In this article, I will show you How to Choose the Right Non-Toxic Paint with beautiful color choices for your next home project.
How to Detox Your Home
I wrote an E-book that offers 4 Simple Steps to Detox your Home from harmful chemicals. You can get your free guide here or read my article for more information.
Indoor air pollution can be greater in your home than outside! According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Studies have found that levels of several organics average two to five times higher indoors than outdoors.”
Air Pollution stems from more than paint. Below is a page from my ebook that explains the first step in detoxing your home.
Ditch the Toxins!
Why Choosing the Right Non-Toxic Paint Matters
Did you know that normal paints with high levels of VOCs can off-gas for up to three years after application? As a result, VOCs are still in the air of your home for years. If you want to buy paint for your next home project, you might want to reconsider going to your local hardware store for regular paint. Regular paint contains harmful chemicals and solvents including benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene.
According to the National Library of Medicine:
“Thousands of chemical compounds are used in paint products as pigments, extenders, binders, solvents, and additives. Azo pigments that contain 3,3′-dichlorobenzene are common, although free aromatic amines are not present in significant quantities. Asbestos was used as a filler until the early 1990s. The main organic solvents used in paints are toluene, xylene, aliphatic compounds, ketones, alcohols, esters, and glycol ethers.”
NCBI.NLM.NIH
The Good News in the Paint Industry:
However, there have been major improvements in the paint industry. These improvements stemmed from cases of cancer in humans linked to paint exposure:
“Nowadays, solvent-based paints contain much less solvent – and less hazardous solvents – than a decade ago. In some cases, the solvent content is reduced to such an extent that the amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from the paint are similar to those from water-based paints. The increasing use of water-based paints and powder coatings has promoted this trend. New formulations contain lower-toxicity solvents, biocides, and neutralizing agents, such as amines.”
This is good news and a step forward in the health of humanity!
Non-Toxic Paint List to Buy From
Hardware Stores
While there are many advances in the paint industry, there are still harmful ingredients in regular VOC paint.
If you want to buy from these Department stores, I recommend buying Zero VOC with the GreenGuard certificate.
ECOS Paint
I chose this company for our home because it has many beautiful paint colors without harmful ingredients.
They are so transparent in what they put in their product. They even have a full ingredients list for each paint color.
Overall, I trust this company and do feel good about it!
Milk Paint
If you’re willing to mix powders and water to create this paint, this one is for you!
You can create custom colors and mix hues. They have 56 fun colors that leave a matte, vintage finish.
This will be a great project for painting solid wood baby toys. This paint is biodegradable and compostable which makes it safe for a child’s mouth to be on.
It is formulated with timeless ingredients like milk protein (casein), lime, and natural pigments.
Clare
I like this company and might try it for our next painting project!
They have such lovely colors and meets all the criteria in a non-toxic paint!
What Is The Difference Between Low VOC and Zero VOC?
The difference between the two can be starkly different. Low VOC can still off-gas a lot and present health problems such as:
- Headaches
- Loss of coordination
- Nausea
- Damage to the liver, kidney, and central nervous system
- Some organic VOCs can cause cancer in animals, some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.
The amount regulated in Low VOC must be less than 50g/l per liter, whereas Zero VOC paints must have less than 5g/l with no intentionally added VOCs. Standard VOC paint has up to 250-380 grams/liter
Opt for Zero VOC to help limit indoor air pollution when deciding what to buy.
Non-Toxic Paint for a Nursery
Some mothers feel the urge to nest and decorate a nursery but should take caution in what they are purchasing. Because I am currently in that phase, I can help recommend some precautions I have taken myself after many hours of research.
Pregnant women are more sensitive at this time. Painting should be left to someone else, regardless of how non-toxic the paint is. How to Choose the Right Non-Toxic Paint will help protect everyone involved.
Non-Toxic Wallpaper
Did you know the wallpaper industry can also contain harmful chemicals including VOCs, PFAS, and Formaldehyde? Make sure to choose the right wallpaper for your next home DIY project.
After researching, I found that Spoonflower passed all the environmental sustainability and health safety specs that most people look for in a non-toxic product.
Non-Toxic Wall Decals
Spoonflower wallpaper can be pricey, for good reason…so if it is out of your budget, skip the wallpaper and opt for non-toxic wall decals.
Many wall decals contain VOCs, phthalates, toxins like formaldehyde, plastics, and solvent-based dyes. All of which you do not want around your baby! A good checklist is to see if the stickers are FREE from vinyl, PVC, phthalates, VOCs, formaldehyde, or soy-based inks.
A good checklist is to see if the stickers are made from vinyl, PVC, phthalates, VOCs, formaldehyde, or soy-based inks.
These are the top 5 companies with excellent ratings from LeafScore:
I might go with Made of Sundays Forest Animals Decals for my baby’s nursery. If I do, I will write a review!
FAQs
The ingredients cost more because they are eco-friendly and are water-based vs latex-based which is cheaper.
Comparing VOCs in standard paint vs Zero, standard paint contains 250-380 grams/liter. This gives the paint more durability and shines with just one coat.
Zero VOC paint has less than 5 grams/liter, & will need a few more coats as it is not as durable.
Overall, YES, it is worth it for your health and the environment’s health because it is not a hazardous waste product.
I had the idea to paint the window trim of my exterior home with Low VOC but I am second-guessing this choice.
Exterior paint has more VOC because it is moisture and mildew-resistant.
If I could go back in time, I would just have bought the exterior Zero VOC from ECOS to feel comfortable opening the windows to our rooms.
P.S. You cannot return tinted paint to Home Depot, so now I am stuck with this Low VOC exterior paint that I still don’t trust to use.
Citations:
Environmental Protection Agency. (2023). Volatile Organic Compounds’ Impact on Indoor Air Quality. EPA.
IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. (1970, January 1). Occupational exposure as a painter. Chemical Agents and Related Occupations.
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