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Paint smells like 'wet dog'
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Pansy_Potter_12
Posts: 28 Forumite


I didn't realise that paint can deteriorate and go off but I used some Dulux emulsion which had been stored for a few years. There was no bad smell when I opened the tin and it looked normal.
However I painted inside my conservatory: the dwarf brick walls as didn't like the original red brick but it's dried leaving the most disgusting smell similar to a wet dog if that makes sense! The room is now unusuable , it nauseating, even after 5 days. Please can anyone give me advice or suggestions on what to do now. Thanks.
However I painted inside my conservatory: the dwarf brick walls as didn't like the original red brick but it's dried leaving the most disgusting smell similar to a wet dog if that makes sense! The room is now unusuable , it nauseating, even after 5 days. Please can anyone give me advice or suggestions on what to do now. Thanks.
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Can you go over it with paint that smells like dry dog?Seriously though - have you ventilated it thoroughly? Not the most practical time of year to be doing it, I appreciate - but if it's essentially just paint fumes then it should dissipate fairly rapidly if you're able to leave door and windows wide open for as long as possible. Would this be practical - can you isolate the room from the rest of the house?2
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Ebe_Scrooge said:Can you go over it with paint that smells like dry dog?0
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Thanks Ebe_Scrooge. I agree not best time to be painting with doors wide open. I've been meaning to do it for ages so aware how daft I was to even think about it. So doors are wide open and I can close it off from rest of house. I don't mind the smell of normal paint but this is just way different.
I was a bit concerned as had read the odour of bad paint can be caused by bacteria and bad for health, especially lungs.0 -
Paint over it with Zinseer BIN, to seal it, the fresh new paint3
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Pansy_Potter_12 said:Thanks Ebe_Scrooge. I agree not best time to be painting with doors wide open. I've been meaning to do it for ages so aware how daft I was to even think about it. So doors are wide open and I can close it off from rest of house. I don't mind the smell of normal paint but this is just way different.
I was a bit concerned as had read the odour of bad paint can be caused by bacteria and bad for health, especially lungs.Yep, paint does go off, and it can emit some really odd smells when it does. I wouldn't say you were "daft" to do it - you weren't to know the paint had gone off!But in terms of any health risks, I really think you'll be fine if you're able to ventilate it and let it have a good blow-through. Like ordinary paint smell, once it's gone it's gone - it's not like it's going to be continually giving off the smell. Once it's dried and any residual fumes have dissipated, you should be fine.
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I had problems with the smell of Valspar Bathroom & Kitchen paint in our downstairs loo and lobby. Had the window open daily for about a month and still it didn't go. Fortunately it went when I painted over the top of it with some new Dulux. Think the Valspar base paint may have been old stock even though it was freshly mixed for us the week before I decorated.
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Thank you Slinky. Jeez you still had the lingering smell even after a month!
I painted over brick so guess, as it's porous, that smell may take a very long time to go.
However, I will try anything and if a coat of new paint works then will definitely try that.
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plumb1_2 said:Paint over it with Zinseer BIN, to seal it, the fresh new paint0
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Pansy_Potter_12 said:plumb1_2 said:Paint over it with Zinseer BIN, to seal it, the fresh new paint
Certainly available from Screwfix. But you will need an alcohol to clean the brushes - Regular white spirit or warm soapy water won't work. Zinsser recommend denatured alcohol (methylated spirits, a.k.a. meths), but isopropyl alcohol works just as well.
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Thank you FreeBear for your helpful suggestion. I've got plenty of rubbing alcohol in the house, which use for general cleaning but didn't know about its use regards cleaning paint brushes.0
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