Vol. 9, No. 4

Summertime and the living’s easy!

Many of us wait for this season all year, with nearly perfect summer weather and a chance for our mossy selves to dry out. Now is the time to hit up local swimming spots, wade along the Salish Seashore, or simply soak your feet in cool water on those days when it’s a little too warm. Enjoy this typically dry season with evening walks in your neighborhood, picnics in the yard, and indulge in all of the fresh fruit that Washington growers produce that are not apples. Apple season will come soon enough!

Painting can be a fun way to spruce up the interior of your home, but certain types of paint can contain ingredients that can be harmful to your health, even after the painting project is complete.

There are two types of interior paints, water-based (also called latex paint) and oil-based.

One of the main health concerns with oil-based paints is vapors called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Volatile organic compounds in paint are harmful when breathed in, and can cause headaches, eye irritation, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. Paint vapors pose a higher health risk for pregnant people, young children, and people with respiratory ailments. Additives, like preservatives and pesticides to kill mildew and bacteria, are sometimes added to paints and are another potential health risk. Latex paints may contain crystalline silica, which can cause lung disease. To avoid breathing in silica, wear a respirator approved for protection against crystalline silica dust, especially during sanding or scraping off dried paint. 

Follow the steps below to make your painting project safer for you, your family, and the air and water that we all share.

Before You Paint

• Measure the space you plan to paint and take the measurements to the paint store for help determining how much paint you’ll need for the project. This can help save money and trips to the store!
• Choose water-based (latex) over oil-based paint whenever possible.
• Select the least toxic, lowest VOC paints available. Ask staff at the paint store for help.
• Read the labels carefully before you buy. Even latex, low-VOC paints can contain harmful ingredients.
• Choose paints with a glossy sheen for high-humidity areas of your home like kitchens and bathrooms. Matte or “flat” paints are more porous and absorb moisture.
• Read all the directions on the label and follow them carefully.
• Avoid spray painting. Aerosols are easy to breathe deeply into your lungs and the lungs of the people sharing your space.
• Do not use exterior paint indoors.
• Test for lead on any surfaces that were painted more than 20 years ago. Use lead-safe preparation methods.
• Turn off air conditioning and cover with plastic. Air conditioners do not filter indoor air.

While You Paint

• Keep windows open and use an exhaust fan placed in the window to pull the inside air out of the room.
• Use the protective gear specified on the label, like gloves, goggles, and a respirator with the proper filter. Dust masks do not protect against solvent vapors or crystalline silica.
• Take frequent fresh air breaks.
• Keep pregnant people and young children away from freshly painted rooms.
• Keep paint cans tightly closed when not in use.
• Take extra precautions if using oil-based paint. The health risks are greater with solvent-based paints and there is an added danger of fire. Eliminate all sources of flames and sparks, and don’t smoke. Used rags can cause a fire - keep used dried rags in sealed metal containers until you can dispose of them.
• Keep paints and other hazardous supplies out of children's reach, before, during, and after the project is complete.

After You Paint

• Ventilate freshly painted areas for 48-72 hours (2-3 days).
• Children, individuals with breathing problems, and pregnant people should avoid freshly painted areas for 2-3 days. Even after paint looks dry and doesn’t smell, it still emits vapors for several days.
• Save small amounts of leftover paint for touch-ups and be sure to store it properly to keep it in good condition for future use.

Unwanted paint can be recycled for free at several locations. For a list of accepted products, visit PaintCare – Recycling Made Easy. For disposal, bring old, unused paint to HazoHouse at the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center. Empty paint cans should be placed in your regular garbage. 

Notes for Apartment Dwellers:

Painting in apartments is a special issue because the paint vapors move as “shared air” between units. Painters should be aware that harmful gases can move through common walls through gaps around pipes and electrical outlets. For projects where the building must be occupied during work, choose zero- or low-VOC paint products to allow work to go on without creating harm and getting complaints from people in the building about odor, dizziness, or nausea.

Apartment managers:

• Give advance notice to neighbors that a unit is to be painted.
• Inspect painted units to ensure that ventilation is maintained during painting and for at least 2 to 3 days afterward.
• Loan box fans to residents who are painting their apartments. Problems may be reduced if all apartments being painted, as well as neighboring apartments, are vented to the outdoors with box fans.

Make Plans for Fall Maintenance

While lounging in the yard this summer, plan your autumn lawn care strategy. September and October are the best months to re-work the lawn if needed.

A soil test is a smart and affordable way to start the plan.

Patchy, weedy, and mossy lawns greatly benefit from aeration every few years.

Once the lawn is aerated, add a thin layer of compost (just enough to let the grass poke through) to increase organic matter in the soil. Compost will help the health of your soil and encourage root growth in the grass. Compost helps the grass tolerate dry weather and adds beneficial soil microbes that can help break down slow-release fertilizers.

Fall is the best time to fertilize with an organic, slow-release fertilizer. 

Finally, overseed the lawn with a Pacific Northwest grass blend. Wait until there is some rain in the forecast to limit the amount of watering needed. Seeds and emerging grass will need frequent watering so, let our naturally rainy autumn maintain a newly planted or overseeded lawn. Newer grass seed blends are adapted for lawns in shade, full sun, and high-activity conditions. Choose the best blend for your specific area.



The Go Green Yard Care Program can help you create the lawn that you want based on your time, energy, and preferences. And it’s free of charge!

Hedgerows and Living Fences

Add privacy to the yard to help turn an outdoor space into an outdoor living space. It can be hard to lounge around freely if it feels like the whole neighborhood is coveting your snacks or wondering about your summer reading habits. Living fences or hedgerows can create privacy without the need to pound in stakes or paint.

A hedgerow, sometimes called a living fence is a row, or several rows of plants spaced close together that will grow into each other and create a screen. They can be as long or short as desired and include trees, shrubs, flowering plants, and native grasses.

In addition to adding privacy, hedgerows create wildlife habitat, and adding plants to the landscape helps slow down water run-off and keeps nutrients from fertilizers in the yard.

They take a few years to grow together and create a privacy screen and because the plants are tightly spaced and designed as an informal barrier, if particular plants don’t survive or are damaged in a storm, the other plants simply fill in that spot.

Once established, they won’t need much extra water and will shade out weeds. Because they provide such great habitat, they won’t need pest control products and the beneficial insects that make their homes in the hedgerow will help the rest of the plants in the yard thrive.



Washington State University has more information on hedgerows including a list of plants depending on your site conditions and a handbook to help get started.

What are VOCs?

 Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gases made up of a variety of chemicals that are released or “off-gas” from certain solid or liquid products and materials. Examples of household products and materials that may release VOCs into indoor air include paint, cleaning supplies, air fresheners, aerosol sprays, hobby and craft supplies, clothing that has been dry cleaned, carpet, vinyl flooring, and furniture upholstery. Breathing in VOCs can cause short- and long-term harm to our health. The health effects from breathing in VOCs depend on how much is in the air and how long and often the VOCs are breathed in. Common health effects of short-term exposure include headaches, nausea, dizziness, and worsening of asthma symptoms. Long-term effects include damage to liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.

Here are some steps you can take to reduce your exposure to VOCs:

• Open the windows and doors daily to increase the amount of fresh air in your home.
• Avoid using air fresheners and aerosol products.
• Choose safer cleaning products – check out these Green Cleaning Recipes.
• Purchase the lowest-VOC paints, adhesives, and caulks available and buy only what you need to avoid having to store leftover products. 
• Follow the label directions exactly and increase ventilation when using household hazardous products, or use the products outdoors, if possible.
• Properly dispose of unwanted or unused household hazardous products for free at HazoHouse. 

Do you have a question for the Thurston Home and Garden editors or a topic you’d like to learn more about? We’d love to hear from you!

Please contact us at 360-867-2674 or send us an email at healthyhomes@co.thurston.wa.us

The best advice for summer sun care is to limit time spent in the sun, especially during the hottest part of the day. It’s important to wear long sleeves and light-weight pants in light colors, and include a wide-brimmed hat. There are summer adventures where days in the sun are part of the adventure and sunscreen is needed.



Choose an SPF 30 or above. It’s important to re-apply sunscreen after swimming or sweating and every 90 minutes while in the sun. Always follow the label directions and help kids apply as needed. If possible, choose a lotion or balm instead of aerosol products that can emit a cloud of product and make it hard to cover a large area like your back. Babies under six months old should be kept out of the sun as much as possible.



Personal insect control follows many of these same guidelines including long pants and sleeves in light colors, with the addition of socks and shoes. Limit the use of fragrances because they can attract insects and limit time spent outside at dusk when possible. Avoid sunscreen combined with insect repellent because mosquitos are most active at dawn and dusk, no need for sunscreen! Choose a product from the EPA’s list of repellents and use only as needed.