Lead paint used in Dixie dressers?
October 19, 2014 9:42 PM Subscribe
Does anyone have knowledge of the type of paint used on the Dixie dresser seen here? Or with other Dixie dressers of the same period (seems like roughly 60's-70's)? I bought that same model dresser on Craigslist and decided to strip the paint on the drawers, not realizing how old the dresser was until some googling tonight. And now I have major fears.
I've already used a paint stripper to remove most of the paint and sanded the drawers, producing dust (great, just great). I did this in my garage, wearing a dust mask but not a respirator, and now there's a fair bit of fine dust that needs cleaning up. I'll definitely contact a professional about testing in the morning but, in the meantime, I'm having a bit of a freak out and wondering if I should do anything else containment wise. Bonus freak-out material: wife is 8 months pregnant! So, anyone ever tested a Dixie dresser for lead? Feeling like a major idiot here.
I've already used a paint stripper to remove most of the paint and sanded the drawers, producing dust (great, just great). I did this in my garage, wearing a dust mask but not a respirator, and now there's a fair bit of fine dust that needs cleaning up. I'll definitely contact a professional about testing in the morning but, in the meantime, I'm having a bit of a freak out and wondering if I should do anything else containment wise. Bonus freak-out material: wife is 8 months pregnant! So, anyone ever tested a Dixie dresser for lead? Feeling like a major idiot here.
Yes, just test the paint; you can do that yourself.
posted by gudrun at 9:52 PM on October 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by gudrun at 9:52 PM on October 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks, will do that ASAP, but all local hardware stores are closed until the morning.
posted by otolith at 9:55 PM on October 19, 2014
posted by otolith at 9:55 PM on October 19, 2014
There's not much you can do, either way, short of leaving the house and checking into a hotel or something if you need a good night's rest. So maybe sit tight and keep the area isolated until you can test in the morning.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 11:38 PM on October 19, 2014
posted by a lungful of dragon at 11:38 PM on October 19, 2014
What kind of dust mask? P2 or better is generally ok for most types of dust, including lead paint, if you wear and fit it properly. The single-strap hardware store things made of stiff cardboard-ish material that have no certification are worse than useless - they make you feel like you are being safe without actually doing anything at all.
As it stands that dust is not harming anyone just sitting there, unless it is being blown about. If it's in a still environment leave it alone until morning and try and get some rest.
I have worked with asbestos and other hazardous materials a good deal, but not much with lead (in particulate form), so please take what I say next with a small grain of salt as I have not done extensive reading - however I've done more than most and have and OH&S background. Having said that, I do not believe a single exposure to lead paint is likely to cause you a great deal of trouble, health wise. Can we assume your wife was elsewhere while you did this work? The dust likely did not spread throughout the house and I don't believe it is a magical thing that just gets everywhere. Wait til morning, test, if it has lead clean up either with a HEPA vacuum cleaner, or even better, wet, with water (and gloves on). Your wife should go nowhere near it, to state the obvious.
The paint stripper process is the way to strip lead paint, it does not get airborne and hence cannot be breathed. So try not to worry about that. Bear in mind that lead is primarily dangerous through respiration (or eating it) and you, I would think, took the majority off with painstripper.
posted by deadwax at 12:16 AM on October 20, 2014
As it stands that dust is not harming anyone just sitting there, unless it is being blown about. If it's in a still environment leave it alone until morning and try and get some rest.
I have worked with asbestos and other hazardous materials a good deal, but not much with lead (in particulate form), so please take what I say next with a small grain of salt as I have not done extensive reading - however I've done more than most and have and OH&S background. Having said that, I do not believe a single exposure to lead paint is likely to cause you a great deal of trouble, health wise. Can we assume your wife was elsewhere while you did this work? The dust likely did not spread throughout the house and I don't believe it is a magical thing that just gets everywhere. Wait til morning, test, if it has lead clean up either with a HEPA vacuum cleaner, or even better, wet, with water (and gloves on). Your wife should go nowhere near it, to state the obvious.
The paint stripper process is the way to strip lead paint, it does not get airborne and hence cannot be breathed. So try not to worry about that. Bear in mind that lead is primarily dangerous through respiration (or eating it) and you, I would think, took the majority off with painstripper.
posted by deadwax at 12:16 AM on October 20, 2014
Oh. If it is getting blown about currently go and spray it with water to get it to stick down and hopefully stay down for the night. (Spraying with dilute PVA glue will really get it to stick down, but it's a messy pain and probably not necessary.)
posted by deadwax at 12:20 AM on October 20, 2014
posted by deadwax at 12:20 AM on October 20, 2014
Yeah, the way to deal with lead paint and asbestos is to not make them airborne, [friable] is the term.
You are ok but get a test kit and no more sanding till you find out.
posted by vapidave at 3:18 AM on October 20, 2014
You are ok but get a test kit and no more sanding till you find out.
posted by vapidave at 3:18 AM on October 20, 2014
Response by poster: Awesome, the 3M test swabs say no lead in either the dust or the patches of paint still on the dresser so I think all is well. Thanks for the advice, folks.
posted by otolith at 12:38 PM on October 20, 2014
posted by otolith at 12:38 PM on October 20, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 9:48 PM on October 19, 2014