Reducing the lead hazards in your home
Keeping the home clean and free of lead hazards is one way to reduce exposure to lead in the home. Here are some tips on keeping homes clean:
- Every week, use a mop, sponge, rag, or paper towels with warm water and any all-purpose non-abrasive cleaner to clean floors, baseboards, window frames/sills and other surfaces. If you use a mop, rag, or sponge to clean surfaces with lead-based paint, keep them separate from other mops, rags, or sponges in the home, and wash them separately.
- Vacuum carpeting, rugs, and upholstery often. Never dry sweep or dry dust surfaces with lead-based paint on them-it will just spread the dust into the air.
- In areas with chipping or flaking paint, carefully remove the loose paint after first getting it wet with water. Carefully scrape the peeling paint from surfaces. Collect all the paint chips or flakes and seal them in a plastic bag and throw them out.
- Completely rinse sponges and mop heads after cleaning dirty or dusty areas.
- Clean up properly. Wash hands. Pour out any leftover water used for cleaning down the toilet; do not pour the water down the sink.
- Always keep children away when cleaning to ensure they don't come into contact with any sources of lead.