Regulations

• Most townships restrict the removal and disposal of lead paint to professional contractors trained in the safety measures to protect themselves and the property owners from the harms associated with lead paint. Check with your municipal office to find out the regulations for your area before removing lead paint in your home or business.
  
  If you choose to remove lead paint yourself, follow all safety precautions completely to reduce permanent health risks to yourself and your family. If you choose to hire a contractor to remove lead paint from your home or business, the following information will help to ensure that the contractor you hire is doing the job properly.
  
  

Interior

• Remove all furniture from the room. Cover all surfaces, such as carpet, windows and vents with plastic. Turn off heating and air-conditioning so there is no risk of the dust being spread throughout the house. Seal off all except one doorway to leave and enter the room.
  
  Children and pregnant women should not be in the home until the lead paint has been removed and the entire house cleaned.
  
  While removing lead paint wear disposable coveralls, gloves and a respirator whenever you are working. The coveralls should be disposed of daily. Clothes that were worn in the room should be washed immediately, separate from other clothing.
  
  Use a spray bottle full of water to dampen the lead paint. Use a sandpaper made for wet applications to remove the lead paint. Do not let the paint dust dry out. Work in sections that can be cleaned up completely in one work period. Use a wet/dry vacuum with a couple of inches of water in the bottom to vacuum up the paint dust. The water in the vacuum will help to keep the dust from leaving the vacuum and blowing back into the air. If possible, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to vacuum the dampened lead paint dust. Do not use a regular household vacuum. Use a wet mop to wipe the plastic on the floor at the end of work each day.
  
  

Exterior

• Lay a cloth down to cover the soil in the area you will be working. Cover all windows in the area with plastic and tape the entire perimeter of the plastic. Simply closing the window will not prevent lead paint dust from entering the home. The dust will adhere to the glass, sill and screens and blow into the house when the window is opened. Wear disposable coveralls, gloves and a respirator. Use a spray bottle to wet the paint. Use a scraper to scrape the paint off the surface. Be sure all paint chips and dust are collected on the drop cloth. Make sure to keep the paint chips and dust wet so the dust cannot blow around.
  
  

Disposal

• In most areas of the United States, lead paint must be disposed of as hazardous waste. Contact your local municipality for information regarding lead paint disposal.