Canton City
Health Department
James M.
Adams, R.S., M.P.H., Health Commissioner
Promoting and Protecting Health Since 1849
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420 Market Ave. North |
- Specialized cleaning reduces lead dust in your home. - Supplies needed: - 2 Buckets ( one for cleaning and one for rinsing) - Rags and/ or paper towels - Scrubby pad ( used to clean the stubborn stuff) - Rubber gloves - Trash bags - Detergent (one that contains phosphate is best, (Cascade Dishwasher detergent, or Electrolsol), or TSPl work well. - Mixing the solution: - mix 1/4 cup of the powder detergent in a gallon of warm water. - Surfaces to clean: - Window troughs, window sills, window jambs, baseboards, porch surfaces, hard floors, toys, (especially if used outdoors.), porch floors. If you have vinyl windows clean them. - Disposal: - Rags and paper towels, scrub pads throw them in the trash, never reuse. - Dirty water is to be flushed down the toilet. - Clean the buckets, and gloves to use again. - Vacuum : - Vacuuming can be done before cleaning to remove debris from window troughs - Carpets should be shampooed several times per year. - Specialized Cleaning should be done several times per year. We recommend it be done in the spring, summer, and fall, (when windows are open). After cleaning window troughs you may want to apply a coat of paint to the surface to produce a smooth easily cleanable surface. Do not sand, burn or dry scrape surfaces that may contain leaded paint as you can produce large quantities of leaded dust. If you must scrap loose paint use a spray bottle with water to wet the surface first. This will reduce dust. Collect paint chips and place them in the trash. In addition to specialized cleaning, there are other actions you can take to reduce lead hazards in your home. Teach children to wash their hands often. This will remove lead dust from their hands. Hand washing should be done throughout the day but especially before meals, after playing and before naps and bedtime. Hand washing is a good way to reduce germs that can cause illness. One way to get children to wash hands long enough to kill germs and remove lead is to get them to recite their ABC's during hand washing. If they are too young to know them, you can recite the alphabet for them while they are washing their hands. Consult with your child's doctor about having your children tested for lead poisoning. Lead poisoning usually shows no symptoms. The only way to know if a child is lead poisoned is to have them medically tested. Follow the doctor's advice about follow up testing for lead. It is generally assumed by many people that lead poisoning is a problem of the poor, or only in homes that have deteriorated paint. The determining factor for lead poisoning is not related to income, race, or the neighborhood you live in. The determining factor is how old your home is, and the condition of the paint. Generally varnish does not contain lead. For more information on Lead Hazard Reduction, click here: www.hud.gov/offices/lead/ |
Copyright © 2005
Canton City Health Department |
