Methylene Chloride & Paint Strippers

Methylene chloride (also called dichloromethane, or DCM) is a solvent that was used in many paint and coating strippers, degreasers and adhesive removers. It evaporates quickly, can overcome a worker in minutes in a closed space, and has killed dozens of people, including workers refinishing bathtubs and floors. Safer products exist, and EPA has banned most uses.

• Painters
• Restoration
• DIY

Where it was used

• Paint and varnish strippers for furniture, doors, floors, boats and buildings.
• Bathtub and tile refinishing and removal of coatings.
• Degreasers, adhesive removers, aerosol products, and some industrial processes such as polyurethane foam making and chemical manufacturing.

Check labels and SDS for “methylene chloride,” “dichloromethane” or “DCM.” See Safety Data Sheets and Solvents.

Why it’s so dangerous

• Vapor builds up quickly, especially in a bathroom, basement, tank or other closed space. It is heavier than air, so it collects at floor level and in low spots.
• It acts like an anesthetic. Dizziness, drowsiness and confusion can come so quickly that you can’t get out.
• Your body turns it into carbon monoxide, which robs your blood of oxygen and can cause heart attack. Symptoms may continue after you leave the area.
• Smell is not a warning. You may not smell it until it’s well above the safe limit, and your nose gets used to it.
• Long-term exposure is linked to liver and lung cancer and to damage to the liver, nervous system and heart. See Occupational Cancer.
• It irritates and can burn the skin and eyes. It can pass through many gloves in minutes.

OSHA limits

OSHA’s methylene chloride standard (29 CFR 1910.1052 for general industry and 1926.1152 for construction) sets:

• A PEL of 25 ppm averaged over 8 hours.
• A STEL of 125 ppm over 15 minutes.
• An action level of 12.5 ppm over 8 hours, which triggers exposure monitoring and medical surveillance.

The standard also requires exposure monitoring, regulated areas, respirators, protective clothing, training, medical exams and records. See Exposure Limits.

The EPA ban

• In 2019, the EPA banned the sale of methylene chloride paint strippers to consumers.
• In April 2024, the EPA issued a final rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act to ban all consumer uses and most industrial and commercial uses of methylene chloride, including paint and coating removers, with phase-in dates. For the few remaining uses, the rule requires a workplace chemical protection program.
• Rules and legal challenges can change dates and details, so check EPA’s current page. Even where it’s still allowed, use a substitute whenever you can.

Safer choices

• Choose another product. Many strippers use benzyl alcohol, dibasic esters, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) or other solvents. Check these too, because some have hazards of their own, and read the SDS. Newer products are safer but still need ventilation and gloves.
• Use a different method: mechanical scraping, wet sanding with controls for lead, infrared or steam strippers, or media blasting where appropriate. Don’t use heat guns on lead paint. See Lead and Heat Guns.
• Use the least toxic option for the job and talk to your supervisor or a safety professional before changing products.

If methylene chloride must be used

• Ventilate heavily with local exhaust and fresh air from the clean side. Open doors and windows and use fans that move air from a clean area across the work and out. Fans alone may not be enough in a small space.
• Respirator: ordinary cartridge or dust respirators don’t protect against high methylene chloride vapor, because the solvent breaks through quickly. OSHA generally requires supplied-air respirators (air from a clean source) for most uses. Use only what the standard and your program require. See Respiratory Protection.
• Gloves and clothing: use gloves made of materials that resist methylene chloride (check the manufacturer’s chart, such as laminate or Viton types), not ordinary latex or nitrile. See Chemical-Protective Clothing and Hand Protection.
• Eye protection: splash goggles and a face shield. See Eye & Face Protection.
• Never use it in closed, small or low-lying spaces. Treat any tank, tub or basement as a possible confined space. See Confined Spaces.
• Keep ignition sources away, since some mixtures include flammable ingredients, and keep containers closed. See Chemical Storage & Compatibility.
• Work with a partner or a check-in plan.

Warning signs and first aid

• Headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, drowsiness, numbness, trouble breathing, chest pain, a pounding heart.
• Get out into fresh air immediately and call 911 if symptoms are more than mild. Don’t go back in for a coworker without proper equipment. See Chemical Exposure First Aid.
• Tell medical staff it was methylene chloride, since it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning that needs treatment. Bring the label or SDS.
• Flush skin and eyes with water for at least 15 minutes.

Employer duties

• Assess exposure, substitute where possible, provide controls, respirators and clothing, and train workers. See Hazard Communication.
• Offer medical surveillance when exposure reaches the action level. See Medical Surveillance Requirements.
• Report deaths and hospitalizations to OSHA. See Recordkeeping & Reporting.

Before stripping a surface

• I checked the label and SDS for methylene chloride and chose a substitute if I could
• Ventilation is strong; I am not working in a closed or low space
• I have the right respirator and gloves, not an ordinary cartridge mask
• Someone knows where I am; I know the warning signs
• I know how to get fresh air fast and call 911

Last updated: October 4, 2026