Is Anti Mould Paint Safe to Use Indoors?

This is one we take seriously, because it's usually asked by someone painting a nursery, a kid's bedroom, or a bathroom their toddler splashes about in every night. Short answer: yes, when it's used the way any paint should be — but "it's got a fungicide in it" is a fair thing to want explained rather than just taken on trust. We manufacture Legacy™ Anti Mould Paint at our factory in East Kilbride, so here's exactly what's in the tin and how to use it sensibly.

What's actually in the paint?

Legacy is a water-based acrylic emulsion — solvent-free, low-VOC, the same broad family as any standard matt paint you'd buy for a bedroom wall. The one addition is the in-film fungicide we mix through it at manufacture, which is what gives it the mould resistance. It isn't a specialist industrial chemical treatment; it's ordinary household paint with one functional ingredient added, at a dose we test on every batch before it leaves the factory.

That's worth sitting with for a second, because "contains a biocide" sounds alarming out of context. Loads of everyday products do — the wash-and-wear finish on clothes, the preservative in a bottle of shampoo, the mould-resistant sealant round your bath. What matters is the dose and how it's used, not the presence of the word on a label.

Is it safe to paint a room a baby or toddler will sleep in?

Yes, treated like any decorating job. Ventilate the room while you're painting and for a good while after — open a window, keep the door open, don't shut a freshly painted room up overnight. Let it dry fully before the room goes back into regular use, which for Legacy means touch dry in 1-2 hours and safe to be in the room normally well before that; we'd still suggest giving a nursery a full day to air out before a cot goes back in, simply as good practice with any paint, not because this one needs longer than usual.

Once cured, the surface behaves like any painted wall. Nobody needs to avoid touching it, leaning on it, or being in the room. The protection is doing its job quietly in the background — that's the whole point of it.

What about pets?

Same principle. Keep animals out of the room while you're painting and until it's dry — cats in particular have a habit of walking through wet paint and then licking their paws, which is a problem with any tin of paint, not something specific to a fungicidal one. Once the surface has cured, there's no ongoing exposure risk from a pet brushing past a painted wall or sleeping in the room.

Does low-VOC actually mean low odour?

In our experience, yes — it's one of the more noticeable differences customers mention compared with older-style paints. Solvent-based paints off-gas strongly for days; a water-based, low-VOC emulsion like Legacy has a much milder smell that clears quickly once the room's had some air through it. If you're painting a small windowless bathroom, prop the door and run the extractor fan regardless — good ventilation makes any paint job more pleasant, this one included.

Frequently asked questions

Is anti mould paint toxic?
No — Legacy is a solvent-free, low-VOC water-based emulsion. Used and ventilated like standard paint, it isn't a toxic product to have in a home.

How long before a room is safe to use after painting?
Touch dry in 1-2 hours. We'd still suggest airing the room out properly and waiting until it's fully dry before returning furniture, bedding or a cot.

Is it safe for someone with asthma or allergies?
Ventilate well while painting and drying, as you would for anyone sensitive to fresh paint smell generally. If in doubt, keep the person out of the room until it's fully aired.

Can I use it in a kitchen where food is prepared?
Yes, on walls and ceilings away from direct food contact surfaces — the same common sense that applies to painting any kitchen.