College of Nursing

interventions for parents

Tips to Prevent Exposure to Lead and Its Harmful Effects

Talk to your state or local health department about testing paint and dust in your home for lead.

Separate children from areas with lead dust and make sure your child cannot reach peeling paint. Block peeling paint or holes in walls by covering them with contact paper or duct tape. Close and lock doors to keep children away from chipping paint on walls. Keep your child's bed or crib away from chipping paint. Clean up loose paint chips with a wet mop. Do not dry sweep lead dust.

Wet-mop floors and wet-wipe windows, sills and baseboards once a week.

Keep children from playing in bare soil. Move play areas away from bare soil and away from the sides of the house that have chipping paint or lead dust. Plant grass on bare soil or cover the soil with mulch or wood chips. Keep indoor and outdoor toys separate. Wash toys, bottles and pacifiers regularly to remove lead dust and soil.

Regularly wash children's faces and hands, especially before meals.

Use only cold water from the tap for drinking, for cooking, and for making baby formula. Run water for at least one full minute when the water has been sitting in the pipes, such as first time in the morning.

Some jobs leave lead on clothes. If your job exposes you to lead, shower and change clothes before you leave work. Do not wear work clothes in the family vehicle after work. Wash work clothes separately from family laundry.

What to do during Renovation of Buildings and during Soil Remediation

Stay out of houses built before 1978 when they are being renovated or during lead paint removal. This is especially important for children and pregnant women. Do not help with activities that disturb old paint or help clean up dust and paint chips after the work is finished.

Last Updated: 10/23/23