9s GO \
<$CPSC
United States
Consumer Product
Safety Commission
v>EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
What You
Should Know
About Using
PAINT
STRIPPERS
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What You Should Know
About Using Paint Strippers
If not
properly
used, paint
strippers are
hazardous to
your health
and safety.
Paint strippers contain chemicals that loosen paint
from surfaces. These chemicals can harm you if not
used properly. Some paint stripping chemicals can
irritate the skin and eyes, or cause headaches, drowsi-
ness, nausea, dizziness, or loss of coordination. Some
may cause cancer, reproductive problems, or damage
of the liver, kidney, or brain. Others catch fire easily.
Proper handling and use of paint strippers will reduce
your exposure to these chemicals and lessen your
health risk.
General
Safety
Precautions
Paint strippers contain different chemicals, and. the
potential hazards are different for various products.
Each product has specific safety precautions (see the
section on paint stripper types, page 4). However,
there are some general safety steps to keep in mind
when using any paint stripper. If you use paint
strippers frequently, it is particularly important that
you follow these steps:
1. Always read and follow all the instructions and
safety precautions on the label. Do not assume you
already know how to use the product. The hazards
may be different from one product to another, and the
ingredients in individual products often change over
time. The label tells you what actions you should take
to reduce hazards and the first aid measures to use.
2. Wear chemical-resistant gloves appropriate to the
type of stripper being used (see manufacturer's
instructions). Common kitchen latex gloves do not
provide enough protection.
3. Avoid getting the paint stripper on your skin or in
your eyes. Wear protective clothing and goggles
appropriate for the project and type of stripper.
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4. Use paint strippers outdoors if possible. If you
must use them indoors, cross-ventilate by opening all
doors andrwindows. Make sure there is fresh air
movement throughout the room. Ventilate the area
before, during, and after applying and stripping.
Never use any paint stripper in a poorly ventilated
area. If work must be done indoors under low
ventilation conditions, consider having the work done
professionally instead of attempting it yourself.
5. If you must work indoors, always work so the
stripper fumes are blowing away from you and to
the outside (see illustration below). A fan can be
used to improve cross-ventilation and to ensure fresh
air movement. A fan is particularly important for
nonflammable products that evaporate quickly, such as
methylene chloride. Electrical sparks from fans may
increase the chance of flammable paint strippers fumes
to catch fire.
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6. Do not use flammable paint strippers near any
source of sparks, flame, or high heat. Do not work
near gas stoves, kerosene heaters, gas or electric
water heaters, gas or electric clothes dryers, gas or
electric furnaces, gas or electric space heaters, sand-
ers, buffers, or other electric hand tools. Open flames,
cigarettes, matches, lighters, pilot lights, or electric
sparks can cause the chemicals in the paint strippers
to suddenly catch fire.
7. Only^strip paint with chemicals that are marketed
as paint strippers. Never use gasoline, lighter fluid,
or kerosene to strip paint.
8. Dispose of paint strippers according to the
instructions on the label. If you have any questions,
ask your local environmental sanitation department
about proper disposal.
Types of Paint Strippers
Solvent-
Based
Strippers
Most paint strippers are solvent-based. Solvents
dissolve the bond between wood and paint. Solvents
also can dissolve other materials, including the latex
or rubber of common household or dish washing
gloves. Some solvents will irritate or burn the skin.
Some solvents may cause serious health effects even
if contact does not immediately cause pain. In
addition, many solvents evaporate quickly and you
can easily inhale them. Inhalation of these solvents
can produce health effects immediately or years after
exposure.
It is especially important to use paint strippers
containing solvents that evaporate quickly either
outdoors or in an indoor area with strong fresh air
movement. Some paint strippers contain solvents
that do not evaporate quickly. When using these
strippers indoors, be sure to open windows and
doors to provide fresh air movement in and out of the
work site. You should always follow the
manufacturer's instructions and safety precautions.
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Use the amount of stripper recommended by the
manufacturer to avoid buildup of harmful fumes.
The different types of solvent-based paint strippers
and their potential hazards and safety precautions are:
Methylene chloride (also called dichloromethane, or
DCM)
Methylene chloride is the most commonly used
chemical in paint strippers. Methylene chloride
products come in two varieties. One type is nonflam-
mable, while the other type is flammable. The flam-
mable paint strippers have less methylene chloride
but have other flammable chemicals, including
acetone, toluene, or methanol.
Methylene chloride causes cancer in laboratory
animals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Com-
mission (CPSC) consider the chemical to be a potential
cause of cancer in humans. Methylene chloride
evaporates quickly, and you can inhale it easily.
Breathing high levels of methylene chloride over short
periods can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, and lungs. It
can also cause dizziness, headache, and lack of
coordination. Your body changes some inhaled
methylene chloride to carbon monoxide. Carbon
monoxide lowers the blood's ability to carry oxygen.
This can cause problems for people with heart, lung,
or blood diseases who use methylene chloride paint
strippers indoors without fresh air cross-ventilation.
High exposures to methylene chloride for long
periods can also cause liver and kidney damage.
It is very important to reduce your exposure to
methylene chloride vapors.
It is very important to have a lot of fresh air when
using methylene chloride products.
Use methylene chloride paint strippers outdoors if
possible. If you must use them indoors, open all
doors and windows to ensure that the fresh air is
moving in and out of the room.
For indoor use of nonflammable methylene chloride
strippers, also use a fan to keep fresh air moving
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throughout the work area. Electrical sparks from fans
may increase the chance of flammable paint strippers
fumes to catch fire.
The safest place to use flammable methylene chloride
strippers is outdoors away from any source of sparks,
flame, or high heat.
Acetone, toluene, and methanol
These chemicals are commonly used together. All three
chemicals"evaporate quickly and are very flammable.
Breathing high levels of these chemicals can cause a
variety of effects, including drowsiness, dizziness, and
headache. Breathing high levels of toluene may harm
unborn children. Breathing very high levels for a long
period may cause brain damage. Toluene and metha-
nol are poisonous if swallowed.
To avoid fire and health problems, it is very impor-
tant to use products containing these chemicals only in
areas with plenty of fresh air.
Do not work near an open flame, pilot lights, or
electrical sparks when using flammable paint strippers.
Do not use strippers near gas stoves, kerosene heaters,
gas or electric water heaters, gas or electric clothes
dryers, gas or electric furnaces, gas or electric space
heaters, sanders, buffers, or other electric hand tools.
N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP)
Excessive contact with NMP may cause skin swelling,
blistering, and burns. These skin reactions may not
appear until some time after exposure. N-
methylpyrrolidone can readily get into the body
through the skin and may cause health problems.
NMP may cause reproductive problems and harm to
unborn children.
It is very important to wear chemical-resistant
gloves and avoid skin contact when using this solvent.
Wash hands immediately after use, even when
wearing gloves.
Gloves should fit properly and be chemical-resistant.
Common kitchen latex gloves do not provide enough
protection.
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Avoid using this product for extended periods in
an enclosed area without open doors or windows to
the outside for cross-ventilation.
Dibasic esters (DBE), including dimethyl adipate
ester, dimethyl succinate ester, and dimethyl
glutarate ester
Much less is known about the possible health effects
of these chemicals than about most of the other paint
stripping chemicals. Some people using DBE prod-
ucts without fresh air have reported temporary
blurred vision. Repeatedly breathing DBE damages
the cells lining the nose of laboratory animals. Some
strippers include a mixture of DBE products and NMP.
Avoid using this product for extended periods in
an enclosed area without open doors or windows to
the outside for cross-ventilation.
Use appropriate protective clothing and provide
fresh air to the work site when using these products.
Caustic-
Based
Strippers
(not
flammable)
Caustic alkalis react with the paint coating and
loosen it from the surface. One of the chemicals in
this type of stripper is sodium hydroxide (lye). Some
people do not use caustic alkalis because caustic
products can darken wood and raise the grain.
Caustics can cause severe burns to skin and eyes even
on short contact. Therefore, be very careful to keep
caustic chemicals away from skin and eyes and wear
protective clothing. If contact occurs, wash off
immediately with cold water. Caustics are also
highly toxic if swallowed.
It is very important to avoid skin and eye contact
when using caustic alkalis.
Use gloves that fit properly and are appropriate for
caustic alkalis.
Wear appropriate protective clothing and goggles
when using caustic alkalis.
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Other Types
of Paint
Strippers
Some paint strippers have a citrus smell or make
"environmentally friendly" claims. However, these
paint strippers may be hazardous despite the smell
and environmental claims.
It is important to use appropriate protective
clothing and fresh air for cross-ventilation when
using these products.
For more information on indoor air quality,
contact:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20460
800-438-4318
or
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Washington, DC 20207
800-638-2772
TTY for individuals who are deaf or hard of
hearing or people with speech impairments:
800-638-8270.
Consumers can get recall information via
Internet gopher services at cpsc.gov or report
product hazards to info@cpsc.gov.
This document may be reproduced without charge, in whole or in part,
without permission, except for uses that imply that EPA or CPSC
considers one type of paint stripper to be better or worse than another.
CPSC 423
EPA 747-F-95-002
009509
GPO : 1995 O - 165-623
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