There are some common sources of lead in the home. Lead can easily be found in the air, soil, dust, and paint inside or outside of our homes. Too much exposure can cause serious health problems. The good news is, lead poisoning can be prevented. Here are some common sources of lead in the home and how we can avoid them:
- Household dust is a common source of lead exposure. Especially so for young children when they breathe in or eat it. Lead can come from interior base lead paint or be tracked in from contaminated soil.
- Lead-based paint was used on the inside and outside of homes up until 1978. Don’t paint over chipping or peeling lead-based paint. Safely remove the chipping paint before repainting. Never use your vacuum to clean up paint chips. The filter in the vacuum can’t pick up smalls particles of lead. Using a regular vacuum can spread lead dust into the air.
- Soil can also be contaminated with lead. Don’t let your children eat outside on bare soil areas, eat dirt, or play next to a house or street where bare soil is present. Cover bare soil with grass, mulch, shrubs, and other kinds of durable groundcover. Take your shoes off at the door so soil and dust are not tracked into the house.
These are just a few ways to avoid bringing lead into the home. Being aware of how late can affect their home is a very important step for maintaining the health and welfare of the entire family.
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