VOCs explained

A beautiful home should be as healthy as it is eye-catching. VOCs are unhealthy for the environment, your family and your home, which is why it’s important to understand what they are and how to cut back on your use of them as much as possible.

So, what are VOCs?

Volatile Organic Compounds (otherwise known as VOCs) are gases which are emitted when you use certain products, like paint. But paint is not the only culprit, there are multiple products around your home which may contain certain kinds of VOCs (such as household cleaning products). When it comes to paint, the tricky thing with VOCs is that they continue to be released long after the paint has dried and that smell of freshly painted walls has disappeared.

Okay, so why are they bad?

Unfortunately, these gases are dangerous when inhaled and can pose a variety of health risks. Breathing in VOCs over long periods of time can increase your chance of having multiple health concerns – particularly so for people with asthma or sensitivity to chemicals. The negative health effects of VOCs can be both acute (meaning that they occur in the short term – such as dizziness or nausea) or chronic (meaning that they are long term – and are most likely more serious). Either way, you want to have as few VOCs around you as possible!

So, what can I do?

To be considered low in VOCs, a paint formula must have less than 50g of VOCs per litre. To be dubbed a zero VOC paint, the formula must contain less than 5g of VOCs per litre (with no other additional VOCs added). At Simply Colour, we’ve made sure that all of our paint products are either low in, or completely free of VOCs.

But when it comes to healthy paint, there’s simply nothing better than our range of Premium paint. Its formula is completely free of VOCs, solvents and lead which makes it the healthiest paint choice in our range. You significantly increase the health standard of your home by using our premium paint as it contains anti-bacterial properties to protect you against harmful germs, fungi and mould. These benefits last the lifetime of the paint, meaning long-term upshots and protection against harmful microorganisms. More than that, it’s low odour which makes it possible to occupy a room (even nurseries, children’s rooms and kitchens) on the same day as painting! Although our range of premium paints may be the ideal choice, it’s important to bear in mind that all of our other interior paints are also very low in VOCs, and completely free of lead and solvents too.

Safety first

No matter what paint you use, remember that all paint products are toxic to some degree, which is why knowing how to paint your home safely, is key. Always remember to:

• Paint interior spaces when they’re unoccupied (unless you’re using our Premium paint of course!).
• Increase the ventilation in your home whilst painting. Open doors, windows and switch on ceiling fans for extra air flow.
• Seal and store all your paints, varnishes, solvents and adhesives safely away from your living spaces.