Q: Can homeowners test previously cleaned areas to see if lead dust remains?

Yes, when all the work is done you may take dust wipe samples or a hire a professional to determine if your home, childcare facility, or school project was sufficiently cleaned.

When all the work is done you may take dust wipe samples or a hire a professional to determine if your home, childcare facility, or school project was sufficiently cleaned.

If you take lead-dust tests wipe samples yourself they must be sent to an approved laboratory for analysis. You have the choice of having a lead-dust tests done by a lead professional or do the testing yourself.  If you choose to do the testing, some EPA-recognized lead laboratories will send you a kit that allows you to collect samples and send them back to the lab for analysis.

Contact the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (5323) for lists of qualified professionals and EPA-recognized testing labs. A list of EPA-recognized laboratories is available at https://www.epa.gov/lead/national-lead-laboratory-accreditation-program-list  To learn more about makging sure your home, childcare facility, or school has been cleaned properly after a renovaation, visit https://www.epa.gov/lead/renovation-repair-and-painting-program-consumers