Paint Smells a Month Later

May 12, 2020 by Lisa Powers

Question from Dac

My wife painted a room in our house a few months back with a dark grey Behr paint and primer in one. Months later I still get a strong smell from it. She doesn’t think it’s bad but does smell it. How do I get rid of it? Bake out seems to be not advised currently? Any advice? Also she painted a wall in another room off white Benjamin Moore regal select and I have no issues with it after one day

Lisa’s Answer

Thanks to Andy Pace from The Green Design Center for the following explanation. I highly recommend calling them for your non-toxic building supply needs. They also have a lot of experience helping people with MCS find building materials.

“If I may jump in here… Lingering odor is almost always caused by moisture trapped in the coatings. As the moisture comes out, it carries with it the chemical footprint of where it was, which usually means, a distinct aroma of resins and solvents. Its true that the BM Regal is zero-VOC, but the biggest reason why the Behr paint is problematic may have to do with the color. Most people apply dark colors way too heavy…trying to get a nice thick coat so it appears to cover well. This is counterproductive. Water based paint needs to go on very thin in order to cure properly. Thick coats will cause lingering odors and a softer film. So, dark colors will be more prone to long lasting odors than will off white colors, no matter the product line. At this point, adding another layer or two of product will only prolong the situation. Get a large fan and direct it towards the offending surface. This will help wick away the moisture. Use a dehumidifier in that room. As a last resort, wipe the surface gently with isopropyl alcohol (or a cheap vodka) and just let the alcohol evaporate naturally. As it evaporates, it will pull moisture out of the paint. Otherwise, call us and we can help you with the AFM SafeCoat materials.”