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Paint, lacquer, and varnish remover poisoning

Paint remover poisoning

This article discusses the harmful effects from swallowing or breathing in (sniffing) products to remove paint, lacquer, or varnish.

This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.

I Would Like to Learn About:

Poisonous Ingredient

Paint, lacquer, and varnish removers may contain the following poisonous ingredients:

• Benzyl alcohol
• Ethanol
• Formic acid
• Methyl alcohol
• Methylene hydrochloride
• Naphtha
• Xylene

Where Found

Paint, lacquer, and varnish removers are sold under various brand names.

Symptoms

Paint lacquer and varnish remover poisoning can cause symptoms in various parts of the body.

AIRWAYS AND LUNGS

• Blood in the lungs or coughing blood
• Breathing difficulty (from inhalation)
• Fluid in the lungs
• Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty)
• Rapid, shallow breathing

EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT

• Severe pain in the throat
• Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
• Vision loss

STOMACH AND INTESTINES

• Abdominal pain -- severe
• Bloody stools
• Burns of the esophagus (food pipe)
• Vomiting, possibly with blood

KIDNEY

• Kidney failure

HEART AND BLOOD

• Collapse
• Low blood pressure -- develops rapidly (shock)
• Severe change in the level of acid in the blood (pH balance) -- leads to the failure of many organs

SKIN

• Burns
• Irritation
• Necrosis (holes) in the skin or underlying tissues

NERVOUS SYSTEM

• Coma (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness)
• Confusion
• Convulsions(seizures)
• Dizziness (from sniffing)
• Feeling of being drunk (euphoria)
• Incoordination
• Unsteadiness

Home Care

Seek immediate medical help. DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care provider.

If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk, unless instructed otherwise by a poison control or a provider.

If the person breathed in the poison, immediately move them to fresh air.

Before Calling Emergency

Get the following information:

• Person's age, weight, and condition
• Name of product (ingredients and strength, if known)
• Time it was swallowed
• Amount swallowed

Poison Control

The local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You can also get online poison help now at Poisonhelp.org. Just enter the product, poison, or medicine to get expert help.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate.

Tests that may be done include:

• Blood and urine tests
• Bronchoscopy -- camera placed down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs
• Chest x-ray
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Endoscopy -- camera placed down the throat to check for burns in the esophagus and stomach

Treatment may include:

• Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator).
• Fluids through a vein (by IV).
• Medicine to treat the effects of the poison and other symptoms.
• Surgery to remove burned skin (debridement).
• Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage). This is done only when the person gets medical care within 30 to 45 minutes of the poisoning, and a very large amount of the substance has been swallowed.
• Washing of the skin (irrigation), every few hours or for several days.

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well a person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.

Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Burns in the airway or gastrointestinal tract can lead to tissue death. This may result in infection, shock, and death, even several months after the substance was swallowed. Scar tissue in the affected areas can lead to long-term problems with breathing, swallowing, and digestion.

Related Information

References

Hoyte C. Caustics. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 143.

Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.

Nelson LS, Calello DP. Acute poisoning. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 96.

Nelson ME. Toxic alcohols. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 136.

Theobald JL, Corcoran JN. Poisoning. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 94.

Review Date: 10/14/2025  

Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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