Reducing Lead Around your Home
Regular cleaning indoors to remove household dust is important to minimise lead exposure in lead-contaminated environments around the house. However, when cleaning is done using ‘dry’ methods such as sweeping, dust can be lifted into the air which will re-settle on surfaces later.
The best ways to REDUCE POSSIBLE EXPOSURE TO LEAD-CONTAMINATED DUST in and around the house are:
- VACUUMING carpets, curtains, furniture and upholstery using a vacuum cleaner fitted with HEPA filter (high efficiency particulate air filter).
- DISPOSE OF VACUUM DUST in the bin, not in the garden

- REGULARLY DUST SURFACES with a damp duster, especially door and window screens and sills and wet mop floors. Remember that dust gathers in corners and behind furniture and doors.
- Take care when ACCESSING AREAS SUCH AS CEILING SPACES AND CAVITY WALLS as these can accumulate large amounts of dust
- Use DOOR MATS and LEAVE SHOES OUTSIDE
- KEEP WINDOWS AND DOORS CLOSED ON DRY WINDY DAYS
- SEAL CRACKS IN WALLS and BETWEEN CEILING AND INTERNAL WALLS to reduce dust entry
- HOSE OFF HARD SURFACES around the house especially – don’t use a blower-vac
- WASH AND BRUSH PETS OUTSIDE regularly to reduce the dust on their fur
- REDUCE DUST FROM THE GARDEN by covering bare soil with grass, mulch, pine, crusher dust, pavers or some other hard surface
- WASH HANDS AFTER GARDENING AND CLEANING and keep and wash dusty gardening clothes separately.
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