For example, if you’re working in a garage, open up the garage door as well as any other doors and windows in the garage all the way. If you have a fan available, position it in a window or door and aim it outwards to suck out air and dust.
Wet sanding also helps give the object you’re spray painting a smooth, scratch-free finish before you paint it.
Shop vacs are the best type of vacuum to use for this because they’re very powerful and specifically made to clean up dust from sanding and other activities that generate a lot of dust.
Sweeping does send a certain amount of dust into the air, so give the lingering dust some time to settle again before you spray paint in the area. Avoid using compressed air to blow dust out of your work area. This just sends dust particles flying all over the place that linger in the air.
If your spray painting project takes a long time, keep wetting the floor periodically, so it never dries out while you’re working. Don’t wet the floor if it’s made of a material that can get warped or damaged by moisture or if it gets dangerously slippery when wet.
These types of wipes are available to purchase online. They’re often marketed for use on electronics.
For example, if you’re spray painting some metal furniture in a shared workshop, pick a corner or area of the shop that’s away from areas where people are sanding wood. Hang plastic sheets from the ceiling around the area where you’ll be painting to keep dust out. This option makes sense if you are only spray painting something that doesn’t require a lot of space to paint and you aren’t constantly spray painting stuff.
A garage or a workshop are good places to build your spray booth. A paint booth makes sense if you’re frequently spray painting large things, such as car bodies. There are also inflatable paint booths available to purchase online.
There are portable extractor fans available to purchase online and at hardware and home improvement stores.
Disposable pant suits are available online or at a home improvement center or hardware store. If you don’t have a full pant suit available, at the very least, use disposable shoe covers and lint-free workwear clothing.
For example, if you’re actively spray painting, make sure nobody else is coming in and out of the booth while you’re working. Don’t use your spray booth for anything other than spray painting. Other activities and unnecessary foot traffic introduce dust and other contaminants to the booth.
