Milk Paint Recipes & Suppliers

Why did we ever stop using it? Milk paint was the most long lasting and highly regarded form of paint for thousands of years until the industrial revolution brought about the mass manufacturing of goods. The paint can was invented, milk paint would have spoiled in the can, more chems & metals were added to paint each decade, and the rest is a history that now leads most people like zombies to the unhealthy paint aisle in Home Depot. Over 50 years of advertising from these companies & suppliers has people believing that toxic paint mixed with mildewcides, ammonia, metals (at one time lead), and formaldehyde is somehow superior to the long lasting qualities of how paint was originally made - safe and 100% natural. In reality chemical based VOC paints are of far less quality because of the serious health hazards involved with out gassing - these companies are ripping us off by trying to can their poison and save face by telling us these additives are making a better product for our homes, when it's only better for their bank accounts. Read more about how toxic VOC containing products in our homes effects our health & indoor air quality on the EPA's website HERE.
Luckily you can still buy completely non toxic milk paints or even make your own! This is probably the healthiest most organic choice of paint out there... if you know of something better (pretty) please share info about it in the comments section. :)

Here is list of DIY Milk Paint Recipes:
Milk Paint Recipe on Appropedia - One of the best tutorials!
Fabric Milk Paint Instructions at Helium
Powdered Tempera Milk Paint Recipe at eHow.com
Milk Paint Supplies at NaturalPigments.com
Milk Paint Recipes and Pigments at EarthPigments.com

1870 Milk Paint Recipe at Pioneer Thinking - I love this website!

This Old Crack House Milk Paint Recipe

Here are Milk Paint Suppliers Who've Made It For You:
Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co. (see photo above)
The Real Milk Paint Company

Happy Painting!

DIY: Non Toxic Wood Oil

When you have as many chemical sensitivities as I do sometimes not even the less toxic stains, paints, or varnishes will do. Many of them still contain harmful VOC's unless otherwise stated on the bottle with a seal of approval. The great thing about no VOC is it won't be outgassing half the year like most products but just when it's first applied & drying. I wanted even better then that though, I wanted to create a wood oil that never outgassed a single hazardous chemical! So when I had a raw wood table that needed some protection I cooked up my very own secret formula that has now lasted 2 years with no change.

Here is what you will need:

*Soy Oil

*Sunflower or Olive Oil

*Kosher Salt

*Vinegar (I use ume vinegar, but I think apple cider would work good too)

Doesn't it sound too simple? I came up with this theory/formula knowing about treated wood being mainly salt and oil being a time tested preservative for centuries.
Take all the ingredients and put them in a pot big enough to hold the amount you need (depending on whether you are doing wood floors or a chair...). You will use more soy oil then the others at approximately 50 -70% more in your recipe. Then add a ton kosher salt... meaning if you poured 1.5 Liters of oil in your pot, then you will want to ad at least 1.5 cups of salt. Then add a cup of the vinegar and bring to a boil. You want this to boil for at least 20 minutes or longer (the longer the better it seems), and then add a little more salt when you see that the first batch has dissolved in the oil.
The easiest way to apply the wood oil is with a sponge which will be able to be squeezed out and creates less waste. The cool thing is it won't harm your skin, your brain, or your lungs & it won't be outgassing any smell except one you might want to eat! If you would like to add a scent to your wood oil try throwing in a branch of lavender or rosemary.

I really believe there is a way to make what we need in a less toxic, chemical free way - we just need some imagination & to stop buying into the marketing BS of big corporations.