How to Safely Remove Lead Based Paint from Walls

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Even though lead paint is banned in most countries, underlying layers of lead paint in old buildings can release lead dust when disturbed during activities such as renovating, closing a door or window, or scraping the paint. This guide will remove all layers of paint, requiring you to repaint.

Steps

1. Remember that lead paint does not pose a hazard if it's not deteriorating. You will be removing the paint if;
   
   • You will be renovating your house soon
     
   • The paint is peeling
     
   • You want to do it as a preventative measure for the future
     
   
   
2. Buy all the 'Things You'll Need'. They can be found at your local hardware store.
   
3. Take down curtains, because they can hold dust.
   
4. Move all obstructions, including paintings and furniture, away from walls.
   
5. Cover the floor, furniture, and all horizontal surfaces with clear plastic coverings. Tape it along the corners to hold it down. Close the doors leading to rooms that you won't be working in, to protect them from getting dust. You may want to even seal under the doors with the plastic too.
   
6. Send everyone who won't be helping remove the paint out of the building.
   
7. Put on gloves as a precaution, and a respirator if you want.
   
8. Spray the wall with water, starting at the very top of the wall and going till the bottom.
   
9. Strip the moistened paint with wet scrapes, also starting at the top.
   
10. Hold a bucket under you as you strip the paint. You want as much dust and flakes to land in it as possible.
    
11. Do this until you have removed the paint everywhere that you want.
    
12. Clean up. For all the plastic coverings, grab them by the corners and wrap it up. You need to keep all the chips and particulate dust that fell onto the covering inside of it. If you don't, then what was the point of doing it in the first place? Find out what your city, state, or country's laws are on lead disposal, and follow them.
    
13. Wash your hands and change your clothes or shower.
    
14. Get ready to repaint your house!
    

Tips

• Follow all laws regarding lead disposal. The idea is to put all lead in a place where it doesn't pose a threat to anyone. Do not dispose of lead dust in your yard, nor in dirt or water in public. That just exports the hazard elsewhere.
  
• Door frames and doors with lead paint are sometimes better to just replace.
  

Warnings

• Do not sand paint. Sanding will release much larger amounts of lead dust.
  

Things You'll Need

• Wet Scrapes (to strip paint)
  
• Spray bottle with water
  
• Bucket
  
• Gloves
  
• Ladder or chair
  
• Plastic covering
  
• Masking tape
  
• Respirator (optional) or dust mask
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Limit Your Exposure to Lead
  
• How to Remove Wallpaper
  
• How to Paint Walls
  
• How to Decide Whether to Renovate or Shift
  

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