totally cured.
Next week fumes are gone, smell is gone. Or so we thought. Mid-August and it is a scorchingly hot, high 90’s day. Not a cloud in the sky and humidity is ridiculous. “What is that smell ?” I call out to no one in general. My oldest son, 13 years old, come downstairs smells the air in the middle of this house and hones in on the bathroom. He has a very acute sense of smell. Smells a bit of something sweet, but then smells like natural gas too. He smells the same as I do. I’m not crazy !
Now this where we go through the same process of what many of you all have listed.
1. Check for gas leak – 3 different times within 3 months. Hit or miss with each tech with the smell. All clear.
2. Check for dead critters. Pest guy smells nothing.
3. Have the toilet seal changed out 2 times within a month. Even in the bathroom above the 1/2 bath. I have boys after all, maybe it’s urine. (Like I’m not cleaning the bathroom properly. We’ve lived here for 11 years for crying out loud.)
4. Check for leaks in plumbing. Rent a camera on the end of bendable cable cord to search walls and ceiling. All clear. Find only a few spider webs and sheet rock from when the house was built. Plumber thinks I’ve lost it by now. BUT, he finally catches a mild whiff of the odor. Smells like something dead to him. Duh…
All this goes on until about the end of October 2011. Cooler weather comes around and it all settles down with still the occasional odd moments of smelling the “gas” odor.
May 2012. It’s baaaaack ! We’ve got nothing. Not a clue. Sweet smell is gone. Now it’s just pure death warmed over. I’m convinced a snake or a mouse has dies in between the final siding and out walls. We run the exhaust fan for 4 months straight, non-stop. I can’t take it anymore and turn the fan off. Next day smell is back. Will this critter just decompose already ! Geesh! Fan back on for another month.
Another winter. Fan is off. Occasionally smell “it”, but manageable.
May 2013, it’s still here !
Same track for the rest of the year as last. November rolls around, things settle down again.
April 2014 my husband decides to smoke bomb the house to check for leaks in the plumbing. If only I had been video taping the event. Our neighbor was highly entertained. We have no leaks in the plumbing.
May-June, smell has settled down with only the rare occasion of “it” being detected. Good thing because we are having to move.
House goes on the market 1st week in July and sells in 3 days. Haven’t even thought about the smell with all the craziness that ensues for the next 5 months.
Have lived in our new home for over a year. Decided to paint the guest bathroom. Ick ! Paint is a bit strong, but this paint is from Sherwin Williams, should be ok. Takes 2 weeks for the paint smell to abate. Whew.
Now I want to paint the guest bedroom, BUT I can’t have the smell last for 2 weeks, we have company coming to stay with us.
I decide to google how to get rid of paint orders and find you all !
Sorry this has been SO long, but I feel like I’ve gone through therapy by recalling everything ! My husband wasn’t convinced of the paint theory until I reminded him of what happened and then shared all of you stories with him.
We are good friends of the family that bought the house and I will be checking with them about the “smell” to see if they have had any issues. So far they have not mentioned anything, but I will be by there this weekend for a visit and will check thing out.
So again, I WILL be calling the number tomorrow to put in my 10cents. Let’s get this started.
Thanks to all for sharing. I will continue to keep track of the posts here too.
Well wishes to everyone.
Chris
Sorry I didn’t proof read very well.
2 tsps of Vanilla extract was put into the paint that I used in 2011. Interior decorator friend recommended this. Said she mixed in sometimes to control/mask paint odors. Said it vanilla would evaporate from the walls after a couple of weeks.
Later I thought a snake or a mouse died in between the vinal siding and outer walls and that was causing the smell.
Thanks for your patience. 🙂
Brenda
I want to try to pin point all the places this is happening, can everyone on this blog pleas tell what state you live in! I’m in western Massachusetts.
I tried finding a group online that could give us help or tell where we could get help. I didn’t find much I could find. I sent an email to UMass University, hope I hear back from them.
I looked up Erin Brokovich to see if there was a link for people with environmental toxic issues but didn’t find anything.
Has anyone else called the NBC phone number I posted?
Kane
Brenda, sorry to hear about the odor in your closet. Sounds like the odor has spread to your closet. Give it a few days to see if it dissipates now that you have removed the original source. I imagine you have disposed all of your contaminated drywalls but it would have been good for testing the Loxon I recommended if indeed the contamination has spread to your closet and/or attic. I’m certain that the contamination/odor issue was a gas caused by a chemical reaction by the bad paint and whatever was on your walls before. Only gas can spread like that (it travels path of least resistance) to other parts of the home. As far as contacting NBC, I honestly think it’s a waste of time to call an Los Angeles number if your in Western Mass. Your local TV stations’ Consumer Reporter/Problem Solver may be a better path in your case as they are always looking for leads on consumer stories. Good Luck!
Brenda
Kane thanks we do have the contaminated drywall still in a dumpster so we can try the test. Thanks for the advice.
I am trying to find some local agencies and media to get involved in this but don’t have the time or energy to stay focused on it yet but I’m not giving up this needs to be figured and and solved. Someone will eventually die from this I almost did from asthma.
Anita, thanks it feels good to have it out of the house but we can still smell it not nearly as bad but I can taste it and burns my sinuses. It got in our closet and most likely ceiling as my husband refused to take it out saying it wasn’t painted so should be ok. It’s not ok. Ugh. So tired. We have another not as bad but big project on a timeline our backyard retention wall is caving it so we have to demolish our shed as its going to fall over and we have to take down our stockade fence. My husbands doing all the work other than building the wall we hired someone to do that. So we are burnt out to the max.
I just want my house back. I don’t remember Aniita did you gut your room?
We did look into paint and bought Harmony from Sherwin Williams and we had it tinted I wanted to just leave it white base but hubby is way too stubborn for his own good. As for primer I think most people used BIN. I need to look into that. PPG sent us a can of Behr and I can’t believe my husband wants to use it. I need to get rid of it! I don’t ever want anything from PPG again!!!!
Does anyone know what other paint manufacturers are there?
Al
Someone suggest an eco paint for people who are chemically sensitive, they also have a ” eco primer”,” green home supply”. Also I suggest getting a carbon filter when working with paints like a Hamilton Beach True Air Room Odor Eliminator for a small room, if you have the funds then an iqair multgas air purifier for voc, gas removal and control, give it time tho and keep it running. My situation has gotten better after baking the room with 2 heat lamps oscillating the walls for about two weeks switching positions on walls and adjusting heights, then I’ve left the purifier in the room for about 5 days now and its better as I went in the room today, will updated again later..
Anita
Brenda, glad you decided to get rid of the drywall! The paint nightmare should be over soon. Go back and take your time to check the posts of people who took their drywall down to see what they painted with before you re-paint. I wouldn’t trust any primer or paint from Home Depot, Lowes, Benjamin Moore or Behr. God Bless.
Anita
If you think we can trust what is in the paint cans that we use in our homes, Google an article that was just posted on-line in the last 24 hours: Petitioners Call On Sherwin Williams, PPG to Stop Making Lead Paint. The paint industry couldn’t care less about the health and safety of consumers, employees, or their families. Don’t think this is not happening in the U.S. We who have posted here are all proof of that! The health of my family, our home, cars and all that we own has been ruined because of Behr and whatever was in the can of paint that was purchased at Home Depot. Brenda I wish I had a RV so I could at least stay in my back yard. We have spent a year in hotels at our own expense! We know we have been poisoned. Our mouths, noses, eyes etc. burn every day even when we have been out of our home for over a year.
Brenda
Al I take it you didn’t gut the room and start over? Thanks for the tips!
Brenda
Anita that’s just so, so very horrible. We are all suffering and no one gives a damn!!
I thought lead paint was removed years ago, so there evidently isn’t any type of control over the paint industry! How scary when paint is such a toxic chemical.
Anita, how did it affect your cars? I am very grateful for our little trailer and my husband had been trying to sell it, thank god we didn’t! I can’t imagine living in a hotel for a year, the expense would be astronomical. Yes we have been poisoned, my biggest fear is will this eventually kill us, it has to be very carcinogenic! Cancer runs high in my family and I’ve always tried to live a very healthy lifestyle, that’s all been a waste of time at this point! But I have to get that out of my head and just go forward.
The smell is much better today so we are going to take our time and let it air out for a week, maybe two. Then prime ceiling and closet but what to use? I think everyone here mostly suggests BIN? We will use the ceiling paint in the closet as that paint was ok. We bought Harmony One Coat from Sherwin Williams which has primer in it but now I’m second questing that, I think others recommended not using paint that is also primer? I’m so freaking confused and scared! I don’t want to paint!!!
Does anyone know what paint isn’t made by PPG? What other paint manufacturers are there anyway?
Lisa
Brenda, please – write to me at: m l e m a 4 5 @ gmail.com (no spaces, I just don’t want the internet bots picking up my e-mail address. I am very hopeful that you can answer a question for me. Thank you. Also, I will share with you any advice I can – which is probably already on here, but which may be hard to extract from all the comments.
Kane
Brenda, I’ve posted answers to your many questions in your most recent post but I will answer them again so please read.
For your new drywall, I suggest Zinsser 123 Primer. It is a contractor, do-it-yourself favorite and sells for $20 @ Home Depot or $30-35 at most hardware stores. I know you must be afraid to paint at this point but if you have some scrap pieces of drywall from your project then you can test on that first. Keep in mind, many readers on this particular thread are amateurs and are only here after they experienced bad odor. If you don’t trust my opinion on primers, there are many do-it-yourself blogs that you should post to that will probably recommend the same or similar. Whatever brand you choose, it is vital not to skip this vital step after hanging new drywall. Also asking clerks @ Home Depot or Lowe’s to recommend a primer for new drywall is a good idea as they sell tons of drywall and primer but they are probably not a good place to ask or deal with odor issues that many of us here have experienced.
Brenda
Kane thank you I know I could scroll thru previous comments but there are so many and I start to get side tracked reading them again.
A friend also recently mentioned Zinsser so will give that a try, thx!
We had a Sheetrock guy come in today and is going to start sheetrocking next Saturday so that will give us a week more of airing it out and putting up the new insulation. Tomorrow is our big test of shutting up the house for the day as we are going to friends for Easter. I am scared but so hoping the smell won’t be noticeable.
Then we will do our test priming and painting before we begin.
I am just so thankful I found this site as it has helped tremendously!
I wish everyone luck with getting rid of the evil fumes in your homes.
WR
Lots of recent activity here. I just wanted to chime in and say that I would not use Harmony paint. Several have posted about that paint causing an odor. I’m terrified to paint any room ever again at this point, and I certainly will never use low-VOC paints ever again (like Harmony or others). I think they are hiding dangerous chemicals in those paints. A lot of people with the wall odor problem started with a low-VOC. I’m not sure I’ll ever use pigmented paint, either, as I worry it is a dye problem. What a mess.
Brenda
WR thanks for the tip on Harmony I didn’t see those comments about it. Only one good post from Kane as he used it and had good luck. I am also terrified to use paint. We have gone thru so much money wasted
I wonder if I can return the Harmony paint as we haven’t used it yet and won’t until middle of April. I don’t think you can guy any other paint but the low and no VOC. has anyone found regular old fashioned paint?
Sue
No Zero VOC paint ever again for me ! I’m moving soon and plan to use cloth to line my walls if I want to add color. Don’t laugh. I’m dead serious.
Brenda
What I don’t get is I have a couple of friends who painted recently with the low VOC paint one was Valspar the other Behr and no problem. It’s like the luck of the draw. That’s why I’m leaning towards the theory that it’s the colorant.
Sue would you glue the fabric on or drape it from the ceiling?
I’m contemplating the preprinted beadboard paneling.
Kane
For what it’s worth I used Harmony eggshell but chose not to add colorant. My original issue was caused by Benjamin Moore paint.
Brenda
Oh interesting good to know. So do you also think it’s the colorant?
Brenda
Has anyone repainted with tinted paint that was ok?
Kane
I believe colorant contamination was a possibility so I choose to reduce any risk when I went with Sherwin Williams product for the first time. I have full confidence in their product now after using it despite some people here reporting issues.
Brenda
Thanks Kane. Guess all we can do is smell and test the primer and paints before painting.
I looked at the weather forecast for next week when we get the new drywall up. Going to get cold again. 23 at night. Guess we’ll be in the trailer a while longer, not goingvto paint until the nights don’t go below 50
Kane
Brenda, do you have the paints that you purchased in a warm place? Storage of unopened paint is important otherwise it can spoil and create odors. Google “paint freeze dry”. Also read labels on cans regarding application and storage.
Brenda
Yes we are keeping it in our house, thanks!
Lisa
This issue is hit or miss. It’s obvious that not all cans of paint are affected – even from the same batch. The paint companies are using that fact to defend against these complaints. KEEP YOUR UNUSED PRODUCT and, if you hope to gain any assistance from the manufacturer, don’t paint over your affected walls with anything until you’ve verified the problem with a remediation expert or otherwise. If you can afford it, find an expert lab that will test the paint for components that are causing the smell. Those components won’t necessarily be listed as ingredients by the paint company.
Also, again, it would be beneficial to contact your local health department and report the problem. The fumes could be detrimental and that will need to be verified. If health departments continue to get these reports, they will be taken seriously. Eventually the paint companies will have to own up to this problem and, if they can’t fix it, at least warn about it on their labels and with their retailers, so that customers aren’t exposed too long (which can cause long-term health problems apparently).
The manufacturers should be responsible for repairing our homes – and if its something they can’t do anything to prevent, then the cost of fixing these intermittent problems should be distributed to all consumers rather than bankrupting just a few unlucky people.
Tell everyone you know that this problem exists. Tell DIYers and contractors to keep their paint until they’re sure there’s no issue. Continue to report the issue to manufacturer, health department, and CPSC.
Brenda
Very good advice Lisa! I have been telling every living soul I come in contact with.
Brenday
Does anyone else have trouble getting onto this blog? Whenever I try to reply or comment it takes a long time to get on.
Anyway, to update what’s going on with me. I called SW last week and the new manager who I guess just started this week called me back. Of course he said he never heard of this issue so I gave him this sight and told him to check it out. He said he would do a lot of research on it and get back to me. I will keep you all updated as to what they do.
In the meantime the smell stays the same and still living in basement.
Lisa
I haven’t had any trouble except for some slowness. There are over 600 comments on here now, so that may have something to do with it.
John
Hi. It’s been a while since posting last. My house smell has imporved over this winter, and will hopefully disappear altogether within a year.
I’ve noticed that the word, stucco, is not on this page. Instead of ripping out drywall, why not stucco? It might be that stucco is thick enough to spoil or guard against whatever causes the odors. Or what about a layer of drywall mud? The walls won’t be perfectly straight, but that may be an acceptable trade off in some cases. One box of drywall mud at roughly $15 can cover roughly 150 square feet at 1/16 inch thick. It’s fast to spread. It’s not hard to do, It doesn’t matter whether mud gets on the door / window trim or floor, but put some tape at the edges where it meets the wall, making eaiser clean up later. I’ve done a lot of drywall, and could probably cover a typical bedroom wall in an hour or less with a fairly-consistent layer. Wait two or three days for it to dry, and sand with the a hand-held sanding tool (cheap). If the first coat is rough / uneven, use a second coat for “feathering” over the indents. It would cost a lot less, and be much faster, than ripping out the walls and trim.
However, there is no guarantee that the mud / stucco will block the oder, or destroy the cause of the odor. I just don’t know, but it seems like a reasonable assumption that odors cannot penetrate 1/16″ of mud. Use 1/8″ if you don’t mind the extra cost. The new primer then goes on top of the mud, sealing it much better against odors, and if bacteria is in the paint under the mud, how can it eat through 1/16″ of plaster? I doubt very much that bacteria eating a certain constituent in the dried paint eats mud too.
But what if the bacteria gets on the trowel and then on the outer surface of the mud? Well, if it doesn’t eat mud, and can’t get at any paint, shouldn’t it die? I don’t know, but it seems like a good hope. Don’t primer quickly. Let the mud dry out for a week or two, or more if you have the time. The room will be usable in the unpainted condition. If it doesn’t smell after the mud has dried for a week, chances are it won’t after new paint is applied. But cross your fingers, anyway.
Before applying mud, sand the walls, and this will have the added benefit of removing much of the bacteria thriving on the surface. Apply mud immediately after sanding, don’t wait days to allow bacteria to re-populate. I personally think bacteria is the problem. I wonder what would happen if a little bleach is mixed into the water used for making the mud. Will it make the mud less stable in any significant way? Experiment on a small patch. Make sure the bleach doesn’t affect the bonding performance of the mud. In other words, after the test patch dries, see if it saticks or flakes off easliy. If it sticks and looks normal, you might try more bleach for the rest. One laundy-bleach company I called said that eight drops per gallon of shallow-well water would purify it sufficient for drinking. That much can’t hurt drywall mud, but I would suggest a lot more than eight drops per gallon for mud. How about a couple of thimbals? You decide. All the best
Lisa, gotta hand it to you for being so tenacious.
John
John