Title: Paint fumes can trigger asthma and cancer: Hidden dangers of decorating | Daily Mail Online
Headings: Will doing up the front room make you ill?
Will doing up the front room make you ill?
There are also hidden dangers in ­apparently simple procedures such as removing old wallpaper and replastering.
So what are the risks - and how can you avoid them...
SANDING FLOORS
VARNISHING
WALLPAPERING
TACKLING MOULD
INSTALLING INSULATION
LAYING CARPET

Content: You need to read the labels carefully. It’s actually a bit like handling medicine.’ So what are the risks - and how can you avoid them...
Hidden dangers: Paints used in the home often contain harmful chemicals and compounds that are inhaled by the decorator when they dry
PAINTING
Paints used in the home contain ­potentially harmful chemicals such as ­solvents and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). ‘ When the paint dries, these chemicals evaporate into the air where the hapless decorator can inhale their toxic fumes,’ explains Dr Deacon. Paint falls into two categories: water-based, often referred to as acrylic emulsions and usually used on walls; and solvent, or oil-based paints which tend to be used for a glossy finish (solvents are added to paint to thin the ­mixture so it will spread evenly). Inhaling paint fumes can exacerbate asthma and ­sinusitis, says Dr Keith Prowse, of the British Lung Foundation. Because the solvents are absorbed into the lungs, then the blood stream, they can lead to headaches and dizziness. ‘