How to Choose a Safe, Environmentally-Friendly Paint for Your House

A fresh coat of paint can help add renewed life to any home, both inside and out. But should a new paint job mean you have to put your family's health and safety at risk? Many commercial paints contain toxic chemicals that pose health hazards to your loved ones. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that "common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children" (source).

But lead paint isn't the only problem. Other chemicals found in many paint products include formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and xylene-all potentially hazardous to your health! In this green living guide, we'll help you choose safe, environmentally-friendly paint for your bedroom and home. There are many environmentally-friendly, eco-conscious and green paint products that work just as well and are much safer.

How to Choose Eco-Conscious, Green and Safe Paint Products for Your Home:
All you need when choosing safe green paint products is know what to avoid, and choose healthier paint alternatives. Environment-friendly paints, according to green living advocates, are "just as durable and cost about the same amount as mid-range conventional paint," without the nasty chemical side effects! (source)

Green Living Online, a website for those wishing to live a healthier, greener lifestyle, identifies several points of interest for homeowners looking to avoid the toxic chemicals in commercial paints. You'll want to use natural paints and finishes, which are "the safest for your health and for the environment" because they use natural ingredients like "plant dyes, oils and resins" (source). You can also use zero-VOC paints or low-VOC paints.

Where to Buy Environmentally-Friendly Paint Products for Your Home:
Finding safe green paint products for your house is easy, especially as the popularity of safe paint alternatives have risen.

Old Fashioned Milk Paint is a chemically safe, environmentally-friendly paint brand. Homeowners interested in eco-conscious paint that doesn't contain toxic chemicals will enjoy the fact that Old Fashioned Milk Paint "contains only ingredients that are all-natural and will not harm the environment" and comes in 20 colors (source).

Green Planet Paints is another green paint company that promises zero-VOC, organic paints for your home. Green Planet Paints promises to use a petroleum-free paint base using soy resins and natural clay, as well as renewable non-toxic materials. They'll even let your make your own homemade natural paints by helping you buy "unique pigments, bulk fillers, and even point you towards recipes that will work for simple paints. Since our paints are mixed wet in cans, we do use additives to ensure they stay mixed, and they don't mold in the can or on the wall" (source).