The Best Non Toxic Paint For Nursery And Baby
A baby should be provided with the purest environment possible to grow and thrive. However, an already polluted world already threatens this pursuit. Using the best non toxic paint for baby's room and nursery décor will help create a safer space for your little one.
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This post is all about what non toxic paint for nursery and baby you should choose and ways to keep your baby's room full of better air quality.
Unfortunately, when I was a new mom, I did not think about natural paints for my baby's nursery to the extent I do now.
I chose low VOC paint, but I did not investigate further to see if it was the best baby safe paint and exactly what it meant by low VOC. How many fewer chemicals were there really? And what exact effects would they have on our health.
Fortunately, by the time we did some remodeling on our house, I was clearly aware of the importance of using a non-toxic paint without volatile organic compounds. Being aware of this sooner than later, however, is what I wish to provide for you.
Choosing from the list of non-toxic paint options below will reassure you that your baby is breathing better air than if you were to use a conventional paint with harmful chemicals.
Certifications to look for:
The above certifications mean that paint has met the requirements to be zero VOC and non-toxic certified. However, it does not mean if a paint does not have the label, that the paint is toxic.
A brand may have healthy standards but have not gone through the verification process for getting certified. Some of the paints below do not have the certifications, but they do meet non-toxic standards.
Click on one of the above images to find out the exact details of the process a product needs to go through to become certified.
non toxic paint for nursery
Alora paints are high-quality paints, but only specific products from Alora are recommended for the baby's room. They sell two paints that are dually certified to meet health standards. These paints include their matte and satin lines.
Green Seal-11 and the Singapore Green label are the two certifications they hold for these lines of paint. This makes them a top contender in the paint industry for using as a nursery room paint.
They claim to be no odor and meet the zero-VOC guidelines. These claims are verified to be true for these specific paints according to the certifications they hold. You need to remember though that some VOCs may still be present although very minimal.
Swatches are available to help you decide on which best color is best for your nursery. The company is carbon neutral certified as well.
This is a great paint option to choose for painting your baby's nursery, and the company has taken into account the primary chemicals and odors that affect most people. It comes in flat, pearl, eggshell, and semi-gloss.
This company's paints and primers are all safe and eco-friendly. Additionally, they have so many colors to choose from. The company even states that they are safe for people with chemical sensitivities.
We are able to verify this. My family has used several of their products. We did not have any problems or negative reactions, and we are sensitive to chemicals.
As long as you use their primer and paint together, indoor air quality should be preserved. You will definitely notice a huge difference if you ever painted with a conventional paint.
Their water-based paints work best at a room temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit or above. It also states not to use over Sherwin Williams Promar 200 paint.
Again, these natural paints are a top choice to use for baby's room or if you are in need of painting baby's crib or other nursery furniture. They also apply nicely. However, you may need a couple coats depending on color and primer circumstances.
Also, you will want to try and paint the baby's nursery well ahead of time before allowing baby to sleep in the room. Adding an air purifier soon after painting is also a good idea.
This is another company whose paint meets the requirements to be classified as a Zero-VOC paint. This means that natural ingredients are used instead of toxic chemicals.
Secondly, the Clare brand is GreenGuard Gold certified. This means that the paint does not contain paint fumes that result in adverse health effects making it a baby-safe paint.
To give you a peace of mind, not only do they have low VOC levels, but the coloring additives are not carbon-based toxic chemicals.
In addition to the human health benefits of using this paint instead of traditional paints, the environment is also a top priority of the company. The brand's factories use less energy and produce less waste than many others.
Also, Clare holds the LEED certification. LEED certified indicates that the building is a healthy, safe, and energy-efficient environment.
Very low odor is omitted from the paint when it is applied, and no odor is detected after the drying phase.
Clare conveniently offers peel and stick color swatches prior to purchasing their paint. This is a great option for anyone deciding between color choices. Also, take their online quiz to see a list of color suggestions created just for you.
You are sure to love this paint as well as Real Milk Paint products in general. They were originally developed in a search to restore furniture back to their original look. The founder realized that the historical use of milk paint gave the furniture pieces its wonderful original texture and feel.
Therefore, a product was created to meet the sought out expectations of the antique refinisher. The paint consists of natural ingredients and non toxic additives. If you have an all natural wooden baby crib or baby furniture that needs sealing, then the real milk paint company is a very good choice.
Milk proteins are used in the company's colored paints. The use of casein is being explored further by this brand as well as others to develop more earth-friendly packaging and product options.
Baby's nursery is a top priority when it comes to paint, however, the other parts of the house need to be considered as well.
When remodeling or painting any parts of the place in which you live, you need to consider only non-toxic options since baby will be affected by all. We have soapstone countertops, and Milk Paint's sealer is the only thing we use on them, and we absolutely love it.
Although this paint is highly recommended, it may not be well-suited for places with high moisture. Also, it takes patience for correct application if using their paint products.
Green Planet is a paint brand committed to creating a healthier paint option. They use ingredients that do not contain harmful toxins, making their paints better for the environment as well as human health.
Many brands are trying to meet EPA standards for a zero or low VOC paint. As this company indicates on their site, in order to do meet the requirements, certain companies may replace or add certain things to the paints to make them meet the standards. However, some harmful chemicals are still in the paint although the EPA standards have been met.
In actuality, these paints need only to meet a thresh mark of 250 g/l to be considered zero VOC according to the EPA. Other certifications have different threshold requirements to be considered Zero-VOC.
Make sure that the paint that you buy is transparent in the ingredients in their product, and is as non-toxic as possible for your little one.
Another paint certified with the Green Seal-11 certification is Eco Spec by Benjamin Moore. They are also certified with the Asthma and Allergy-Friendly certification. This 100% acrylic paint claims to dry quickly and comes in sheens of flat, eggshell, and semi-gloss.
Benjamin Moore is a high-quality paint. Eco Spec, however, is the only paint that meets the necessary certification to be safe to paint in a baby's room.
ECOS paint is a top contender, non toxic paint brand as well. More specifically their paint line called lullaby. Lullaby paints are free of toxic chemicals and is a great zero VOC paint option to use. Baby's health will be better protected using a paint like this which contains no polyurethane.
Many different colors are offered with this natural paint brand. Baby will be spending a lot of time in his/her room. Therefore, it is important to use a nursery paint such as ECOS. Lullaby is also an eco-friendly paint.
They offer color samples in the form of cards and mini-paint samples. The cards are free, but you will need to buy the samples.
This company has been offering better for you paints prior to other companies that offer them now. We have personally used many of ECOS paints, and they have not bothered us at all. They go on nicely as well.
EMR/EMF paint is another option sold by ECOS. This paint contains tiny pieces of nickel (highest quality) to help deflect harmful frequencies. This may also be considered for baby or young children. These paints are also non-toxic.
Finally, ECOS offers an air purifying paint. Also no VOC, this product contains properties which eliminates chemicals through absorption and neutralization. Research on this varies. I recommend the semi-gloss sheen for this paint option.
Unearthed paints offers both clay paints and vega paints. The clay paints are offered in both a smooth finish and textured form. Their products are all free of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Additionally, they list all of the ingredients used in their products on the package itself, promoting ingredient transparency.
Lime, marble, chalk, and clay are a few of the natural materials used in the making of their products. The paints come in 24 colors. They have specific instructions on how the paint is to be applied and ways to get the best results.
Using appropriate techniques and adhering to special instructions is definitely worth it when it comes to providing your baby with the best environment possible to thrive in. This is one of the safest types of paints to use to accomplish this.
Much Smarter paint is a company that was founded after the Mythic paint company closed their doors. It follows the same principle as Mythic paints did. They also hold the following certifications-
- USGBC Compliant – Their indoor air quality meets the LEED guidelines.
- GreenWise – They hold certification as being environmentally responsible.
- Also states on their website: MSP Exceeds the Quality Guides of Various Painter’s Organizations
Consideration of this company is a must concerning their values and paint quality. The reviews are wonderful. Also, they are committed to staying faithful to being a truly zero VOC brand regardless of the rising prices in the industry.
If you were a fan of Mystic paint, or if you are looking for a high standard non-toxic paint brand, then this is a great option to try out.
Not many companies will uphold to the rigid standards in the industry. Also, many Zero VOC paints still contain toxins. Read through all of the ingredients to best fit you family's needs.
This is for any wooden flooring or wooden furniture in a nursery or baby's room. Using a natural and non-toxic coating on other parts of the room besides the wall is equally important for baby's health. If looking to seal or polish something, then this is a good choice.
However, it is still important to not have the baby in the room right away. Also, it is best if you are able to coat any furniture outside as well as air out the room.
Which Type of paint is your safest option?
All of these options work very well. However, checking the ingredients to make sure that they are as pure as possible is what you want to do when painting for a new baby. You want to seek out a paint that uses natural pigments and has a clean manufacturing process.
Painting a room prior to baby's arrival is ideal, however, it sometimes is just not possible. If this is the case, having baby out of the room when painting is still the best option. Waiting for it to dry several days at the very least and airing it out is optimal.
Extra Steps to take to make sure the air in baby's room is safe
4. Hang non-poisonous household plants in the room that are good for air quality.
5. Only have necessities in the room. There is no need for additional plastics or cardboard that will be off-gassing toxins or susceptible to mold. Keeping baby's room as clear as possible is ideal. If you do introduce furniture and other items, set them out to off-gas as much as possible in the sun first.
6. Use as many organic products as possible on bedding, curtains, etc.
Reasons not to use Conventional Paint
There are many reasons as to why you should not paint with conventional paint. The overall toxic fumes that they give off have detrimental affects on human health. Sometimes these affects occur quickly and other times they build upon one another being difficult to trace exactly where they came from or what the turning point was. Some of them are as follows:
- Endocrine Disruptors- Nonylphenol Ethoxylates which are found in traditional paints interfere with a normal hormonal balance. Some of these are even found in "healthier" paints and most likely are not listed as an ingredient.
- Health Issues such as kidney damage or Cancer- Formaldehyde is found in some paints and is linked to cancer rates.
- Throat Irritation- Choose water based paints without the additive Glycol Ethers. This additive is associated with increased asthma, respiration difficulties and headaches.
- Headaches
- Rashes
- Chemical Sensitivities
- Dizziness
- Heavy Metals- Cadmium and Chromium are sometimes found in pigments.
- Trigger Asthma
All of the above may be experienced as a result of using a paint with harmful chemicals, or a result of compounded toxic practices. Supporting your environment with the healthiest paint possible with real natural ingredients is your best solution.
Choosing a non toxic paint for nursery and baby is a great first step to providing your little one with a safe place to sleep and play.
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