Whenever possible, use non-toxic alternatives. The most common solvent is water. Many common products contain solvents and should be handled with care, including paint thinners, spot removers, furniture strippers, glues, and nail polish removers. Nearly all solvents are toxic if ingested. Many can also enter the body by breathing solvent fumes or even directly through the skin.
Eyes are often sensitive to solvents and their vapors.
Store all solvents carefully, making sure they're out of reach of children and pets, and read all solvent labels to make certain you use them as directed. Paints are a mix of pigment and binder which one thinned with a solvent to form a liquid. The toxicity of paint depends on the solvent it contains. Latex paints use water as the solvent and are therefore less toxic. Latex paint that is no longer wanted can be donated to someone else who might use it or, if it must be disposed of, it can be left open to solidify and then disposed of as solid waste.