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Get Smart About Lead Hazards
Brought to you by the National PTA®.
Make a lifelong commitment to improving the health of your family by starting to make a difference around your home. If you suspect that your home has lead-based hazards, take these simple steps to help protect your family.
- Get your home tested for lead hazards, especially if it was built before 1978.
- Get your children tested if you think they have been exposed to lead.
- Keep paint intact and in good condition. Clean up any paint chips or paint debris around your house using a wet sponge or rag.
- Keep dust levels down by cleaning regularly with an all-purpose cleaner or a cleaner made specifically for lead.
- Wash children's hands often, especially before they eat, to remove any lead that may cling to their hands.
- Wash bottles, pacifiers, toys, and stuffed animals regularly to rid them of lead dust.
- Keep children from chewing on painted surfaces, as these surfaces may contain lead-based paint.
- Make sure your children eat a well-balanced diet that is low in fat and high in calcium and iron. Children with good diets absorb less lead.
- Take precautions before renovating or remodeling a home built before 1978. Contact your local EPA for guidelines.
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