Help with Paint Please

[BarmyOne]

Hi,

I had my kitchen (walls and ceiling) and living room (ceiling) painted yesterday. Unfortunately, things didn't go to plan and extra coats are required in both rooms so the guy is coming back to complete the job.

The annoying thing is the smell of paint still lingers in the two rooms. I have had the windows open and a bucket of water in the middle of each room which is supposed to soak-up the smell. But it isn't doing. Which lead to my waking up this morning with one hell of a headache.

Can anyone sugest a method of getting rid of the paint fumes?

Also, in the living room my leather settee suffered paint "specs", which aren't coming off using just plain water and elbow greese (as the painter sugested). Can anyone sugest any other methods to remove the specs. That won't damage the leather?

And finally, seeing as the guy is coming back and I don't want the overpowering smell of paint lingering again can anyone sugest any particular brand of odourless paint that is truely odourless? As I intend of purchasing some and let him use that.

Anything to get rid of the smell and my new headaches :(

Thanks.

[John Laird]

Never heard of this bucket of water trick. Emulsion smells fade very quickly, though. You could try a bowl with some vinegar in.

Ask the painter to tidy up the mess *he* has made. Failing that, you should be able to gently scrape the flecks off with a blunt knife, car windscreen scraper, something like that. Or wait until they rub off.

You're making a bit of a fuss over not very much. All paints smell to some extent. But emulsion paint is generally pretty harmless. I've only ever noticed low-odour claims on glosses, which tend to have far higher solvent contents by design. I presume you've not had your walls and ceilings glossed ?

[Cicero]

============= When the painting is finished open all windows and use an electric fan for a few hours to clear the fumes. I would also suggest to your decorator that he uses a dust sheet to cover your expensive leather settee, or cover it yourself with a cheap polythene sheet from 'Focus' etc. before painting begins.

Cic.

[BarmyOne]

The lasttime I had both rooms painted. The then painter sugested it. It worked wonders, the smell faded within about 6 hours or so. This time however, it isn't doing so.

I shall try the vinegar idea. Thanks.

Hmm it looks like the last idea maybe the better option. I daren't even contemplate trying to scrape it with something as abrasive as a knife or scraper owing to it being a very soft leather.

Let's hope so. As it is, the fumes are a little on the harsh side :(

Yes the ceilings and door frames have been glossed. Not the walls though.

Thanks for answering my questions.

[BarmyOne]

I must admit to trying this already. It had little effect unfortunately.

That's worth remembering for next time. I had thought based on the use of dust sheets being used in the kitchen that they would have continued to use them in the living room. They insist they did, but that the paint seeped through the sheets and speckled the settee. Time they purchased some new ones I think. :(

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

[John Laird]

I suggest you don't use these guys again. Paint that seeped through a sheet would leave smears. Specks are what fall off brushes or rollers onto unprotected surfaces.

In another post you mentioned that the ceiling had indeed been glossed, and I presume it is this which is on your leather suite. Gloss paint is going to be harder to shift than emulsion - I am torn between suggesting you try to get it off before it fully hardens, or waiting until that happens in the hope it may flake off more easily. Perhaps the latter. If the leather is soft, you may be able to "pinch" an area with your fingers and acutely fold the skin under a speckle to see if it can be teased off. It's unlikely the leather will fall apart if you gently scrape the surface with something semi-sharp. It was once gracing the outside of a cow...

[chris French]

Then that is probably the answer - it's unusual to gloss ceilings (why was this done) and this would release a fair a bit of smelly fumes. The fumes from emulsion paint are nothing to compare - being a waterbased product.

There are alternatives to oil-based gloss paints, though probably not as good as oil based.

[AK]

They have damaged it I would suggest you make them put it right. If they are professional decorators they should know full well how to protect things from paint and if their dust sheets were too porous that's there problem. If it can't be got off claim for a new sofa

[N. Thornton]

no wonder, gloss solvents are known to be toxic. Since its ceiling, try water based gloss next time, it performs better except at hard wearing, something you dont need for a ceiling. If you really want them gloss.

NT

[Pete C]

Hi,

An air purifier with a charcoal filter will do it. Also water based gloss has much less odour and stays white for longer, though it's less durable if kids are around.

cheers, Pete.

[Pete C]

Hi,

Sounds like they didn't bother or don't know their trade. Cotton dust sheets are for just that - dust. Polythene dust sheets will protect against paint drips and spatter as well.

cheers, Pete.

[Cicero]

==================== Gloss paint on ceilings isn't a good idea because of the fire risk. I don't know if there are any specific regulations on the subject but I recall something to that effect - possibly in conjunction with polystyrene tiles. Somebody will probably come along shortly to give the full facts.

Cic.

[BarmyOne]

Probably down to my instructions. They being, "I want to be able to just wipe the ceiling clean when it gets discoloured". The ceiling has an Artex type of layer on it in both rooms I think it was once called "stipple" effect.

In the main room (living room) various friends and family come visiting and invariably smoke their cigarettes in this room. As a result, the ceiling gets discoloured. In the past, I have cleaned it using a vileda mop. Though painting it every couple of years or so seemed a good idea. When the discolouration gets too much. I explained this to the painter and his mate and they both sounded like they knew what to put on it.

I am glad that at least I am not alone in thinking this. I was beginning to consider the possibility that I was being over sensitive :)

[BarmyOne]

Don't worry, I shan't be doing. I shall however, let them finish the job.

That was my thinking as well.

It seems to have done so. At least it doesn't "smear" as you would expect if you tried to wipe paint off of a surface and it hadn't dried.

I have tried this but it doesn't seem to be working. The remaining specs are quite small but persistant. At least they have resisted my scratching at them with my fingernail.

Good point and after reading that sentence. I am happy to confirm that a couple of them have been removed. Using a blunt knife and stretching the leather between my thumb and forefinger. Unfortunately, one of them I attacked using this method has infact smeared. :( So it looks like I shall have to wait for them all to harden up a little bit before I try that again.

[John Laird]

If you come across some blobs which are still soft (and I suppose the chances are receding daily), you could hit them with a very small dab of white spirit on a soft cloth. Maybe try this on a bit of the suite that's hidden from sight first. I have had to use the likes of Stain Devils to get biro marks off my light-coloured suite (price of having kids) and at worst there has been a very small amount of dye rub off, which is not apparent on the suite, just the cloth I was cleaning it with.

At the end of the day, it's a piece of furniture for using, not admiring at a distance. Some damage is inevitable.