Paint fumes

[Jandm]

Does anyone else react badly to paint fumes? And if so, what type of paint triggers your asthma? How long do you have to avoid an area that’s been recently painted?

[Palette]

I was a professional artist for years using a variety of paint, never troubled too much except by gloss and some cheap emulsion. However, despite never having had chest problems I developed asthma at the age of

60, and I am trying to get the respiratory dept to take notice of my work history to see if this is a late development caused by paint. I had allergy tests for various things recently which came up negative but none of them seem to have been for any paints.. I am trying to get them to take notice of this possible cause or irritant so will update if I gave success. I still paint but on a much smaller scale.

[Jandm in reply to Palette]

I react very badly to paint, yet some people try to tell me that that isn’t possible and there is no trigger in paint, but I really beg to differ. Dust, aerosols etc don’t affect the biggest proportion of the population, but we are not all the same. Not everyone suffers with allergies, or reacts the same way.

Good luck with finding out what triggered your asthma (Bet it was the paint)

[Palette in reply to Jandm]

Thanks Jandm, I think so too! I'll post any further info I get on this, as lots of people have to be in contact with paints etc because of their work and I would like to know if there is a possibility of a delayed effect later in life, to help those who are working with paint now.

[Oldandgray]

Yes gloss paint that has to have the brush cleaned with white spirit type solutions. I can’t be anywhere near the fumes for days. I can only use emulsion and gloss paint where brushes are cleaned in water.

I have to get decorators on when I am on holiday so the fumes have all gone by the time I return home.

[Jsc3]

hi I stay away from oil based paint. radiator paint is very bad for my breathing.so painter in me out for a few days

[Spikedog66]

I stay away from most paint and emulsion unless odourless it's more expensive and not as good, decorators dislike it emensly but with windows and doors open I can live in my house and breathe. 😊

[strongmouse]

I can't cope with gloss paints or VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Low VOC paints are best but still take a few days to air off in dry warm weather.

Keep doors shut to rest of house, open windows during the day. Some air filters may help, but depends on type of filter.

[Jandm]

Thank you all for your replies. I just wanted to find out if this was a trigger for some asthmatics. Some people think that if there is no warning on the tin saying respiratory irritant then it can’t possibly cause a reaction. I beg to differ.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

I react very quickly and noticeably to solvent based paints. When much less bad slept in a freshly painted room.at someone else's house, which I couldn't do now - had been ok then was awake half the night taking inhaler! These days I couldn't have been in the house for the painting, never mind sleeping in there.

Water based ones are better but I still notice if I spend time in the house when it's fresh or get up close to the paint in a tin. Luckily we were able to have our flat painted while still living somewhere else, and used Dulux water-based paint. I managed when we had our spare room painted as was out while it was done and could close the door and not have to sleep there - the decorator seemed to think it was a bit odd that I insisted on water based and clearly hadn't heard this could be a thing.

But paint and most things with VOCs definitely sets me off.

[PaulRosedene]

I have had asthma attacks after painting. It helps to open a window, but that is not always sufficient. Not sure what kind of paint.

As a claims handler I have dealt with employment claims from professional decorators who have developed or worsened asthma due to exposure to paint.

[l789]

YES! My grandmother had her bedroom painted recently (in winter, so she didn't open her windows as she gets cold easily) and I whenever I visited for about two months I had multiple asthma attacks and felt like I couldn't breathe. If I do any work on my own place, I do it when it's warm and I can keep the windows open permanently, and one room at a time so I never have to sleep in a freshly painted room😬 Gloss is the WORST, but I also find that cheap "value" brands are really bad. Also, oddly old paint - like when you have some left over from decorating and use it years later to touch up any marks - seems to be worse than it was when it was new. Don't know if it's my imagination, but I find it's better to buy new paint. I paint (pictures) too, and find oils no problem.

[Jandm in reply to l789]

It seems that paint is definitely a problem for certain people. Some argue that it doesn’t cause any problems, but then they don’t have asthma and a sensitivity to a whole host of allergens and VOCs.

[kola05]

I once had a lot of paint work done on my car and the entire interior reeked of solvent fumes so bad that I couldn't drive that car for 2 months. It was horrible! I finally got the interior professionally cleaned and left a small air purifier running inside for a few weeks. Leaving the windows down during the day while the car was sitting in the driveway seemed to make no difference, as the fabric interior had absorbed the toxic solvent fumes. Ugh, what a nightmare that was.

[Jandm in reply to kola05]

That’s the other problem....clothes/cloth pick up the fumes from paint. It’s a nightmare!

[kola05 in reply to Jandm]

I completely understand. I also find that fumes from scented candles, other air "fresheners", and dryer vents tend to absorb into everything also. Over the summer, I briefly used a public restroom that had a very strong air "freshener" (while holding my breath and covering my face with my dress). I had to change clothing and wash my hair when I got home because my hair actually stunk of the air freshener odor. It was disgusting!

My boyfriend travels a lot for work, and when he comes home and I hug him, I can instantly tell if he has stayed at this one base house where the cleaning lady uses fragrant dryer sheets on the linens. If he's been in that place before he comes home, I make him shower as soon as he gets here because even his skin stinks of the dryer sheets (he doesn't even do his laundry there; the scent gets on his clothing and skin from the FUMES!) It's truly unbelievable and along with triggering my asthma, it seriously grosses me out and makes me gag.