Has anyone tried using air purifiers during or after painting? Curious if that actually helps clear things out faster or if it’s just wishful thinking...
Funny thing, I actually tried running my HEPA purifier after painting our living room last year. Honestly, didn’t notice a huge difference in how fast the smell went away. What really seemed to help was putting bowls of baking soda around and leaving the fans on for a couple days. Maybe the purifiers help with dust, but VOCs are a whole other beast.
I actually had the opposite experience—our air purifier (not a fancy one, just a mid-range model with a carbon filter) made a noticeable dent in the paint smell after we did our bedroom. Maybe it depends on the type of filter? The baking soda trick never seemed to do much for us, but I swear by keeping windows cracked and the purifier running. Could be just psychological, but it felt fresher way faster.
The baking soda trick never seemed to do much for us, but I swear by keeping windows cracked and the purifier running.
Funny, baking soda worked a bit for me, but maybe it’s just because I dumped half a box on a plate and left it out for days. The air purifier thing is interesting though—I’ve been eyeing some budget ones online but wasn’t sure they’d make a difference. Might give it a shot next time we paint. Cracking the windows is my go-to too... feels like it clears things out faster, even if it’s just in my head.
I used to think air purifiers were just hype, but after moving into our new place and dealing with that “new house” smell, I caved and got a mid-range one. Honestly, it made a noticeable difference after painting—less headache, less lingering odor. Cracking windows definitely helps too, but sometimes the weather just doesn’t cooperate. Baking soda never did much for me either, except maybe in the fridge...
Title: Building green? Watch out for those sneaky VOCs
I get the appeal of air purifiers, but I’ve always wondered if they’re worth the price tag, especially for bigger spaces. We tried just using houseplants and keeping the windows cracked when we could—seemed to help a bit, though maybe not as dramatic as what you described. I’m still not convinced a machine is the only way to go, but maybe I’m just stubborn about spending extra cash...
