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reusing/getting rid of old white wall paint

 
Posts: 9
Location: Phu Quoc, Vietnam
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we have these rests of 5 years old white wall paint, its not dried up yet but it doesn't smell too pleasant (although i think it already smells "cured", it has been worse last year lol) and some kind of bug/worm seems to also have lived in it. the liquid on top is brownish but the paint itself is still white. it says environmental friendly , but i can't read much on the bucket since its either in vietnamese or really faded.
i want to use the buckets so i need to empty them, but the question is what to do with the old paint. i had asked my husband to paint the interior of a storage with it but he says its too old to use. what else could i do with the paint?
one idea i have is to paint the mango trees, they have been here and in bad condition since we moved here.placing compost heaps right next to them has helped somewhat, but in some the bark is also broken. would be using that old paint on the trees be a good idea or could it harm the tree?
as i understand white paint is mostly made up of lime which i guess we have very little in our tropical soil here anyway, so i wonder how to put it to use. add to the compost maybe? just dilute it and spread? or pour it in one place, let it dry up and spread crumbles later?
any suggestions are welcome
 
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My first thought was to paint trees but then wondered...but you say environmentally friendly. I like that. My second idea, if too icky to paint trees with, was to put it on empty paper feed sacks to dry out, like what horse and goat feed comes in.
 
steward
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Stinky paint is on its way out. You can still make use of it, but time is growing short. In a few months it will get funky, reek, and start to solidify.
Got any fence or exposed lumber? If all you did was freshen up a henhouse you can add life to the wood and use up the paint.
 
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If you are just looking to dispose of it, the guy at our local landfill said to pour it on an old piece of carpet, let it dry a bit, then roll it up and take it to the dump. Or maybe he did not say that, if his boss says he can't say that then I am sure he did not say that.
 
Sara Do
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thank you everyone for your replies and suggestions . i ended up painting some concrete posts with that paint and i did throw on and around a compost pile whatever i scratched out of the bucket while cleaning it for the chicken. now after some weeks it appears those solidified last rests of paint have disappeared o.o. i wonder how nature ingested them so fast.
i guess the best use for old paint is always painting something, because i see corners that i could have painted as well everywhere haha!
 
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Whenever anyone goes for paint the house then there is always some leftover trays of paint, paint thinners and other mixtures that you can’t put back in their original containers. Disposing of leftover painting materials can be a bit of a challenge, due to the toxic nature of the chemicals in paints. The best idea to store your unused paints for future use. I took painting services from My Home Handyman contractor in Calgary, they did a good job but little paint leftover was there. So I decided to store it for future use, so covered the top of the can with plastic wrap and tightly tap the lid back on with a rubber mallet, creating a seal. Then stored the paint can in a basement store room.I use it for retouches or matching paint hues. If you have a lot of leftover paints, this can be a great excuse to finally spruce up an old piece of furniture or a closet door.

 
pollinator
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While most folks reading this already have the leftover paint.... the best way to deal with it is to not have any leftovers to begin with. Get enough of the correct paint for your job.

1.) Do a careful job measuring to know how much paint is required based on the labelled coverage.
2.) Don't buy 3 gallons of paint, if two gallons and one or two quarts will do. (once you get to needing three quarts, usually the cost exceeds the gallon cost)
   2a.) Intermix all your paint to prevent a shade change between cans showing up in your job, possibly requiring an extra coat to hide it.
3.) Wide changes, especially light over dark, can take more coats, or a primer coat to hide the old paint. Tinting your primer can help.
4.) Keep the rim of the paint can, and the lid, clean. Don't let paint dry in big globs, brush it up and wipe it clean with a rag before you go off to paint... The can will seal up better when you are finished.

I like the idea of either saving the color swatch chosen at the store, or making your own when you are done. If your leftover paint doesn't last, and you need to do a repair, you will have an easier time getting the swatch matched.

Don't put off your repairs? if you need a touch-up go do it!
Your paint isn't getting any fresher. Nail holes, dents, scrapes, new thermostat that is smaller, stains, around light switches, etc...

One thing landlords do is paint everything white. One paint. for all the rooms. (maybe another paint for trim, probably white in a different sheen) That way, touch-ups are easy, and the leftovers are less. Six colors = six partial cans of paint, one color = on partial can of paint.
 
pollinator
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Hello,

If the paint tin is rusted out then repot the paint.

if the paint is like mud then you will need to dilute it and stir it.

then you will sieve the paint to another container through some women's stockings with white paint it is called milking the cow because you look like your squeezing milk out of the stocking.

Your hands will get paint on them so have a rag near by.

Please note that one pair of stockings makes 3 sieves.





 
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