Maryland

Pickle-Smelling Paint Job Forces Family to Replace Drywall

A Maryland family says they were left with an unexplained odor of sour pickles after painting their daughter’s room.

“It's like a strong pickley odor, sour milk kind of smell and it's just, yeah, it's nauseating,” said Heidi Lane of Annapolis.

She searched on Google and found others with the same complaint about multiple brands. Chatrooms suggested several possibilities, including bacteria, the paint froze and contaminated paint.

Lane said they tried but failed to get rid of the smell.

“We've tried opening the windows, baking soda in the room, nothing has helped,” she said.

To keep the rest of the house from smelling, she blocked the vent and the door.

And her teenage daughter is sharing a room with mom and dad.

She reached out to Glidden.

“Everybody agreed that we should try to seal up the odor with shellac paint,” Lane said.

But that didn’t work either.

Glidden sent someone to get a paint sample. A spokesperson said the sample came back clean with "no product issues or microbial growth."

After two months, Lane called NBC4 Responds.

“I just want the dry wall replaced and I want a room that doesn't stink,” she said.

Glidden said it offered Lane additional reimbursements to ensure satisfaction. Shortly after NBC4 Responds contacted the company, Lane got another piece of good news.

“He said to get some estimates and get him some numbers and then we will see what they can do for us,” she said.

Glidden said they manufactured 9,500 gallons of that particular paint batch and didn't receive any other complaints.

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