Monday, January 9, 2012

Organize & Recycle Paint

If you live in the colder regions, you should always bring in your paint from your garage or shed. Be sure to label each color by dabbing a spot on top of the paint can or you can label the color with a sharpie marker. Another easy way to keep a record of your paint colors is by dipping a paint stick into each gallon, allowing it to dry and then keeping that paint stick readily available for decorating as well.

My handy tip- I recommend that you wrap the mouth of the paint can with cling wrap - basically sealing in the paint and then tightly secure the lid on. As we repaint and decorate rooms, we should do away with the old paints that are no longer in your home.

If your paint is old and has an odor, you should fill it with kitty litter and allow to get hard then recycle through your local waste management company. If you have various gallons of paint left, here are a few tips on recycling:

*Call your local Good Will or Thrift Store
*Contact your local high school's drama department - they are in need of supplies all the time!
*Call Habitat for Humanity

The new buzz word in the world of recycling is now "Precycle" - which is basically purchasing the correct amount of paint. No need to over buy paint..you can always go back and buy a quart for touch-ups as oppossed to storing a gallon for a few years! A few websites that can help you further recycle your paints:

*PaintCare.org
*Earth911.com
*www.local.com

2 comments:

  1. Where is the best place to store? It gets cold in the shed and I have a gas water heater in the utility pantry. This small house does not have a great place for chemical storage. In my last house I kept the gallon for the room in the closet, but his house I used a 5 gallon for most of the area. Please suggestions.
    Hal

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    1. Hal, it really depends on the product. Oil-based primers and paints usually can be subjected to freezing conditions and it does not cause an immediate problem, but it may shorten the overall shelf life of the product.

      Water-based paints/primers should always be kept in a temperature controlled environment, and protected against freezing conditions.

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