When we think about renovating the walls of our home, the first decision is usually the color or finish. However, there's an invisible component that should be the most important factor when choosing: Volatile Organic Compounds. But exactly, what are VOCs and why is the paint industry starting to talk about them so much?

For most people, the smell of "freshly painted apartment" is just a temporary nuisance. However, this smell is the chemical indicator of a toxic emission being released into your home's indoor air. Especially for pregnant women, babies, and people with respiratory problems, understanding the impact of these compounds is the first step to creating a truly safe and healthy home.

In this article, we explain without filters where these chemicals come from, how they affect your family, and what real alternatives you have in the market to avoid toxic paint.

What are VOCs and where do they come from?

Volatile Organic Compounds (or VOCs) are chemical substances that easily convert into gases or vapors at room temperature. In the construction and decoration industry, they are used massively as solvents, preservatives, or drying agents.

When we talk about VOCs in paint, we're referring to substances like benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, or xylene. The plastic and acrylic paint used in the vast majority of homes can contain up to 300 of these different chemical compounds in its formulation. They are responsible for keeping the paint liquid in the can and for making it dry quickly once applied to the wall.

The problem of continuous emission

The great myth of conventional toxic paint is believing that the danger disappears when the wall is dry to the touch. The scientific reality is very different. The main problem with VOCs is that they don't disappear when the paint dries, but are released into your home's air continuously for weeks or even months after application. This means that while you sleep, your surroundings continue to shed chemical microparticles into the indoor air.

The health dangers: What does the WHO say?

Indoor air can be between 2 and 5 times more polluted than outdoor air, with paint being one of the main sources of this contamination. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other international organizations have been warning for years about the need to improve indoor air quality, setting strict recommendations where safe levels of formaldehyde (a common VOC) should not exceed 60 μg/m³.

The accumulation of these toxins can cause short-term symptoms like constant headaches, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and severe irritation of the mucous membranes (eyes, nose, and throat). In the medium and long term, prolonged exposure to toxic paint is linked to the development of childhood asthma and the worsening of autoimmune diseases. This risk is especially critical for babies (whose respiratory systems are still developing), pregnant women, and patients with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).

You can read more about how to protect the little ones in our article: Toxic-free paint for your baby's room.

How to reduce VOC exposure at home?

Faced with this reality, how can we protect our home?

1. Avoid "Greenwashing" and demand transparency

The growing concern for health has made the market fill with "Low VOC" or "Eco-friendly" paints. Unfortunately, many of these labels are just a green marketing strategy or greenwashing. Reducing the percentage of toxins slightly to meet the legal minimum doesn't make them safe paints for people with sensitivity or allergies. You need to look for paints that declare "VOC-free" emissions in a certified and transparent way, where you can review the complete ingredient list.

2. Choose mineral and plant-based paints

The only real way to avoid VOCs in paint is to use materials that, by their very nature, don't need these chemicals in their composition. 100% mineral paints (such as lime, silicate, or clay) and plant-based paints contain no petrochemical solvents, toxic additives, or synthetic plasticizers. This is precisely Gelur Espais's commitment: using only paints where emission is zero.

3. Ventilate, but act on the source

While ventilating daily is essential to renew indoor air, ventilation cannot counteract a continuous and chronic chemical emission source like the four walls of your bedroom. You must act on the construction materials.

Conclusion

Your home should be the safest place in the world, a refuge that cares for you and your family. Understanding what VOCs are is the first step to making informed and conscious decisions about the materials we incorporate into our home. At Gelur Espais, we have it clear: VOC-free is not a slogan, it's our only way of working.

Want to know how many toxins you might be releasing into your home with standard plastic paint? Use our free VOC Calculator and discover the difference of painting with 100% natural materials.