In today’s world, lead paint is something that most people have never heard of. Lead paint was commonly used in homes and other buildings throughout the 20th century, and it was often found in older homes. However, the hazards associated with lead paint have been well documented, and most people are aware of the dangers. To reduce lead paint exposure in your home, you may want to consider the following precautions:- Reduce dust in your home – Lead dust is the primary way that children are exposed to lead, and it can be found in dust that you and your family members generate in your home. You can reduce dust in your home by making sure that you open windows when possible, keep floors clean and dry, and use microfiber cloths to clean and dust furniture and other areas. You can also use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to capture dust and other small particles in the air. Keep your home tidy – Having a messy home that has clutter and old items that collect dust can increase the amount of lead dust in your home. You can keep your home tidy by regularly cleaning and decluttering, and by discarding old or broken items. This can help to reduce the amount of dust generated in your home and lower your exposure to lead dust.- Reduce lead in your diet – Lead is found in some foods, such as some canned goods, rice, and pasta. However, eating lead-containing foods isn’t the primary way that people are exposed to lead. Instead, most people are exposed to lead through dust and soil. You can reduce your exposure to lead by eating fresh, frozen, or canned foods that are packaged in materials that don’t contain lead.- Stay away from lead-containing soil – Lead-containing soil can be found in many areas, including yards and gardens. If you have a garden, you may want to wear gloves when working in soil, and avoid bringing soil from your garden into your home. You can also reduce your exposure to lead by not feeding animals that may have been in lead-containing soil.- Avoid lead-containing pipes – Lead-containing pipes were commonly used in older homes, and they can leach lead into the water supply. You may want to replace lead-containing pipes with non-lead pipes, or use a water filter that can remove lead from your water.- Use lead-safe paint – Lead-containing paint is no longer used in the United States, and it should not be used in homes or other buildings. If you want to paint a surface in your home, you should choose a paint that does not contain lead.
As mentioned earlier, lead paint is no longer used in the United States, but it is still important to know how to duck, dodge, and duck again when you encounter lead paint. Ducking means that you avoid a hazard by taking a quick and safe action, such as removing your shoes before entering a home that may have lead-based paint. Ducking also refers to avoiding lead-based paint hazards by not exposing yourself to lead paint dust, and by not eating lead-containing food. Ducking also refers to avoiding lead-based paint hazards by not putting your hands or other parts of your body near lead-based paint. By ducking, you reduce your exposure to lead.
Dodging is taking action to avoid a hazard, but without reducing your exposure to the hazard. For example, you can dodge lead paint hazards by wearing a lead-safe work glove when you are painting, or by wearing a protective suit when you are sandblasting. You can also dodge lead paint hazards by not eating lead-containing food, not bringing lead-containing soil into your home, and not using lead-containing paint when you are painting a surface.
Ducking and ducking again are the best ways to avoid lead paint hazards. While it is important to dodge lead paint hazards, you should also duck when you encounter lead-based paint. This means that you should take precautions to avoid lead-based paint hazards by wearing a lead-safe work glove when you are painting, or by wearing a protective suit when you are sandblasting. You should also duck when you encounter lead-based paint by not eating lead-containing food, not bringing lead-containing soil into your home, and not using lead-containing paint when you are painting a surface.
Lead paint was commonly used in homes and other buildings throughout the 20th century. While the hazards associated with lead paint have been well documented, most people are aware of the dangers. Lead paint is no longer used in the United States, but it can still be found in older homes. You can reduce lead paint exposure in your home by reducing dust in your home, keeping your home tidy, and avoiding lead-containing food, soil, and paint.
Sometimes, all it needs for a place to become unhealthy are contaminants, molds, dust, unclean air, and pests. Without the sense of cleanliness, diseases thrive inside your home creating an unhealthy environment where kids and adults contract diseases, in turn, spreading the same in the neighborhood; while affecting the rest of the community’s physical and emotional state.
To achieve a healthy living space, one must develop the need to keep their home clean and organized. Start with common places at home like the kitchen, comfort room, living room, entertainment room, and dining room. Also, consider cleaning your private spaces regularly. These are your rooms, the house library, and the nursery among others. Remember that a healthy living space is not just about what you can see, it is also what you can smell and feel that makes it healthy.
Ever felt the need to sneeze more often? Have you seen pests and insects more regularly lately? For sure, one or two people inside the household have been sick from these. If you do, then you might be in an unhealthy home. Consider keeping a close look at common triggers for asthma and the like and you will see for yourself the need to turn your homes into a more comforting place to stay.