You got a FluoroSpec kit, Columbus. Set it up right and it goes a long way.

FluoroSpec lets your family check your own home for lead-based paint dust. Your kit has everything you need, plus printed instructions on the label. Two minutes of setup gets you up to 500 tests. Here is how to set up your bottle, where to look, and what to do if you find lead.

[ 01 ]First, get up to 500 tests from one bottle

Read the instructions printed on the label before you use the kit. They walk you through testing, step by step. The one setup step to do first is install the spray extender ring, so handle that now. It is already in your kit, and it is the difference between roughly 150 tests and up to 500.

500
tests from one bottle, with the ring onThe extender ring makes each pull a fine, measured mist instead of a heavy one. The test only needs a thin film of liquid to glow, so using less costs you nothing and stretches one bottle from about 150 sprays to up to 500.

Installing it takes about twenty seconds:

1
Unscrew the sprayer top.Twist the spray top off the bottle.
2
Seat the ring over the nozzle.Place the extender ring over the nozzle opening on the sprayer.
3
Screw the top back on and test a spray.You should see a lighter, finer mist. That is it.

That is the whole setup. Now follow the testing steps printed on the label: check the reference card for the exact green you are looking for, spray a surface, and shine the UV light on it. A glowing green that matches the card means lead.

[ 02 ]Where to look

Lead dust collects where painted surfaces rub together or where dust settles. Start with these spots:

Windows and sillsWindows rub against themselves and shed dust. Test every part of the window and the sill, where dust settles and small hands land.
Doors and framesTest all parts of the door and the frame. The edges that rub each other are where dust comes off.
Floors by the wallDust settles along walls and in corners. If a window, door, or railing glows, check the floor right below it.
Stairs and railingsHigh-touch and high-rub. Test the treads, the railings, and the paint where hands and feet land.
Trim and baseboardsEspecially anything cracked, peeling, or chalking. Cut a small sliver down to the bare surface so every layer of paint gets tested.
Outside, tooExterior lead paint flakes onto the yard and walkways and tracks back inside. Test decks, porches, and siding.

A few tips that make your testing count:

  • Test painted surfaces inside and outside your home, and in each room.
  • Older lead paint is often hidden under newer paint and can still be a hazard. Cut out a small piece or sliver of paint down to the wood or metal surface underneath so all paint layers can be tested.
  • Test different areas that have a different paint history separately, even if they are in the same room or on a similar component found in other rooms.
  • Lead paint is especially dangerous on any surface that is cracked, peeling, or chalking.
  • Lead paint in any layer of windows, doors, floors, handrails, and stairs is dangerous because they rub and create lead dust.
  • Most child lead exposure comes from lead dust in the home.
  • Lead paint that is on a surface that is in good condition and does not rub, such as walls and baseboards, is generally safe.
  • Do not use the kit if you are not able to or have trouble seeing the green positive color that indicates lead.

If you find lead paint or lead dust

Don't panic. There are safe, proven ways to clean up and control lead paint and dust.

Find out how at www.epa.gov/lead.

For residents of the City of Columbus, find local resources and talk to local experts at www.columbus.gov/lead.

[ 03 ]Test your stuff too

Lead-based paint dust is the biggest risk in older homes, but it is not the only place lead shows up. The same kit works on objects. Try the same spray-and-shine on:

Painted ceramicsOld plates, mugs, teacups, serving bowls, especially imported or vintage. Spray the painted decoration, not the white ceramic.
Painted toysPainted wood toys, vintage metal toys, painted figurines. Anything a kid might mouth.
Metal and jewelryOld painted jewelry, costume jewelry, antique tins, painted metal cookware.
Faucet aeratorsUnscrew the aerator at the end of your kitchen faucet and spray inside. Lead in plumbing solder can land here.

[ 04 ]If nothing glows

Good. That does not mean your home is lead-free forever, but it does mean the surfaces you tested today don't have detectable lead-based paint dust. Worth re-testing once a year, or after any renovation or repainting.

With the extender ring installed, one bottle holds enough for up to about 500 sprayed tests, so there is plenty left for retests and for checking other items.

A no-glow result is not a clean bill of health

This kit reliably detects lead down to about 500 ppm. Lead can be present below that level and still matter, especially on anything you eat or drink from, or that a child handles or puts in their mouth.

For older or imported dishes, mugs, toys, and jewelry, a no-glow result does not prove the item is safe to use with food or around children. Lead in these goods can leach out at levels well below what any spot test will show. When in doubt, keep questionable items away from food and out of reach of kids regardless of the result.

About the kit. FluoroSpec is a methylammonium bromide perovskite fluorescence test. The reagent is alcohol-based and reacts with lead in surface dust and paint to form bright green quantum dots visible under 365 nm UV light. Detection limit is approximately 500 ppm. The U.S. lead-in-paint limit was lowered to 90 ppm in 2009. The kit cannot test food, water, or skin. Made by Fluoro-Spec Inc, East Setauket NY, under EPA Low Volume Exemption L-25-0206.