Regardless of whether or not you are doing the project yourself or hiring a professional, being aware of some of the proper procedures for dealing with paint is always a good thing.

Even though paint is fairly user-friendly, you should exercise caution when working with it. The following are some basic guidelines for painting safely:

• Always work in a well-ventilated area. Open doors and windows, and always use exhaust fans. Also, keep your pets out of freshly painted rooms.

• If you cannot ventilate the area well enough to get rid of all fumes, wear a respirator that is approved for such use.

• Wear a dust mask and safety goggles when sanding drywall and paint to keep yourself from breathing in dust particles and to protect your eyes from small particles.

• Wear safety goggles, gloves, and a respirator when you are using chemical strippers, caustic cleaning compounds, or strong solvents. These can be very toxic fumes and you could become very ill without taking the proper steps to protect yourself.

• Wear chemical-resistant gloves that are appropriate to the type of stripper that is being used (see manufacturer’s instructions). Common latex gloves do not provide enough protection.

• It is best to use canvas drop cloths on the floor. Cloth stays in place and is not near as slippery as plastic.

• Always read and follow the instructions and safety precautions on the label of paint thinners and any other paint product. Do not assume you already know how to use the product. The hazards may be different from one product to another, and the ingredients in individual products often change over time. The label tells you what actions you should take to reduce hazards and the first aid measures to use.

• Do not use or store paint products near a flame or heat source. Avoid smoking while painting or using thinner. Near hot water heaters and furnaces are very dangerous locations to store these products.

• Never store paint products in containers that weren’t specifically designed for storing them and make sure the containers are closed properly.

• Inspect ladders well for sturdiness. Make sure that all four legs are resting squarely on the floor and that both cross braces are locked in place. Never stand on the top step or the utility shelf. Never lean away from a ladder; get off and move it if you cannot reach a spot easily. If using an extension ladder outside, make sure both legs are on level ground and firmly planted. Also, make sure the ladder is not standing at an angle that exceeds the manufacturer’s recommendations.

• Make sure your ladder has slip-resistant feet and the surface that it is standing on is not slippery and is the appropriate size for the job needing to be done.

• If you are dealing with a large project requiring you to work at great heights you should rent or lease sturdy scaffolding. If your project is to this point, it is best to hire a professional.

• Clean up any mess promptly after painting and properly dispose of soiled rags. To eliminate any chance of spontaneous combustion, spread rags soaked with alkyd paint or thinner outdoors and let these dry all day before disposing of them at a toxic-waste dump. Do not leave rags to dry in areas accessible to children or pets.

By following the above tips, you can avoid serious injury, illness, or even death. Keep in mind that the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that more than 90,000 people receive emergency room treatment for ladder accidents each year so taking care of ladders alone will lower your risk of having a serious problem considerably.

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If you are going to hire a professional painter to paint your home, you will hopefully not need to worry about cleaning up too much after the job is done but sometimes things happen. If you do the paint job yourself and you are not an experienced painter, you can expect accidents to happen and there will probably be at least one mess. So here are a few tips to help you clean up the mess regardless of who made it.

Odds are that your painter will not be using oil-based products, most don’t anymore. Water-based paints and varnishes have improved a great deal over the years; there are a few instances where oil-based is better such as in restorations so if it is being used and there is an accident, a lot of paint thinner can be used to clean up the paint then follow up with hot soapy water to get rid of the smell from the thinner.

Paint thinner will not clean up dried water-based paint. Very hot water most likely will, especially if the paint is fairly fresh and is on a slick surface. Dried paint on clothing can be impossible to remove. You should try to work it out of the fibers with lots of water and a small scrub brush. Do the same for a carpet but blot, never scrub it.

Old hardened paint on the carpet may not be able to be cleaned. However, if it is a small amount, you can try cutting off the paint blob. Use white rags when you are cleaning paint from carpet. Colored rags may leave a dye stain.

Acetone (nail polish remover) will remove dried paint by dissolving it but do this at your own risk. Acetone also removes other finishes including dyes. Never use it to get paint off a varnished or lacquered surface. You should test it on a small unseen surface before using it.

TSP (trisodium phosphate) with hot water is a very efficient way to remove dried-paint if you are in really tough situations. Just as with acetone, TSP will discolor most surfaces and dull some metals. You should always follow directions and use this product wisely.

Paint remover will remove dried paint from concrete and masonry, but you will need to scrub it. This will likely leave clean light spots behind. If you want to, you can find creative ways to blend the spots in with the rest of the surface (dirt, mud, etc).

A scoop of dirt rubbed into a glob of paint then brushing it away will work wonders to get paint off your driveway if spilled. The dirt absorbs the paint quite well.

If you have old dried paint on brickwork, it is often easier to match the paint color and paint the brickwork. It will be a lot easier than trying to clean it off.

It is always very important to have your painter mask off, remove or cover anything you don’t want the paint to get on. If your painter steps on any spilled paint on the drop cloth, it will get tracked onto surfaces that you don’t want to be painted. If it is safe you can work or ask your painter to work barefooted so
that you or he can feel any paint that is stepped on.

Make sure you are careful when pulling up drop cloths and picking up used cans, brushes, and pans. The last thing you want is a trail of paint left through your home after the paint job is done.

If you get paint on yourself during the painting project, you can rub baby oil on your skin before you get into the shower and it will make the paint come off much easier.

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