Faced with the pollution caused by conventional paints, the baby's room should preferably be repainted with natural and ecological paints, which are not harmful to health and the environment. A good way to guarantee a healthy environment for the newborn.
It's crucial not to underestimate the danger of paint, especially if you're considering creating a protective cocoon for your baby. Solvent-based paints are the most harmful. They contain up to 50% volatile solvents that pollute the air in the house. These substances of the styrene, xylene or toluene type are the cause of various pathologies, to name only nausea, headaches or dizziness.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can take a long time to disappear, exposing your child for a longer period of time. Even waterborne paints are not as reliable as one would think. They always contain between 5 to 10% of co-solvents which remain harmful to health. For all these reasons, opting for ecological paints is the safest choice for your family. They have been formulated with a view to preserving health and the environment.
Ecological paints are mainly composed of three elements:the pigment, the binder and the solvent. Unlike conventional paints, these components are more respectful of health. The pigments, for example, are of organic and mineral origin such as clay, calcium carbonate, turmeric, ochre. Ditto for the binders which can be flax, beeswax, beer, flour or vegetable oil. Even the solvent is safe.
Balsamic turpentine, citrus terpenes or aromatic essence replace toxic substances. These biodegradable and recyclable components emit little odor. Your child will therefore not be exposed to carcinogenic substances. Nevertheless, pay attention to their allergenic nature. Terpenes, for example, can create allergies while lime can be irritating. It is advisable to wear gloves when applying.
To take advantage of the benefits of these natural paints, you still have to choose the right product. There are organic paints that are made of 100% natural ingredients and others, a little less. This means that they may still contain chemicals. Some brands choose to add petroleum additives to optimize product performance in terms of stability, drying time and comfort of application.
The ideal is to turn to Ecocert certified paints which is the most reliable label compared to NF environment or the European Ecolabel. Another demanding European label is Natureplus, which applies to products that have passed very specific environmental and health tests. In any case, read the labels carefully at the time of purchase. Anyway, there are brands that are not stamped with any label and yet could be eligible. It is possible that they are cheaper, because keep in mind that natural paints are quite expensive.
