Tips for Searching Out Paint Bargains at Yard Sales

You're in a do-it-yourself mood and it's time for some home improvements. New paint on the walls would spruce up the whole place, but you want to save some money. What's better than a paint-bargain at a yard or estate sale and it's in some new vibrant colors that would be perfect for the kid's room. All you need are some cans of paint, roller brushes and drip pans. Not so fast!

Check the label?

Look for zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) and zero toxin products. It may be the exact color at a great price so read the label carefully, before purchase, to see if it really is a bargain. This is a substance you will be working with and inhaling. You may be using it on the inside walls of your home. Maybe it will be used for furniture or window trim. Be sure it is child-safe paint!

Lead in paint?

Lead is a toxic metal. It can sometimes be found in the home, in some of the air we breathe and possibly even in our drinking water. It can cause learning disabilities, hearing loss, mood swings, even seizure and death. Homes built before 1978 could have been painted with lead paint. Sanding lead paint is a source of lead dust that can stick around in carpets for years while your whole family is unknowingly breathing it in.

Look for "carcinogen " on the label!

A carcinogen is a cancer causing agent. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. If you see "carcinogen" on the label, it's no bargain. That can of bargain-priced paint that looks like new, may have been sitting in some garage or basement for years. Many consumers are even unaware of the dangers in some paint. Be sure you make safe and informed choices in areas that include your children, yourself, pets, your neighbors, wildlife and the environment. If you're in the market for some new paint to freshen up the walls in your child's room, do some research on safe paints before buying.

Missing label?

If the label is missing, it's not even a bargain as a give-away! It's great to reuse, reduce and recycle, but safety is always the key word. If you get the can of paint home and then decide it is something that you will never use, it will become your problem for disposal. If you bought it at a yard sale there are no refunds or take backs. Hazardous household waste can be harmful to animals and humans. Avoid pouring them down drains, toilets, septic systems, storm drains, into soils and regular trash. Instead, take them to the proper disposal site designed for that purpose.

Be happy and confident in your home-improvements!

Sources:

www.seattlepi.com/athome/358510_?green12.
epa.gov/lead
www.greenfeet.net/newsletter/?whatsinpaint
www.thefreedictionary.com/carcinogen
dedo.delaware.gov/business/?reuse/?
www.rd.com/​are-you-worried-about-lead-paint-radon-or-unsafe-water/​article21757
ezinearticles.com/?​Finding-a-Child-Safe-Paint-That-is-Non-Toxic-and-Zero-VOC-in-an-Over