Broken Compact Florescent Light Bulb Clean-Up

With everyone switching to CF light bulbs to be greener, there is something you should know about them. They contain mercury in the light bulbs. This can pose as a health hazard if you do not know the proper way for cleaning up a broke one. Lets start with why they contain mercury and how much, then we can move to how to clean them up!

CF, or compact fluorescent, bulbs are glass tubes that are filled with gas and a small amount of mercury. Compact fluorescents produce light when the mercury molecules are excited by electricity running between two electrodes in the base of the bulb. When the mercury emits ultraviolet light it emits light. A typical compact florescent bulb only contains 5 milligrams of mercury in each bulb. As long as the bulbs are completely intact they will not give off mercury.

If you inhale mercury, it can cause you many health problems. If you break a compact fluorescent bulb, do not panic! Just take these simple steps and clean it up safely. A clean up by a professional team can cost you around $2000.

When you first break the bulb, open the windows in the room and restrict access to the room or area for approximately 15 minutes. This will allow the room to air out and less of the mercury that you will be breathing in.

After the room has aired out, you will need to remove all materials possible without using a vacuum cleaner. To remove the broken bulb and power, wear disposable gloves. Please do not use your bare hands. Next get pick up or scoop up the pieces and powder with stiff cardboard or a dustpan. After you have removed all of the pieces, take a wet wipe or wet towel and dab the area. This will help clean up small broken pieces of glass that your eyes might miss. It will also help clean up the powder from the broken bulb. If you do not feel that you have cleaned up all the broken pieces, you can use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to go back over the area with.

By the next time that the area needs to be vacuumed, it will be safe. The reason that you should not vacuum this up when it first breaks is because the mercury is then put into the vacuum. After the one time of using the vacuum to clean up a broken compact florescent blub the mercury would continue to spread throughout your house each time you cleaned.

Please take these simple steps to cleaning up a broken compact florescent light bulb and safe guard your family!