How to Safely Dispose Off Household Paint

Tap to Read ➤ Snehal Motkar

What to do with excess paint once the painting is done? Is it possible to drain it or throw it in the trash? No! It cannot be disposed of so easily. Read on to understand how to safely dispose of household paint.

You are excited to renovate or touch up the paint in your house, and surely do not want to fall short of any required item (paint, for example) in the middle of the task. This leads you to buy an excess amount of paint, which later on becomes a problem.

You need to understand that paint and other such products consisting of chemicals are hazardous and should not be wasted in the first place and secondly, if they are left after use, should be disposed of in the correct way.

Unfortunately, there is lack of awareness about disposing leftover paint in the correct way and people out of ignorance and unawareness, dispose it in the wrong manner.

Correct Ways to Dispose of Household Paint

Avoid Excessive Purchase

Firstly, try to avoid excessive purchase of the paint. Take appropriate measurements of the area that you want to paint and give it to the dealer.

You can also take guidance from the painter that you have hired. He can have the exact idea of the required amount. This step will save your money as well as prevent you from the efforts of disposing it safely.

Try to Reuse the Leftover Paint

If you think you might need the paint sometime in the future for a touch up, you can store it but store it according to the instructions on the label.

A general way of taking care while storing the leftover paint is that it should be stored in an airtight container. You can probably, use the same container in which it was stored to prevent it from drying out. It should be kept out of reach of children and pets. It should be stored in a cool and dry place.

Donate it to People in Need

This is a good option to do away with the leftover paint without wasting it and taking efforts to dispose it. Ask your neighbors, friends or relatives if they are in need of paint.

There are some organizations that accept paint that is in good condition and donate it to people who are in need of it.

Hand it Over to a Recycling Organization

In some areas, there are recycling organizations that collect leftover paint and use it to prepare new paints or even non-paint products like cement.

Water-based and latex paints are commonly used for these purposes. If you don't find such an organization, you can contact your municipal corporation for help.

A Method to Dispose Household Paint Yourself

Step 1 Read the label carefully to find if there are any hazardous materials included in the mixture. Some manufacturers do not display such warnings as the substances are less in quantity. In that case, read the contents and solubility to identify the materials.

Step 2 Wear chemical resistant clothes and hand gloves to avoid contact with toxic substances. Also, wear glasses to protect your eyes from infection and irritation.

Step 3 Moist paint is hazardous and hence it is important to dry it before disposal. If the quantity is less than ¼ portion of the can, let the paint dry in air or in a well-ventilated room with regular stirring.

If the quantity is more, mix sawdust, cat litter or sand with the paint to speed up the drying process. Latex and water-based paints take lesser time to dry than oil-based paints.

Step 4 Once the paint has dried up, you can wrap it in paper and put in your regular trash. Do not throw away the lid and the can in open, wrap them separately in paper and put them in the trash.

These procedures are strictly applicable only for small quantities of household paints. Take proper steps in disposing of your household paint and save the environment.