How long do VOCs last after painting?

Most people know the smell of freshly applied paint, home renovation, or a new car. For some, these odors are even considered pleasant. However, they can often indicate the presence of Volatile Organic Compounds, aka VOCs.

They’re also pretty terrible for our health, especially if we’re exposed to them constantly. 

Painting spaces in your home is one of the main ways VOCs are introduced to our indoor environments. These harmful vapors are released while the paint is still wet and they can be emitted into your home for days, weeks, or even months after the paint dries.

The length of time VOCs continue to be released after painting depends on a variety of different factors, including what paint you use, the room it’s used in, ventilation, the presence of a device like an air purifier, temperature, humidity and many more.

As mentioned above, VOCs continue to be emitted past the point that the paint looks dry, so this shouldn’t be used as a guide for when a room is “safe” from VOCs after painting. 

How to reduce VOC emissions from paints and coatings

There are four main ways to minimize your VOC exposure when painting a room in your house. 

1. Choose low-VOC paint

You may have noticed paints marked as “low VOC” or “no VOC” when buying products before. 

✅ Low VOC paints must contain 50mg or fewer VOCs per liter. 

✅ No VOC or VOC-free paint must have 5mg or less per liter.

However, it should be noted that the EPA (American Environmental Protection Agency) is the one who enforces these labels. They only count VOCs that have an environmental impact, not a health impact.

Unfortunately, this means that while many low or no VOC paints are better than many ordinary paints when it comes to VOC emittance, they might need to be completely safe. 

2. Ventilate the area 

Open doors and windows in your home to allow as much airflow as possible, helping to move VOCs into the outside air where they can dissipate safely. Fans can be handy for this.

3. Run a dehumidifier 

Off-gassing of VOCs will be more intense in high humidity. Lowering humidity will also help activated carbon filters do their work.

4. Consider getting an air purifier with a large activated carbon filter

We’ve tested many different devices to find the best option for removing these compounds.

	👑 BEST OVERALL	💰 FOR TIGHT BUDGETS	🛋️ FOR LARGE SPACES
	IQAir HealthPro Plus	Mila Air Purifier	Austin HealthMate
CADR 👩‍🔬	300 CFM	263 CFM	400 CFM
FILTER TECHNOLOGY 💨	Hyper HEPA and V5-Cell	H13 HEPA and The Critter Cuddler	HEPA and Activated Carbon
ACTIVATED CARBON ⛏️	5 lbs	0.84 lbs	27 lbs
MAX ROOM SIZE 📏	450 to 1125 sq. ft.	1000 sq. ft.	750 to 1500 sq. ft.
WEIGHT ⚖️	35 Ibs	18 lbs	47 lbs
Review	IQAir HealthPro Plus review	Mila Air Purifier review	Austin HealthMate review
PRICE 💵	$899.00	$419.99	$699.99

A feature we looked for in all of these units is that they include activated carbon filters since these are one of the best ways of reducing VOCs. Make sure that any device you purchase to remove VOCs contains one of these filters. Otherwise, they’ll probably be ineffective.

But what are VOCs? (and why are they found in paint?)

The term VOCs covers a broad range of chemicals. Some of these are completely harmless and have no impact on our health. Others can cause severe health conditions — even cancer.

Simply, they are chemical gas emitted by certain solid and liquid materials. This emission process is often called “off-gassing” or “outgassing.” These materials include many everyday household items, including cleaning products, nail polish, pesticides, building materials and fuel. 

Chances are, even if you had never heard the name before today, you’ve smelled a VOC at some point. It should be noted, however, that not all VOCs have a noticeable odor. In fact, some of the most harmful ones are entirely odorless to humans.

Products include VOC-emitting chemicals for a vast number of reasons. In the case of paint, VOCs are usually a byproduct of substances that make the paint “glide” cleanly onto surfaces. Without them, the color is much more “streaky” and may require more coats to get an even look.

The Effects of VOCs on Our Health

Short-term exposure to VOCs is unlikely to cause any harm, but long-term exposure or exposure to very high levels of the gasses can result in serious health complications.

Minor symptoms of VOC exposure include:

• Sinus irritation
• Itchy or weepy eyes
• Painful sinuses
• Sore throat
• Nosebleeds
• Shortness of breath

Though much less common, worst-case scenario side effects of VOC poisoning can include damage to the kidneys, liver and central nervous system. Some VOCs can even cause cancer in both humans and animals.

People who have existing conditions that affect the respiratory system, such as asthma, are at greater risk for these problems. Additionally, pets, children and older adults are more likely to be impacted.

If you think you’re suffering from VOC poisoning, you should seek advice from a medical professional — especially if you are experiencing more severe side effects. It’s also important to mention that many of these symptoms can signify a much more severe medical condition, such as a stroke. Please seek medical attention if you experience them.

Final thoughts

Overall, VOCs are worth being aware of in your day-to-day life. They’re everywhere and many people do not know they’re a problem. If you’re worried, getting a high-quality air purifier can significantly improve the air quality inside your home and reduce these nasty gasses.

We hope this article has provided some clarity to VOCs and how painting can impact their presence in your home.

Last update on 2023-12-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API