How to Get Rid of Fresh Paint Smell After Painting a Room

Just painted, or moved into a newly painted home? How long the smell lasts, how to clear it faster, and when it is time to bring scent back in.

A freshly painted room looks wonderful and smells like a hardware store. Most of that smell is the paint drying and releasing solvents into the air. You cannot spray it away, but you can clear it much faster.

How long does paint smell last?

With windows open and air moving, most of the smell from modern low-odour paint fades within two to three days. In a closed room in cold weather, it can hang around for a week or more. Oil-based paint takes longer than water-based.

Clear it faster

Ventilate first. Open windows on opposite sides of the room to create a cross breeze. Even a few hours a day helps.
Point a fan out of the window, not into the room, to pull fumes outside.
Run the bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans to keep air moving through the home.
Keep the heat on if it is cold. Paint cures faster in a warm room.
Close the door to the painted room if you are living in the rest of the house, and keep its window open.

Simple helpers

Bowls of baking soda or activated charcoal in the room can absorb some odour.
Change your furnace filter after a big painting job.
Replace the paint tin lids tightly and store tins outside the living space.

What not to do

Don't cover it with air freshener. You will get paint smell plus perfume, and the paint still needs to air out.
Don't sleep in a freshly painted room until the smell has cleared, especially with children, and follow the directions on your paint tin.
Don't light candles near open paint tins or solvents.

When to bring scent back

Once the room no longer smells of paint, usually after a few days of airing, add a light, clean scent to make it feel finished and lived-in. A reed diffuser is a good first choice: steady, flameless and gentle. See Home Fragrance and Indoor Air Quality for how to scent a room considerately.

Quick answers

How do I get rid of paint smell fast? Open windows on two sides, point a fan out of a window, run exhaust fans and keep the room warm. Most smell fades in two to three days.

Does a bowl of water or onion absorb paint smell? Not much. Ventilation does far more. Baking soda or activated charcoal can help a little.

Is it safe to sleep in a freshly painted room? It is best to wait until the smell has cleared and follow the guidance on your paint tin.

When can I use home fragrance after painting? Once the paint smell is gone, usually after a few days of airing.

A clean first scent for a new room: Thé Blanc, white tea and soft musk, or Grand Foyer, bright bergamot and white jasmine.

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