VOC particulate settled on whole condo & contents - how to remove?
July 12, 2013 12:23 PM Subscribe
Some spray cleaning solution -- Spot Shot -- has had a chance to circulate in my poorly ventilated condo and gotten -- and settled -- everywhere. Bad chemicals, ingredients in spray. I'm still running fans 24/7 to encourage air circulation, but there's limited windows and no external venting (that I could find). Anything I can do beyond that to improve air quality? What steps do I need to take to remove the settled particulate so I can move back in without experiencing symptoms (respiratory tract irritation, headache, slight nausea, and drowsiness/lack of coordination)? What's the best way to wash/clean surfaces? How do I get it out of silks, woolens, and heirloom quilts without running up $$$ in dry cleaning? (Condo ass'n won't let me run clothelines outside.) Should I toss kitchen staples in plastic bags (beans, pasta, spices, etc.)? It's been about a month; air quality is better but the particulate can be stirred up when I move items it's settled on. It's most likely on all the carpets, linoleum, walls, and cottage cheese ceiling. Any other helpful suggestions, hints or precautions?
BACKGROUND: A friend "helped" me with carpet cleaning by spraying an entire 18 oz. can of Spot Shot in a very small area of my wall-to-wall carpet, saturating the rug and padding. Spot Shot contains 25% 2-butoxyethanol and 10% LPG. I immediately started experiencing symptoms and fled the condo. I had my friend leave the front two sliding glass doors open and the kitchen fan on. I didn't think to ask if he'd blotted up the excess cleaner -- it looks like he didn't.
About 36 hours later I stopped by the condo to check things out. There was still so much stuff in the air that I couldn't be in there for even a short period of time without symptoms coming on. That evening a friend cut out the "treated" carpet and padding.
Two days later, I checked on the place. Air quality was improved. I could be inside for 10-15 minutes. I cut out even more of the carpet and padding. Chemical had spread outside of treated area.
I borrowed/bought fans and set them up in dining/living room area -- site of "treatment" and in adjacent kitchen/hallway. Set up facing open patio doors, to encourage air to flow outside.
Condo designed with open floor plan and the few doors which it had were open when the "treatment" happened.
The air quality is slowly improving, but the VOCs/VOC particulate seems to have settled *everywhere*. When I touch or move things, they become airborne. I've been washing all my washable clothes, linens, etc. and staying with friends. Not sure what to do with clothes marked dry-clean only. Limited income so want to avoid massive amounts of dry cleaning.
Condo built in late 1970's, so ppm air circulation standards -- as best as I can figure out --- were 5 ppm, not the current 15 ppm. Condo builders certainly left no corner uncut.
Bedroom and study have only one window each -- approx 3' x 24" can be opened (with screen). No windows along two walls. Or any vents (that I can determine) There are two sets of sliding glass doors leading to patio. The front door opens to a short, enclosed hallway.
I spoke with manufacturer's rep, whose only advice was to ventilate the area. I've found academic articles which discuss air quality experiments with 2-butoxyethanol. None describe how to clean surfaces once stuff has settled on them. FWIW, MSDS says that, if ingested, the Spot Shot may cause damage to liver and kidneys. And two people claim that their cats died following Spot Shot use. The MSDS recommendations to first responders aren't applicable to my situation. I tried to get some industrial medicine/toxic exposure info through my HMO's advice line, but it was mostly geared to accessing real-time medical situations, and representative did not know where to refer my call since I was asking about whether I needed to be examined to establish baselines in case of future systemic damage *and* how to get the settled particulate off things and out of my condo.
If you've read this entire post -- thanks! Sorry I'm so long-winded, but I guess I needed to "vent."
BACKGROUND: A friend "helped" me with carpet cleaning by spraying an entire 18 oz. can of Spot Shot in a very small area of my wall-to-wall carpet, saturating the rug and padding. Spot Shot contains 25% 2-butoxyethanol and 10% LPG. I immediately started experiencing symptoms and fled the condo. I had my friend leave the front two sliding glass doors open and the kitchen fan on. I didn't think to ask if he'd blotted up the excess cleaner -- it looks like he didn't.
About 36 hours later I stopped by the condo to check things out. There was still so much stuff in the air that I couldn't be in there for even a short period of time without symptoms coming on. That evening a friend cut out the "treated" carpet and padding.
Two days later, I checked on the place. Air quality was improved. I could be inside for 10-15 minutes. I cut out even more of the carpet and padding. Chemical had spread outside of treated area.
I borrowed/bought fans and set them up in dining/living room area -- site of "treatment" and in adjacent kitchen/hallway. Set up facing open patio doors, to encourage air to flow outside.
Condo designed with open floor plan and the few doors which it had were open when the "treatment" happened.
The air quality is slowly improving, but the VOCs/VOC particulate seems to have settled *everywhere*. When I touch or move things, they become airborne. I've been washing all my washable clothes, linens, etc. and staying with friends. Not sure what to do with clothes marked dry-clean only. Limited income so want to avoid massive amounts of dry cleaning.
Condo built in late 1970's, so ppm air circulation standards -- as best as I can figure out --- were 5 ppm, not the current 15 ppm. Condo builders certainly left no corner uncut.
Bedroom and study have only one window each -- approx 3' x 24" can be opened (with screen). No windows along two walls. Or any vents (that I can determine) There are two sets of sliding glass doors leading to patio. The front door opens to a short, enclosed hallway.
I spoke with manufacturer's rep, whose only advice was to ventilate the area. I've found academic articles which discuss air quality experiments with 2-butoxyethanol. None describe how to clean surfaces once stuff has settled on them. FWIW, MSDS says that, if ingested, the Spot Shot may cause damage to liver and kidneys. And two people claim that their cats died following Spot Shot use. The MSDS recommendations to first responders aren't applicable to my situation. I tried to get some industrial medicine/toxic exposure info through my HMO's advice line, but it was mostly geared to accessing real-time medical situations, and representative did not know where to refer my call since I was asking about whether I needed to be examined to establish baselines in case of future systemic damage *and* how to get the settled particulate off things and out of my condo.
If you've read this entire post -- thanks! Sorry I'm so long-winded, but I guess I needed to "vent."
Best answer: The LPG was likely dispersed in minutes.
The data sheets I've looked at mention that 2-Butoxyethanol is very readily biodegradable and decomposes in the presence of air within a few days. So it's basically gone. Most of the recommendations about the precautions needed to clean the stuff up are talking about inhalation and skin contact when handling immediate spills.
What's left is likely just a few traces of cleaning agents and perfumes; a lot of people have sensitivities to those things, so they might explain any prolonged effects.
I'd be interested in how you're measuring the presence of these VOCs in your environment; what equipment do you have, and what is your background in this area?
posted by pipeski at 12:50 PM on July 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
The data sheets I've looked at mention that 2-Butoxyethanol is very readily biodegradable and decomposes in the presence of air within a few days. So it's basically gone. Most of the recommendations about the precautions needed to clean the stuff up are talking about inhalation and skin contact when handling immediate spills.
What's left is likely just a few traces of cleaning agents and perfumes; a lot of people have sensitivities to those things, so they might explain any prolonged effects.
I'd be interested in how you're measuring the presence of these VOCs in your environment; what equipment do you have, and what is your background in this area?
posted by pipeski at 12:50 PM on July 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
Either there's something else in your condo that's making you ill, or you need to think about getting treatment for your hypersensitivity. We live in a soup of VOCs all the time (lemons, pine trees, let alone cars) and the active ingredients of that spray, as pipeski said, likely dispersed the same day.
posted by scruss at 1:12 PM on July 12, 2013
posted by scruss at 1:12 PM on July 12, 2013
The CDC is a great source for this kind of information in plain language. The FAQ sheet for 2-butoxyethanol is here.
The people to call are your local poison hotline. Most places in North America have one. The service should be listed on the front page of your phone book or google "poison control" + your town for the phone number. They can provide information on respiratory hazards much better than we can, and may have access to resources or local aid to help.
posted by bonehead at 1:57 PM on July 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
The people to call are your local poison hotline. Most places in North America have one. The service should be listed on the front page of your phone book or google "poison control" + your town for the phone number. They can provide information on respiratory hazards much better than we can, and may have access to resources or local aid to help.
posted by bonehead at 1:57 PM on July 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: As for cleaning, getting air in, as much as possible will help a great deal. It does break-down in air in a day or two.
It's also quite water soluble. Washing clothes or surfaces will be very effective to remove it or dilute it.
posted by bonehead at 2:10 PM on July 12, 2013
It's also quite water soluble. Washing clothes or surfaces will be very effective to remove it or dilute it.
posted by bonehead at 2:10 PM on July 12, 2013
We have used Spot Shot without adverse incident. Could the carpet have residue from previous cleanings that caused a chemical reaction?
posted by Cranberry at 2:11 PM on July 12, 2013
posted by Cranberry at 2:11 PM on July 12, 2013
Best answer: Expanding on what was said above, what makes you think that the place is still saturated with the cleaner? Does your house still smell like it? does it smell like chemicals, or just the general scent of the cleaner which is probably mostly perfumes?
I hate the scent of spray cleaners. Hate hate hate. They always give me a headache and make me a bit light headed.
That said, i know that most cleaners disperse as mentioned above... but the affected area will often smell like the perfumes of the cleaner mixture for up to a couple days. And i hate that, and it bothers me.
I've had to force myself to realize that my response is entirely psychosomatic though, since i don't want to be drifting in to the realm of those "the wifi is making me sick!" doofuses.
If i really wanted to air the place out though i'd go to my local "handy andy rent a tool!" or hertz rentals type place and get one of these and a general heavy grade "high velocity" floor fan they'll have available to wedge into whatever small window you have available.
Sit around with the front door open, the floor-drying fan blasting in the affected area, and the other fan blowing out the window with all the other windows open. It'll be like a wind tunnel in there.
I did this when i was worried about mold after an upstairs bathroom flooded and drained into my unit, and i've done it after cleaner/chemical/rubbing alcohol spills as well. Let it run all day, burn some incense, and call it a day.
posted by emptythought at 3:54 PM on July 12, 2013
I hate the scent of spray cleaners. Hate hate hate. They always give me a headache and make me a bit light headed.
That said, i know that most cleaners disperse as mentioned above... but the affected area will often smell like the perfumes of the cleaner mixture for up to a couple days. And i hate that, and it bothers me.
I've had to force myself to realize that my response is entirely psychosomatic though, since i don't want to be drifting in to the realm of those "the wifi is making me sick!" doofuses.
If i really wanted to air the place out though i'd go to my local "handy andy rent a tool!" or hertz rentals type place and get one of these and a general heavy grade "high velocity" floor fan they'll have available to wedge into whatever small window you have available.
Sit around with the front door open, the floor-drying fan blasting in the affected area, and the other fan blowing out the window with all the other windows open. It'll be like a wind tunnel in there.
I did this when i was worried about mold after an upstairs bathroom flooded and drained into my unit, and i've done it after cleaner/chemical/rubbing alcohol spills as well. Let it run all day, burn some incense, and call it a day.
posted by emptythought at 3:54 PM on July 12, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks, all, for your prompt responses.
I'm relieved by your reassurances that the 2-B and LPG are by now long gone. And that good old water and elbow grease will take care of whatever it is that's settled everywhere.
@pipeski and @bonehead (and others), thanks for summarizing the essential need-to-know chemistry so a social sciences graduate whose only chem class was in high school could understand it. The Wikipedia entries I looked at were somewhat helpful but also confusing. BTW, i wasn't measuring levels scientifically. The ppm references were something I ran across when I was researching what, if anything, I could do to improve the air flow. And a big thank you to @emptythought for the lead on rentals. I bought a shop fan to get the walk-in closet air moving. Will check with condo "police" to see if a short-term rental for my window would be OK. (Window A/C units are a big no-no here.)
@JujuB and @bonehead, the first two calls I made were to the manufacturer and the CDC. Then I called my HMO, which had some poison control info.
@emptythought (and others), you may have hit the nail on the head when you mentioned fragrance sensitivities. Since moving to the land of freeways and traffic congestion, I've developed them big time. Cannot be in same store when fragrance diffusers are on display. Cannot be in same room as scented candles. Etc.
*Something* has settled on things here. Something which sets off an actual, non-psychosomatic reaction in me. For instance, last night I put some hand-made quilts in plastic bags and drove over to a friend's to get her two cents on "descenting" them. I had to roll down all the car windows. I couldn't be in a small, enclosed space with them. And when I got to my friend's, she could smell whatever it was on the quilts while they were still in their bags and six feet away.
A big thank you to all the MeFis who've responded!
posted by LeftMyHeartInSanFrancisco at 4:44 PM on July 12, 2013
I'm relieved by your reassurances that the 2-B and LPG are by now long gone. And that good old water and elbow grease will take care of whatever it is that's settled everywhere.
@pipeski and @bonehead (and others), thanks for summarizing the essential need-to-know chemistry so a social sciences graduate whose only chem class was in high school could understand it. The Wikipedia entries I looked at were somewhat helpful but also confusing. BTW, i wasn't measuring levels scientifically. The ppm references were something I ran across when I was researching what, if anything, I could do to improve the air flow. And a big thank you to @emptythought for the lead on rentals. I bought a shop fan to get the walk-in closet air moving. Will check with condo "police" to see if a short-term rental for my window would be OK. (Window A/C units are a big no-no here.)
@JujuB and @bonehead, the first two calls I made were to the manufacturer and the CDC. Then I called my HMO, which had some poison control info.
@emptythought (and others), you may have hit the nail on the head when you mentioned fragrance sensitivities. Since moving to the land of freeways and traffic congestion, I've developed them big time. Cannot be in same store when fragrance diffusers are on display. Cannot be in same room as scented candles. Etc.
*Something* has settled on things here. Something which sets off an actual, non-psychosomatic reaction in me. For instance, last night I put some hand-made quilts in plastic bags and drove over to a friend's to get her two cents on "descenting" them. I had to roll down all the car windows. I couldn't be in a small, enclosed space with them. And when I got to my friend's, she could smell whatever it was on the quilts while they were still in their bags and six feet away.
A big thank you to all the MeFis who've responded!
posted by LeftMyHeartInSanFrancisco at 4:44 PM on July 12, 2013
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Maybe they can give you some advice.
posted by JujuB at 12:49 PM on July 12, 2013 [1 favorite]