The quality of paint varies greatly. You may be concerned about the substances in your paint and how they may affect your family’s health, whether you are preparing for the arrival of a new baby or simply changing the color scheme of your walls.
The chemicals and amounts used in each paint can are unique. Know the ingredients of several paints so you can pick one that won’t harm your family.
The safest paints to use near infants are newer ones that are non-toxic (no silicates or lead), odorless, and contain no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). However, that doesn’t imply your newborn is safe. Before beginning any painting project, ensure you have the proper knowledge of painting methods and safety precautions.
Are Paint Fumes Harmful to Babies?
If you choose a safe paint for babies, the fumes shouldn’t cause serious or long-term health problems. But because your baby’s lungs aren’t as developed as yours, they could still get sick if they are in a room where paint is still drying, they may experience the following:
- Headaches and dizziness.
- Eye irritation.
- Rashes or other skin irritations.
So, if you are painting a room for your baby, choose a paint with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The best painting company in your area uses Sherwin Williams paints most of the time. Sherwin-Williams has a wide variety of paints that have low or no VOCs.
How Long After Painting Is It Safe for a Baby to Be in the Room?
If you painted the room using a current low- or no-VOC paint that is suitable for infants, it should be safe for newborns to use within a few hours. However, there is always a potential that your baby could be more vulnerable to some of the previously discussed issues when exposed to fumes, so waiting forty-eight hours is the safest choice in this situation.
Can a Baby Sleep in a Freshly Painted Room?
Even though you can put your baby or toddler in a room a few hours after painting it, sleeping is a different story. You shouldn’t let your baby sleep in a room that has just been painted for a few days. This is because the effects of paint fumes, such as breathing problems, are hard to notice when a child is asleep.
Lead-Based Paint and Babies
Lead-based paint is extremely likely present in any property constructed before 1978. Your infant will need a safe place to sleep, so you’re probably thinking about ways to cover or eliminate it. Lead-based paint is notoriously difficult to remove, but it is possible to cover it up with a new coat of paint using the encapsulation technique. You can call a painting contractor to handle this process because it requires specialized paints and application methods.