Safe Luxury

how long after i paint a wall is it safe for my child to sleep in the room?

i'm planning to paint large disney princess characters (about 5-6ft tall) on my daughter's room. i'll be painting one small section at a time. is it safe for her to sleep in the room if we painted a small, maybe 2 ft sq section earlier in the day?

Public Comments

1. Depends on the types of paints your going to use. Latex paints do not give off toxic fumes, oil based paints do. If using oil-based, give 24hrs for complete drying and airing of the room.
2. Most interior paints non-toxic, but, they do have an unpleasant smell. Usually when I paint a room I close that door to isolate the smell and open a few windows, if weather permits, to let it air out. Your Daughter would be OK to sleep in there, but, if it smell, she may prefer the couch or maybe a home made tent in the living room and play "Camp Out".
3. Paint anymore is usually nontoxic, but I would still let it airout for at least 24 hours before she sleeps in there. The smell even though not toxic can cause nausea and headaces.
4. If possible open a window to vent but don't let your daughter sleep in the painted room until the paint smell goes away. Chemical smells kill brain cells that is why most products are labeled for use in ventilated areas.
5. You didn't state what kind of paints you are using. In mural work I use acrylic paints but sometimes latex for large areas. Acrylics are safe and have almost no smell. Your children would be safe even while you were painting. Latex however does give off some pretty bad smelling fumes. Make sure to open a window and use a fan in the room if possible. I wouldn't let your child sleep in the room until the fumes are gone, just to be on the safe side. Good luck with your mural. they are my favorite thing to do. Have fun with it!