You’re expecting a baby! Congratulations! No doubt you’re getting the room ready, prepping the grandparents, and arguing about baby names. As you think about the colors that you want baby’s room to be, and how to provide a safe environment for your new little one, have you thought about how the paint your using could harm them? Here’s why you need to get non toxic paint for crib use, and for everything in your baby’s new room.
Understanding the Problem
Many paints, including that used for painting furniture in the baby’s room, contains Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs. High levels of VOCs can cause a lot of problems for people with chemical sensitivities.
A Swedish study on dampness in buildings and its effect upon health found that exposure to PGE (the chemical compound VOCs particularly found in common household paints) doubled the chances that children with allergies would develop allergies to other things over time. The children in the study who lived in homes with high PGE concentrates also had a 100% greater chance of developing asthma, 150% greater chance of getting eczema, and a 320% increase in developing rhinitis than children in homes with lower concentrations of VOCs.
These issues aren’t just a problem for children. When you don’t use a low-VOC non toxic paint for crib or floor paint, it can affect adults, too. A recent study at the TIEQ lab followed people for six work days at the Syracuse Center of Excellence. The participants were put into a room where VOC levels had been lowered to minimal levels and the outdoor air was pumped in. At the end of the six days, the participants had cognitive scores 101% higher than those working in regular workspaces. Health effects from VOCs are profound for everyone.
What to Do About the Problem
Studies have regularly shown that VOC levels indoors are typically far higher than outdoors. The average indoor space is two to five times higher than outdoor spaces, and paints, varnishes, and other home remodeling materials are some of the biggest culprits.
The best way to protect your child from the dangers of VOCs is to use both eco friendly primer and a non toxic paint for crib, floors, walls, and anything else indoors. Nursery paint, in particular, should be specifically labeled non toxic, low VOC, and eco friendly.
When picking out paint, don’t let lower costs win out over safety for you and your children. Finding baby safe paint for cribs, walls, and floors is an important way that you can protect your little one before she’s even born.