Most paint strippers contain methylene chloride and other toxic ingredients. These paint strippers are plant-based and non-toxic:
- Citistrip — a citrus gel formula that stays active for up to 24 hours allowing stripping of multiple layers in one step — it can be used on wood, metal and masonry surfaces
- Dumond Chemicals Paint Remover — a biodegradable water-based paint stripper that can remove multiple layers of architectural and industrial coating
- Blue Bear 605 Pro Coating Remover — a zero-VOC stripper that removes multiple layers of paint, varnish, enamel and urethane
- Paint Stripper Super Remover — this stripper claims to be the strongest paint remover available without methylene chloride or other toxic chemicals
- Sunnyside 63432 Paint & Varnish Remover Gel — a sripping gel that removes multiple layers of paint or varnish in one application
Soy-Based Gel Paint Strippers
Soy-based paint removers contain methyl soyate — a methyl ester distilled from soybean oil.
This bio-based solvent is much more sustainable and environmentally friendly than petroleum-based products. It’s low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and it has low flammability.
Soy-based solvents are safe to use on wood, concrete, and metal. These solvents work effectively but take slightly longer to lift the paint from a surface. You can apply soy solvents with a paintbrush and it can be left on the paint surface for several hours because it does not evaporate. The longer a soy-based stripper remains on the paint, the easier the final removal will be.
Citrus-Based Paint Strippers
Citrus-based paint strippers contain terpenes — organic compounds derived from plants (usually oranges).
Citrus-based removers have an orange or citrus-scent Like soy-based gels, they work more slowly in removing paint than toxic products. They are safe to use on any painted or varnished surface. While these strippers are biodegradable, they do still contain some harmful chemicals and should be disposed of properly.
Citrus trip has to be removed using mineral spirits tho…
Great info
Excellent, my wife is pregnant and we need to paint the nursery so I’ll be likely purchasing on of these types of paints.
Augusta Drywall Contractors find this guidelines very helpful.
Joana do you normally have your drywall work painted? We work with drywall painting and have trouble working with drywall contractors…
Wow, this is so informative. Thank you
There are now better options available, including lower formulae. Dibasic ester, bio-based solvents, and alcohol solvents are all safer and more environmentally friendly solvents.
Do you know if Multi strip is a safe non toxic option? Thank you for all this info
I think citrus-based paint strippers would be the best option for most of us. CMIIW.
I have a toddler and a newborn. Non-toxic and odorless paints would be very ideal for us. We were actually about to have a renovation this week since I expected I will be giving birth on the first week of September
but I guess my pipsqueak got so excited! Thank you so much for your suggestions.
I really appreciate the information of your article. Keep it up
This is very legit reference for non toxic paint strippers. I tried citrus-based paint strippers and this si true that they are safe to use on any painted or varnished surface.
I’m glad I found this list. I recommend this to my neighbor since they have a case of improper use of chemical strippers that caused damage to the respiratory system, brain, nervous system, and skin of one of their family members.
One of the worst offenders and potentially deadly chemicals in paint strippers is methylene chloride. Major home improvement stores have pulled products that contain the chemical from their shelves, but it is still readily available.
Thank you for sharing this.
Just what I needed. We are painting our child’s room and we wanted an organic and plant based paint and strippers.
Thank you for sharing such non-toxic paints, I just want to start doing repairs at home and did not know what is the best way to use it. It would be very cool if you made a post about sustainable renovation in general. What is best suited if people want to change their interior as much as possible and without harm to health)) It would be very useful to read. Thank you very much!
They are less harsh than the traditional methylene chloride strippers, you should still wear safety glasses and gloves to avoid eye or skin irritation, and it’s always a good idea to open a window.
Blog discusses about the list of non toxic paints stripper. This article provides us true and insightful information regarding it. This article is very helpful. Great blog indeed, will visit again future to read more!!I am sure many people will come to read about it in future. I found this https://www.interiorpainting.co.nz/ Having loads of data, if possible do have a look
Thank you very much for such an informative article. I am currently considering repainting the walls during the renovation. What else to do in quarantine, right?) And since we sit at home all the time and so as not to expose ourselves to the risk of getting sick, we would not really like the paints or solvent to somehow affect our health. In addition, there is an allergic person in our small family, so I would like to avoid health risks. Especially at a time like this. Therefore, most likely I will use your advice, and now at least I will understand what to choose from. Therefore, many thanks for your advice, they were very helpful.
Super informative article-appreciate the tips!
good evening! Thank you for this article. This is useful for me, since I plan to paint the nursery in a different color and I would not want it to somehow affect the health of the child. These paints are so harmful that I don’t even want to make any repairs at all, but I have heard of such non-toxic paints and I think that will suit me. It’s good that these companies also have many shades so there is plenty to choose from. Thank you for sharing this, good luck!
What is the best paint for my wooden home?
I use Benjamin Moore Natura because it’s easily available. The full list is here: https://metaefficient.com/paint/a-list-of-non-toxic-house-paints.html
Thank you so much.