How to properly and safely remove mercury from a carpet?

Glass mercury thermometers can be found in many homes. These common devices are cheap and show accurate body temperature.

However, their significant drawback is fragility. One careless movement is enough for the glass to burst and its toxic contents to end up outside the device.

If mercury gets on the carpet, there is no need to panic or take impulsive actions. Cleaning must be done correctly, protecting yourself and others from inhaling toxic fumes.

What should you not do?

Mercury is a metal that poses a health hazard. Moreover, its couples pose a threat. If it hits the carpet, then It is strictly forbidden to take the following actions:

1. Try to collect metal with a vacuum cleaner. It will get inside the device and settle on all its parts.

   Each time you turn it on, the equipment will be a source of toxic fumes. Therefore, you will have to get rid of such a vacuum cleaner.

2. Sweep mercury from the carpet using a broom. Its hard rods will break large balls into small fractions. It will be difficult to collect them.

   Air currents and sweeping movements can spread metal throughout the room. In secluded places it can lie for years and poison the air with toxic fumes.

3. Clean the carpet brush. It will break large drops into small components. They will penetrate into the deep structures of the carpet. It will be impossible to clean them. You will have to get rid of the floor covering.
4. You cannot open windows and doors in a room at the same time.This will lead to the formation of a draft and toxic fumes will spread throughout the apartment faster.

Preparing for collection at home

How to remove mercury from a broken thermometer from a carpet at home? To collect metal from the carpet yourself, you need to properly prepare for this procedure.

To do this you need to do the following:

• Remove pets and children from the premises.
• Put rubber gloves on your hands.
• Protect your respiratory system with a respirator or fabric mask. It needs to be moistened with a solution of salt and water.
• Prepare a container for collecting mercury. A glass jar with a tight-fitting lid works best.

  Place the broken thermometer with remaining mercury particles in a separate container.

• The entrance door to the room must be closed and the window open. This will provide a flow of fresh air, but will not create a draft.
• Prepare tools for collecting mercury. To do this you will need a rubber bulb, a plastic syringe, tape and hard sheets of paper.
• Dilute a weak solution of manganese.

If it is not possible to quickly prepare for the metal collection procedure, then it is necessary to take breaks from work.

How to assemble?

To clean the carpet from mercury particles, it is necessary to follow the following algorithm of actions:

1. Inspect the place of work. Manually collect the fragments from the thermometer. You need to act carefully so as not to get hurt.
2. It is convenient to collect mercury balls with a rubber bulb.They press on it with their fingers to create a vacuum, bring it to the found drop and pull it inside.

   Using a syringe, the metal can be easily transferred into a container prepared for collection.

3. If you don’t have a rubber bulb at home, you can use a disposable plastic syringe without a needle.
4. If the metal drops are at some distance from each other, they can be pushed. This can be done conveniently with hard sheets of white paper. The mercury will be clearly visible on them. Some factions can be collected with their help.
5. After all visible particles are in the jar, it must be tightly sealed and stored in a dark place. You should not place the container in sunlight, so as not to provoke increased evaporation of mercury, since it is not always possible to seal the jar hermetically at home.

When the cleaning is completed, the carpet needs to be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If he light, then for carpet cleaning A soap and soda solution will do. The room continues to be ventilated for several weeks.

The carpet should be taken outside to a non-residential area and beaten thoroughly. During the procedure, you need to take care of respiratory protection.

Do not clean the product near children's or sports grounds. The longer the carpet is exposed to fresh air, the better. At this time, the floors in the apartment must be washed.

The mask and gloves used for processing are placed in a plastic bag and tied tightly. Things need to be removed and washed, and the person himself needs to take a shower.

What to do if the contents of a broken thermometer have been lying on the carpet for a long time?

If mercury has been left on the carpet for a long time, then the situation becomes much more serious. On the feet of people and pets it could spread throughout the apartment.

In such situation you need to send the children to relatives or neighbors and call a specialized service, which provides paid services for the collection of toxic metal, measuring its vapors in the apartment and carrying out full treatment.

If you don’t have money for professional services, you need to start cleaning yourself. First, collect visible drops according to the instructions described above. Then all surfaces, including furniture, must be treated with a solution of bleach or potassium permanganate.

Appeal to professionals

To carry out high-quality cleaning of your apartment from mercury, you need to contact professionals. Most cities have mercury services. Their services are paid.

Also you can call the Ministry of Emergency Situations, but they provide assistance only in the form of verbal recommendations for cleaning the carpet and apartment from toxic metal.

Private services post their contacts in advertisements. They can be found on the Internet. The cost of measuring mercury vapor costs about 3,000 rubles. The price of the service for professional cleaning of an apartment from toxic metal is negotiated individually.

You can also bring your own collected mercury to the organization and hand it over for recycling. The price of the service is 80 rubles.You shouldn't skimp on it. It is prohibited to pour hazardous waste down the drain or throw it in a landfill..

Useful video

How to properly collect mercury if a thermometer breaks, video recommendations:

Conclusion

A broken thermometer and mercury on the carpet are not a reason to panic. It is necessary to properly prepare and collect the metal from the flooring.

You can do this yourself. However To dispose of toxic waste, you must contact professionals.