Last Updated: Nov 26, 2021
A fresh coat of paint is a quick and fun way to personalize a room or refresh a tired look. Whether you’re painting your new nursery for the baby’s upcoming arrival or updating the outdated and scuffed paint in your living room, it’s essential to take care in choosing the right and safest paint to do the job.
Interior paints come in two basic varieties: Water-based paint and oil-based paint.
Oil-based paint generally contains high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and has been measured to contain as much as 60-70%! VOCs can be incredibly dangerous to your family, releasing chemical toxins into the air from the initial application to several weeks later. Those harmful VOCs carry in the air and can cause dizziness, nausea, eye irritation, heart complications and have even been linked to cancer.
Not only do VOCs affect the air inside your home, but they can also leak outside through open doors and windows, polluting the air in your neighborhood and causing those same complications to your innocent by standing community.
On the other hand, water-based paint contains fewer to no VOCs and is a much safer choice for everyone. Of course, not all water-based interior paints are created equally. Many paints contain no VOCs until the color is added. It’s that color additive that contains the majority of VOC toxins. Many paint manufacturers are taking advantage of a new tint technology to offer a greener paint alternative using natural, zero-VOC color additives in various colors that provide an attractive and environmentally friendly option for any home.
We’re taking the guesswork out of choosing a safe and sustainable interior paint today in sharing our top picks for no VOC interior paints that both look great and won’t leak harmful toxins into the air.
AFM Safecoat interior paints were developed specifically to create a sustainable paint option for people who suffer from allergies and sensitivities. As a result, this environmentally friendly paint is commonly used in schools, hospitals, and laboratories where there is no room for dangerous toxic chemical leaks.
Safecoat interior paints are intentionally free of VOCs, formaldehyde, ammonia, and aromatic hydrocarbon compounds and are always toxic-free. Safecoat zero-VOC paint can be purchased for just $33 per gallon.
Kelly Moore, a large paint manufacturer, sells a line of sustainable paint called eCoat. This acrylic latex paint is made from 50% recycled materials and is an excellent environmental choice for interior walls throughout the home. Get a gallon of Kelly Moore eCoat interior paint for just $18/gallon.
Kelly Moore offers two additional options in zero-VOC, low odor interior paint made from new materials. You can find both EnviroCoat and Green Coat paint for $30 to $40 per gallon.
Virtually odorless, DuraSoy is a premium, water-based, non-toxic paint for interior and exterior applications. DuraSoy primes and protects surfaces and offers stain-blocking features combined with a proprietary hybrid solvent-free resin. This durable, factory-tinted, 100% acrylic paint is perfect for wood, drywall, plaster, stucco, and concrete.
A gallon of DuraSoy ONE Paint + Primer MSRPs for $51.98 per gallon with free shipping for orders over $150.
Benjamin Moore, another leader in the interior paint industry, sells a zero-VOC water-based paint under their Natura line. This paint is 100% acrylic, is self-priming, and has been awarded certifications proving its asthma and allergy-friendly properties. The Natura paint line is an excellent choice for homes with children, pets, pregnant women, and anyone sensitive to scents or chemicals.
You can buy a gallon of Benjamin Moore’s Natura interior paint for $56.99.
Stepping outside the major paint manufacturers, we love Unearthed’s environmentally friendly paints. These interior paints are made from 100% natural ingredients, including clay, chalk, and lime, and use natural minerals for pigmentation.
Unearthed paints are non-toxic, biodegradable, odorless, and are naturally VOC-free. Unearthed paints can be purchased pre-colored or white with the option to mix the pigments at home.
Pick up a gallon mix of their Clay Paint for just $7.50. Or get Unearthed’s unique MamoPure dairy-free natural interior paint made from vegetable casein, following the traditional milk paint formula for $39 per gallon mix.
Sherwin Williams produces a more sustainable paint called Harmony that does create a more harmonious home.
Harmony interior paints contain absolutely no VOCs while incorporating anti-microbial technology to prevent mildew and mold growth in addition to beneficial formaldehyde reducing technology. These acrylic latex interior paints are a sustainable and healthy choice for your family home and help reduce waste by using recycled plastic bottles as an integral part of the formula.
Sherwin Williams Harmony is available in over 1000 colors and costs $51 per gallon.
Clare Premium paints are GREENGUARD Gold Certified and contain zero VOCs. With dozens of colors, Clare premium paint offers superior self-priming, durable, and washable coverage. Clare's high-quality paint can be ordered online and conveniently delivered right to your door. They also provide Clare Color Genius™ and peel and stick paint swatches to eliminate the guesswork of which paint color best fits your space and style!
Clare Premium Zero VOC Paint is available in dozens of colors and costs $54 per gallon for a premium eggshell finish.
In Colonial America, most paint used was something called milk paint. Milk paint is an environmentally friendly paint made from milk casein and natural ingredients commonly available on a farm or plantation, like lime and iron oxide pigment.
The lime in the paint naturally draws carbon dioxide out of the air in a carbonization process, effectively cleaning the air in your home and acts a natural fire retardant. And, because milk paint is naturally made, this interior paint contains zero VOCs and is toxic-free.
A gallon of Real Milk Paint can be purchased for $55.99.
A popular, affordable interior paint, Behr now comes in a low odor, a zero-VOC formula called Premium Plus. This enamel paint is an all-in-one paint and primer available in flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss and is naturally mildew resistant.
A gallon of Behr Premium Plus paint costs $27.97.
Laura grew up in the California suburbs, far removed from environmentalism, but nature always has a way. She uprooted her life in 2015, moving to the countryside of Washington to live a more sustainable and simple life on 12 acres. She and her fiancee are learning on the job as they attempt everything from gardening and natural pest control to eco-friendly building and home improvement.