Best Non Toxic Paints

According to the EPA, the average home’s interior air is three times more polluted than outdoor air, and interior paints are often the prime suspect for the source of this indoor pollution. Volatile organic compounds can slowly off-gas for years after initial application. Thankfully, it is now fairly easy to find and purchase “non-toxic” formulas made from natural raw ingredients like water, milk casein, natural latex, plant oils and resins, plant dyes and essential oils. Many major paint brands now offer low and no-VOC paints, and other smaller, independent paint companies have improved their formulas and expanded their color palettes.

Here are a few of the best brands to consider for your next painting job:

Best Non-Toxic Interior Paints

1 Benjamin Moore Aura and Natura: Both the Aura line (low VOC) and the Natura line (no VOC) are made with 100% acrylic paint that is easy to apply, covers well, and and dries in about an hour. The Natura line is one of my personal favorite paints. I’ve used it for a few projects and have no complaints!

2 Bioshield Clay and Casein paints: These powder-based paints are made with naturally occurring earthborn clays and pigments. No-odor, non-toxic, and no VOC.

3 Yolo Colorhouse: This water-based, Green Seal certified, and zero-VOC paint was created by Portland, Oregon-based artists Virginia Young and Janie Lowe. The palette of 40 hues are specifically designed for interiors and categorized by nature’s spectrum of air, grain, leaf, water, stone, clay and the bright hued petal range. The packaging is also lovely.

4 Sherwin-Williams Harmony Interior Latex: A Good Housekeeping choice, the Harmony line uses sustainable raw materials, like soy and sunflower oil, in their formulation to keep solvent content low and VOCs in the zero-VOC range. Advertised as mildew and bacteria resistant.

5 Green Planet Paints: Soy-based resins with clay formulations and mineral pigments keep this line of paint “as organic as your farmer’s market produce.” We also like that they disclose all ingredients in their paint formulas right there on the can.

6 The Old-Fashioned Milk Paint Company: Milk paint comes in a powder form to which water is added. It’s biodegradable, solvent-free, odorless and completely free of VOCs. Adheres to almost all clean, porous surfaces.

7 Mythic Paint: Mythic Paint has a huge amount of colors available, and they’re all fantastic. Our editors have used them plenty of times and they’re a running favorite. Non-toxic, ultra low odor paint.

8 Earthborn Paint: based in the UK, Earthborn’s paint and natural varnishes are water-based and VOC-free. Each paint can also lists the full ingredients. They currently have five lines available.