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Make your home lead-safe

Most older homes in Los Angeles have lead in the paint, usually under layers of newer paint. The paint can be on the inside or outside of the home. When paint gets old, it peels and chips, and breaks down into dust. Lead dust from paint and paint chips can poison your family.

  • Wash hands often, especially before eating.
  • Keep beds, cribs, and playpens away from chipped or peeling paint.
  • Cover damaged paint with cloth tape or plastic sheets until repairs can be made.
  • For small areas where paint is chipping, wipe with a damp sponge and paint over.
  • Keep your home dust-free.
    • Wet mop floors instead of sweeping. Sweeping can spread lead dust.
    • Use a damp rag to wipe down windowsills and other surfaces often.
    • If possible, use a vacuum that has a HEPA filter. A HEPA filter is better at trapping dust. If you do not have a HEPA vacuum, buy vacuum bags that say “Allergen Filter” on the label.
  • Get leaks fixed and keep paint from getting wet. Painted areas that get wet often will peel and chip.

Some imported foods and spices have lead in them.

Avoid:

  • Turmeric
  • Chapulines
  • Candies made in Mexico

Open printable file

Healthy foods can help protect your child from lead poisoning.

  • Iron and vitamin C make it harder for lead to get in the body.
  • When lead gets in your body, it stays in your bones. Calcium keeps your bones healthy and strong and safe from lead.
  • Foods high in iron, vitamin C, and calcium help keep lead out of the body and protect your child from the effects of lead poisoning.
    1. Foods high in IRON — beans, eggs, tofu, whole-grain breads and cereals, lean meat, fish, peanut butter, spinach, kale, collards, and mustard greens
    2. Foods high in CALCIUM — milk, soy milk, yogurt, cheese, corn tortillas, dark-green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, almonds, and canned salmon
    3. Foods high in VITAMIN C — oranges, tomatoes, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, papaya, guava, and jicama


Choose healthier foods to help protect your family from lead.

  • Choose cereals high in iron or hot cereals such as oatmeal, instead of sugary cereals.
  • Sprinkle nuts or seeds on your child’s hot cereal for added calcium.
  • Bring nuts or dried fruits, like figs, mango, and apricots, as an easy, on-the-go snack. They’re high in iron and calcium.
  • Try green smoothies with spinach, kale, apples, celery or cucumber, instead of fruit juices which are high in sugar.
  • Boost the vitamin C and flavor in your green smoothie or salad by adding parsley, kiwi, lemon, or lime.
  • Avoid candy and snacks made with chili powder or tamarind — some imported candies have lead in them or in the wrapper.

 

The choices you make about the foods your child eats does more than just provide good nutrition. It also reduces the harmful effects of lead.

To find out about healthy eating and benefits to buy healthy foods, call California WIC at
(800) 852-5770 or go to myfamily.wic.ca.gov.

Open printable file

When you are pregnant or breastfeeding, lead in your body can be passed to your baby.
Lead in your body can…

  • Put you at risk for miscarriage.
  • Cause high blood pressure, putting you at risk for early labor and other complications.
  • Harm your baby’s kidneys, liver, and other organs.
  • Harm your baby’s brain, making it hard for your child to learn, pay attention, and follow rules. Lead can affect your child’s ability to hear, speak, read and write.

Healthy foods can help keep you and your baby safe from lead. Eat foods that are high in calcium, iron and vitamin C, and low in fat.

If you think you have been exposed to lead, ask your doctor for a blood test for lead or call the LA County Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at (800) 524-5323 (800-LA-4-LEAD).

If you are concerned about your baby’s growth and learning, call Help Me Grow LA at (833) 903-3972 or visit HelpMeGrowLA.org.

Keep your baby safe from lead while you are pregnant.

  • Leave the house if someone is removing lead paint, cleaning up after removing lead paint, or remodeling a room that might have lead paint.
  • Avoid candy and snacks made with chili powder or tamarind — some imported candies have lead in them or in the wrapper.
  • Do not use traditional remedies given for stomach ache — some contain lead.
  • If you live with someone who works with lead, have them change their clothes and shoes before going home.


After the baby is born

  • Wash your baby’s hands, toys, pacifiers, and other items they put in their mouth to get rid of lead dust.
  • Don’t let your baby suck on or play with jewelry, including inexpensive dress-up jewelry. The metal and plastic in jewelry can have lead in it.
  • Keep cribs, highchairs, beds, and playpen away from windowsills and chipping or peeling paint.
  • Don’t put kohl powder on your baby. Kohl powder has large amounts of lead.

Open printable file

Repairs inside and outside your home can expose your family to lead.
Workers make dust and paint chips when they sand or scrape paint, remove doors or windows, or cut into walls.

  • If your paint has lead in it, there will be lead in the dust and chips.
  • Lead dust can spread around your home and harm your family.


Before and after repair work is done…

  • Remove everything you can from the work area before work is started.
  • Keep air conditioning and heating off while workers are in your home.
  • Wipe down walls, floors, windowsills, and other surfaces with a wet cloth after workers leave.

Use a certified contractor for home repairs that disturb lead paint. Certified contractors are trained on how to test for lead and keep your family safe when making repairs. For help finding a certified contractor, go to the California Department of Public Health’s list of Certified Lead Professionals in the LA area.


Workers must make repairs safely and keep lead dust from spreading both inside and outside your home.

  • Workers must tape up heavy plastic sheets to separate the work area from the other rooms and tape down plastic to cover all furniture in the work area.
  • Workers should tape down plastic sheets to cover the floors wherever they walk.
  • Workers should cover all vents with plastic and keep windows and doors closed while they work.
  • Workers should not walk into other rooms in their work clothes or shoes.
  • Workers must clean up dust from repairs every day before they leave.
  • Workers must also keep lead dust and paint chips from spreading when they work outside.

If workers are not following safety rules, call the LA County Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 800-524-5323 (800-LA-4-LEAD).

Open printable file

Some jobs can expose you and your family to lead.
You might work with lead if you…

  • Remodel or tear down old buildings
  • Remove old paint
  • Solder electronics
  • Recycle scrap metal
  • Recycle, make, or repair batteries
  • Repair cars
  • Repair radiators
  • Strip cables

Ask your employer to tell you if you work with lead. Your employer has to make sure you are safe from lead at your job.

Don’t bring lead home
If you work with lead, your family can be poisoned from lead dust brought home on your clothes, shoes, hair, and skin. Lead in your car can poison your whole family.

  • Change into clean clothes and shoes before getting into a car or going home. Keep work clothes, hats, and shoes in a plastic bag.
  • Wash your face and hands with soap and warm water before going home.
  • Keep work shoes outside your home.
  • Wash work clothes separately from all other clothes.
  • Take a shower and wash your hair as soon as you get home.


Lead can…

  • Affect a man’s fertility and increase the chance a woman will have a miscarriage
  • Make your stomach, legs, and arms hurt
  • Cause headaches
  • Cause high blood pressure
  • Make it hard to remember things


Protect yourself

  • Bring your work clothes to the job and put them on there. Keep work clothes in a plastic bag, separate from all other clothes.
  • Wear shoe covers in the work area if possible.
  • Wear a NIOSH-certified disposable respirator with a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter (N-100, R-100, or P-100).
  • Spray water on painted surfaces before and during sanding, scraping, cutting, and drilling to make less dust.
  • Wash your hands, and leave the work area before eating, drinking, or smoking.

To find out about lead on the job, call the Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at (866) 627-1587 or visit their website.

Open printable file

Lead has been found in some ceramic dishes and glazed pottery.

Ceramic pots and dishes can have lead in the coating or decorations. The lead can get into food and drinks prepared, stored, or served in them, and then into your body.

Lead can be found in…

  • Handmade, shiny, red-brown ceramics (terracotta) made in Mexico and other Latin American countries
  • Dishes with colorful decorations made in Asian countries
  • Older dishes and pots that are cracked, chipped, or that look chalky or dusty
  • Lead crystal glassware
  • Some ceramic water crocks


Even ceramics that aren’t worn out, chipped, or cracked can expose you to lead. There is no way to remove lead from pots or dishes.

Protect your family from lead in dishes and pots

  • Don’t buy dishes from swap meets or street vendors.
  • Dishes marked “Lead Free” have been found to contain lead.
  • Dishes marked “Lead Safe” still contain small amounts of lead.
  • It’s safest to use only dishes and pots made in the US or from well-known brands.
  • Don’t use antique dishes to store, cook, or serve food.
  • Do not put dishes or pots that might contain lead in the dishwasher or microwave. This can make it more likely the lead can get into food the next time the dish or pot is used. Lead could also get on other items in the dishwasher.
  • Check for a “Not for Food” warning label. Use these items for decoration only.
  • You can buy lead-testing kits at hardware stores or online to test your ceramic dishes and pots. The kits do not work on lead crystal.


For more information about lead in ceramics, call the LA County Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at (800) 524-5323 (800-LA-4-LEAD).

There can be lead in the dirt around your home.

  • Always wash hands after playing outside, especially before eating.
  • Take off shoes or wipe them on a doormat before going inside.
  • Keep children away from dirt next to your home.
  • Cover bare dirt with plants, wood chips, or cement.

Some traditional remedies and makeup can have lead in them.

Avoid using:

  • Traditional remedies: bright orange, yellow, or white powders for stomach ache, rash, and fever, like Greta, Azarcon, and Paylooah
  • Make-up — Kohl, Khali, Surma, or Sindoor.

Some toys have lead in them.

  • Don’t let your child suck on toys, especially plastic toys or painted wood toys.
  • Wash hands, toys, and pacifiers often.
  • For young children, toys made of soft cloth or unpainted wood are best.

Some jewelry has lead in it.

  • Don’t let young children suck on or play with jewelry, including inexpensive dress-up jewelry.

Make your home lead-safe

The paint can be on the inside or outside of the home. When paint gets old, it peels and chips, and breaks down into dust. Lead dust from paint and paint chips can poison your family.

  • Wash hands often, especially before eating.
  • Keep beds, cribs, and playpens away from chipped or peeling paint.
  • Cover damaged paint with cloth tape or plastic sheets until repairs can be made.
  • For small areas where paint is chipping, wipe with a damp sponge and paint over.
  • Keep your home dust-free.
    • Wet mop floors instead of sweeping. Sweeping can spread lead dust.
    • Use a damp rag to wipe down windowsills and other surfaces often.
    • If possible, use a vacuum that has a HEPA filter. A HEPA filter is better at trapping dust. If you do not have a HEPA vacuum, buy vacuum bags that say “Allergen Filter” on the label.
  • Get leaks fixed and keep paint from getting wet. Painted areas that get wet often will peel and chip.

Some imported foods and spices have lead in them.

Avoid:

  • Turmeric
  • Chapulines
  • Candies made in Mexico

Open printable file

Healthy foods can help protect your child from lead poisoning.

  • Iron and vitamin C make it harder for lead to get in the body.
  • When lead gets in your body, it stays in your bones. Calcium keeps your bones healthy and strong and safe from lead.
  • Foods high in iron, vitamin C, and calcium help keep lead out of the body and protect your child from the effects of lead poisoning.
    1. Foods high in IRON — beans, eggs, tofu, whole-grain breads and cereals, lean meat, fish, peanut butter, spinach, kale, collards, and mustard greens
    2. Foods high in CALCIUM — milk, soy milk, yogurt, cheese, corn tortillas, dark-green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, almonds, and canned salmon
    3. Foods high in VITAMIN C — oranges, tomatoes, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, papaya, guava, and jicama


Choose healthier foods to help protect your family from lead.

  • Choose cereals high in iron or hot cereals such as oatmeal, instead of sugary cereals.
  • Sprinkle nuts or seeds on your child’s hot cereal for added calcium.
  • Bring nuts or dried fruits, like figs, mango, and apricots, as an easy, on-the-go snack. They’re high in iron and calcium.
  • Try green smoothies with spinach, kale, apples, celery or cucumber, instead of fruit juices which are high in sugar.
  • Boost the vitamin C and flavor in your green smoothie or salad by adding parsley, kiwi, lemon, or lime.
  • Avoid candy and snacks made with chili powder or tamarind — some imported candies have lead in them or in the wrapper.

The choices you make about the foods your child eats does more than just provide good nutrition. It also reduces the harmful effects of lead.

To find out about healthy eating and benefits to buy healthy foods, call California WIC at
(800) 852-5770 or go to myfamily.wic.ca.gov.

Open printable file

When you are pregnant or breastfeeding, lead in your body can be passed to your baby.
Lead in your body can…

  • Put you at risk for miscarriage.
  • Cause high blood pressure, putting you at risk for early labor and other complications.
  • Harm your baby’s kidneys, liver, and other organs.
  • Harm your baby’s brain, making it hard for your child to learn, pay attention, and follow rules. Lead can affect your child’s ability to hear, speak, read and write.

Healthy foods can help keep you and your baby safe from lead. Eat foods that are high in calcium, iron and vitamin C, and low in fat.

If you think you have been exposed to lead, ask your doctor for a blood test for lead or call the LA County Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at (800) 524-5323 (800-LA-4-LEAD).

If you are concerned about your baby’s growth and learning, call Help Me Grow LA at (833) 903-3972 or visit HelpMeGrowLA.org.

Keep your baby safe from lead while you are pregnant.

  • Leave the house if someone is removing lead paint, cleaning up after removing lead paint, or remodeling a room that might have lead paint.
  • Avoid candy and snacks made with chili powder or tamarind — some imported candies have lead in them or in the wrapper.
  • Do not use traditional remedies given for stomach ache — some contain lead.
  • If you live with someone who works with lead, have them change their clothes and shoes before going home.


After the baby is born

  • Wash your baby’s hands, toys, pacifiers, and other items they put in their mouth to get rid of lead dust.
  • Don’t let your baby suck on or play with jewelry, including inexpensive dress-up jewelry. The metal and plastic in jewelry can have lead in it.
  • Keep cribs, highchairs, beds, and playpen away from windowsills and chipping or peeling paint.
  • Don’t put kohl powder on your baby. Kohl powder has large amounts of lead.

Open printable file

Repairs inside and outside your home can expose your family to lead.
Workers make dust and paint chips when they sand or scrape paint, remove doors or windows, or cut into walls.

  • If your paint has lead in it, there will be lead in the dust and chips.
  • Lead dust can spread around your home and harm your family.


Before and after repair work is done…

  • Remove everything you can from the work area before work is started.
  • Keep air conditioning and heating off while workers are in your home.
  • Wipe down walls, floors, windowsills, and other surfaces with a wet cloth after workers leave.

Use a certified contractor for home repairs that disturb lead paint. Certified contractors are trained on how to test for lead and keep your family safe when making repairs. For help finding a certified contractor, go to the California Department of Public Health’s list of Certified Lead Professionals in the LA area.


Workers must make repairs safely and keep lead dust from spreading both inside and outside your home.

  • Workers must tape up heavy plastic sheets to separate the work area from the other rooms and tape down plastic to cover all furniture in the work area.
  • Workers should tape down plastic sheets to cover the floors wherever they walk.
  • Workers should cover all vents with plastic and keep windows and doors closed while they work.
  • Workers should not walk into other rooms in their work clothes or shoes.
  • Workers must clean up dust from repairs every day before they leave.
  • Workers must also keep lead dust and paint chips from spreading when they work outside.

If workers are not following safety rules, call the LA County Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 800-524-5323 (800-LA-4-LEAD).

Open printable file

Some jobs can expose you and your family to lead.
You might work with lead if you…

  • Remodel or tear down old buildings
  • Remove old paint
  • Solder electronics
  • Recycle scrap metal
  • Recycle, make, or repair batteries
  • Repair cars
  • Repair radiators
  • Strip cables

Ask your employer to tell you if you work with lead. Your employer has to make sure you are safe from lead at your job.

Don’t bring lead home
If you work with lead, your family can be poisoned from lead dust brought home on your clothes, shoes, hair, and skin. Lead in your car can poison your whole family.

  • Change into clean clothes and shoes before getting into a car or going home. Keep work clothes, hats, and shoes in a plastic bag.
  • Wash your face and hands with soap and warm water before going home.
  • Keep work shoes outside your home.
  • Wash work clothes separately from all other clothes.
  • Take a shower and wash your hair as soon as you get home.


Lead can…

  • Affect a man’s fertility and increase the chance a woman will have a miscarriage
  • Make your stomach, legs, and arms hurt
  • Cause headaches
  • Cause high blood pressure
  • Make it hard to remember things


Protect yourself

  • Bring your work clothes to the job and put them on there. Keep work clothes in a plastic bag, separate from all other clothes.
  • Wear shoe covers in the work area if possible.
  • Wear a NIOSH-certified disposable respirator with a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter (N-100, R-100, or P-100).
  • Spray water on painted surfaces before and during sanding, scraping, cutting, and drilling to make less dust.
  • Wash your hands, and leave the work area before eating, drinking, or smoking.

To find out about lead on the job, call the Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at (866) 627-1587 or visit their website.

Open printable file

Lead has been found in some ceramic dishes and glazed pottery.

Ceramic pots and dishes can have lead in the coating or decorations. The lead can get into food and drinks prepared, stored, or served in them, and then into your body.

Lead can be found in…

  • Handmade, shiny, red-brown ceramics (terracotta) made in Mexico and other Latin American countries
  • Dishes with colorful decorations made in Asian countries
  • Older dishes and pots that are cracked, chipped, or that look chalky or dusty
  • Lead crystal glassware
  • Some ceramic water crocks


Even ceramics that aren’t worn out, chipped, or cracked can expose you to lead. There is no way to remove lead from pots or dishes.

Protect your family from lead in dishes and pots

  • Don’t buy dishes from swap meets or street vendors.
  • Dishes marked “Lead Free” have been found to contain lead.
  • Dishes marked “Lead Safe” still contain small amounts of lead.
  • It’s safest to use only dishes and pots made in the US or from well-known brands.
  • Don’t use antique dishes to store, cook, or serve food.
  • Do not put dishes or pots that might contain lead in the dishwasher or microwave. This can make it more likely the lead can get into food the next time the dish or pot is used. Lead could also get on other items in the dishwasher.
  • Check for a “Not for Food” warning label. Use these items for decoration only.
  • You can buy lead-testing kits at hardware stores or online to test your ceramic dishes and pots. The kits do not work on lead crystal.


For more information about lead in ceramics, call the LA County Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at (800) 524-5323 (800-LA-4-LEAD).

There can be lead in the dirt around your home.

  • Always wash hands after playing outside, especially before eating.
  • Take off shoes or wipe them on a doormat before going inside.
  • Keep children away from dirt next to your home.
  • Cover bare dirt with plants, wood chips, or cement.

Some traditional remedies and makeup can have lead in them.

Avoid using:

  • Traditional remedies: bright orange, yellow, or white powders for stomach ache, rash, and fever, like Greta, Azarcon, and Paylooah
  • Make-up — Kohl, Khali, Surma, or Sindoor.

Some toys have lead in them.

  • Don’t let your child suck on toys, especially plastic toys or painted wood toys.
  • Wash hands, toys, and pacifiers often.
  • For young children, toys made of soft cloth or unpainted wood are best.

Some jewelry has lead in it.

  • Don’t let young children suck on or play with jewelry, including inexpensive dress-up jewelry.