Lead dust most commonly comes from:
- Opening and closing old, painted windows
- Peeling or chipping paint
- Repair projects that disturb old paint
- Worn painted floors and stairs
If you live in an older home, there are several steps you can take to minimize lead exposure:
1. Check the paint in your home.
- Check painted windows, doors and floors for peeling, flaking or chipping paint. Keep children away from these areas.
- Pick up any paint chips and throw them in the garbage.
- If a child plays near a window with old paint, put something like furniture in front of the window so that the child can’t touch the old paint.
- Don’t let your children play near dirt next to the home, as the soil can also be contaminated from the lead (Grass and sandboxes are safe).
2. Keep things clean.
- Wash children’s hands before eating and before sleeping.
- Wash toys once a week and keep toys away from areas with chipping paint.
- Don’t let children eat food that has fallen on the floor. Wash pacifiers and bottles if they fall on the floor and before giving them to your child.
- Clean floors, windowsills and tabletops with wet mops or rags once a week to wash up dust.
3. Avoid disturbing the paint and creating lead dust.
- Never dry scrape or sand old paint.
- Put off renovations until your children are older, if possible. If you need to make repairs or do maintenance use lead-safe methods. Learn more about lead-safe painting, repairs, and renovations on the Environmental Protection Agency website.