Biocides such as fungicides, are included in paint as a preservative and to kill mold, and in wood stains to kill insects.

Milk paint and whitewash have a high alkaline content which makes them naturally mold, mildew, and insect resistant. The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company is one brand that offers a wide array of lovely milk paint colors. If pushed, I could put my good milk paint recipe on GreenChiCafe.com.

If you want to buy “normal” paint, buy a low to zero VOC paint (meaning low in volatile organic compounds), ask your supplier for a brand that uses zinc oxide as the fungicide (it is actually a fungistat).

–by Annie B. Bond, author of Home Enlightenment (Rodale, 2005),and four other books including True Food (National Geographic, 2010).