7. Paint
The same goes with paint… If you decide to renovate a room or to change to color of your kitchen cabinets, make sure to let some fresh air circulate. Most paint cans contain potentially harmful chemicals called VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and as soon as you open the can, they go in the air you breathe.
“They range from simply irritating things to things that can be recognized as carcinogens, like formaldehyde,” Nolen says. She actually suggests placing a fan near the window in order to pull air out while paint is drying, and of course, take any piece of furniture that you’re refinishing outside.
