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Try This
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| Paint
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Use latex (water-based) paint instead of oil-based paint. Oil-based paints contain a high percentage of solvents which contribute to air pollution. You are exposed to solvent fumes while the oil paint dries.
Calculate amount needed carefully. Patronize stores that will give you expert help. Many paint stores will take back unopened cans. Ask them.
Give good left-over paint to a community organization that can use it.
Use whitewash for barns, basements, and fences instead of paint. (A simple mix of hydrated lime & water-a less-toxic alternative to white paint.)
Air out newly-painted bedrooms before people sleep there again.
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| Brush Cleaners
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Clean brushes immediately after use. Wash out latex paint over a sink, not outside, in the gutter.
Work mechanic's "waterless" hand cleaner into brush and wash with soap and water.
Clean paint brushes hardened with dried oil-based paint by soaking in hot vinegar.
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| Paint Thinners
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Avoid using oil-based paints which require solvent thinners for cleanup.
Pour off clear thinner for reuse after particles have settled out.
Wrap particles in newspaper and throw in trash.
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| Chemical Paint Strippers
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To strip paint, use a heat gun, a paint scraper, or a sanding block with course sandpaper (wear safety goggles and a mask).
Note: Stripping lead-based paint is dangerous and should be done by a professional. Inhaling the dust or vapors can cause lead poisoning.
Water-soluble paint strippers are available that contain less-hazardous ingredients.
Avoid strippers containing methylene chloride and trichloroethylene (TCE); benzene; 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), xylene; or toluene.
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| Spray Paints
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Don't use aerosols. Aerosols make it more likely that the user will breathe in the paint. The aerosol propellants contribute to air pollution.
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| Wood Preservatives
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Do not use old products which contain pentachlorophenol (PCP), creosote, tributyltin oxide, or Folpet.
Do not burn wood treated with wood preservatives. You'd be releasing the chemicals into the air. Old, treated, scrap wood can be taken to a landfill for disposal.
Water-based preservatives are available that can seal wood and protect it from water rot and insects.
A water sealer or polyurethane can prevent wood rot. Use types of wood (such as redwood and cedar) that are naturally resistant to insects and wood rot.
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| Wood
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Buy "pressure-treated" lumber. Preservatives have already been applied. Eliminates the need to handle wood preservatives and exposure to toxic chemicals.
If untreated wood will be in contact with soil, you may need to use an arsenic-based product. Arsenic is more toxic than copper, zinc or boric acid preservatives.
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| Wood Stains
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Use finishes derived from natural sources, such as shellac, tung oil, and linseed oil.
Use water-based stains.
Try the new less-toxic wood working compounds that are becoming available.
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