Mitigating Household Odors with Paint

Every house is different, and the smells that can abound in each particular home can be just as diverse, and sometimes not so pleasant. While some odors are easier to ignore than others, some should definitely not be overlooked. Here are a few of the most common smells you might find in your house, and our best tips for odor mitigation with paint.

Smoke Odor

Perhaps one of the easiest smells to detect in a house is smoke. Over time, paint can absorb smoke, and lock in the particles that will cause the odor to linger. While you can use virtually any primer or paint to cover odors, there are some products that are specifically developed to target this problem.

Odor-killing paint such as Sherwin Williams Harmony or Benjamin Moore Natura have proven effective in masking the smoke odors that cling to our walls. If the odor is more than minimal, however, you may consider resurfacing and repainting your walls. Before repainting, adding an odor-blocking primer, like KILZ® Original, can prevent future odors as well.

Pet Odor

We love our pets, but sometimes it’s hard to love their smell. Pet odors are among the most troublesome to get rid of because they will hide in the most inconvenient and sometimes unreachable places. Generally, an odor-blocking primer like KILZ® Original will keep paint from absorbing these smells.

Whether it’s dander, urine, or any other pet-produced odor, these can be the most difficult to remove from your floors if you have carpet. Your first line of attack can be a professional carpet steaming company. But if your pet odor problem persists, it’s possible that the culprit is your subfloor. In this case, we recommend removing the carpet and applying the odor-killing primer to the subfloor before installing new flooring.

Mold Odor

The smell of mold may sometimes be difficult to describe but certainly easy to recognize. What you may have referred to in the past as a “musty” or “old home” smell is usually more than likely hidden mold. This silent enemy can cause a stink in more ways than one, producing unpleasant smells, and posing great risks to one’s health.

Some mold can be toxic, and to ensure it doesn’t run amok, prevention is key. Moisture can seep into your walls from unprotected exteriors, but you should also take extra care in laundry rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and basements, where moisture and humidity are prevalent. Ensure that all crevices where water may leak are covered and coated with moisture-guarding paints and primers to form a shield against mold, rot, and expensive home repairs in the future.

If you’re around these odors for long enough, you may become used to them, but that doesn’t decrease their unpleasantness or the danger that their underlying causes may be posing to your health. Not only can these stinky culprits lessen your quality of life and health, but also the value of your home if you’re looking to sell. Call CertaPro Painters of Boulder today and schedule your free estimate to see how we can help you with odor mitigation and how to prevent odors from sticking around.