How and with what can mercury be removed from the floor, carpet or sofa if the thermometer breaks? How to remove mercury from carpet and other floor coverings? How to clean carpet from mercury.

Almost every home first aid kit has a thermometer, so it will be useful for many to know what to do if the thermometer is accidentally broken at home and mercury gets on the carpet and how to collect it from the carpet.

How to collect mercury from a carpet?

If one fine day, you or one of your family members accidentally broke a thermometer at home, mercury leaked out of it, then you should not panic, but the first thing you should do is take a number of certain actions that will help protect you and those around you from the effects of mercury fumes, and also in as soon as possible collect all spilled mercury.

It is more difficult to remove mercury from a carpet than from a floor or table (smooth surface), since small droplets can get lost in the pile (especially if the carpet has a long pile) and it will not be so easy to get them out, so after getting on the carpet mercury from a thermometer, follow these steps:

  • We close the doors in the room in which the thermometer has broken so that mercury vapor does not penetrate into neighboring rooms.
  • Open a window (window) so that fresh air enters the room.
  • Before starting cleaning, it is advisable to put on a wet gauze bandage (soaked in water), rubber gloves and shoe covers on your feet (plastic bags), so that if you step on mercury, then you will not spread it throughout the house. It is better to clean the mercury itself quickly and not stay in the room for a long time, periodically go out into the fresh air (every 10-15 minutes).
  • We prepare a container in which mercury will be collected (it is optimal to choose a glass jar, which can then be closed with a lid) and draw cold water into it (one third or half of the total volume). We also put a broken thermometer in this container.
  • It is most convenient to collect mercury from a carpet (carpet, carpet) with a syringe (rubber pear) and a syringe, which can be sucked up droplets of mercury from the surface of the carpet and poured into a prepared jar, or with adhesive tape (plaster) to which drops of mercury adhere well (I lower pieces of adhesive tape with mercury into a prepared container, and each new drop is collected with a clean piece of tape).
  • Next, demercurization is required (neutralization of mercury residues in the carpet). The carpet (the place where mercury gets on the carpet) is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate or bleach (unfortunately, after such treatment, stains may remain on the carpet or the pile of the carpet will be damaged). You can also use a baking soda solution to clean laundry soap in water (1 tablespoon of baking soda + 2 tablespoons of grated laundry soap per 1 liter of hot water), which will be more gentle on the carpet, unlike bleach and potassium permanganate. Alternatively, if there is such an opportunity, the carpet can not be processed, but carefully rolled up and packed in plastic bag, then take it outside and hang it up so that the mercury residues evaporate on the street (the process is long and does not guarantee 100% cleaning of mercury residues in the pile).
  • In conclusion, add potassium permanganate to the container into which mercury was collected from the pile of the carpet, close the container tightly with a lid and call the Ministry of Emergency Situations (01) to find out where you can take this container for disposal. Also, for the next few days, it is better not to stay in the room where the thermometer was broken for a long time and constantly ventilate it by opening the window.

Important: if a long time has passed after breaking the thermometer or you don’t know exactly where the mercury leaked out of it, it’s better to contact a specialized service that will carry out a comprehensive cleaning of your home from mercury.

What should not be done if a thermometer with mercury crashed on the carpet at home

Consider the main misconceptions, as well as the wrong ways to clean mercury from the carpet:

  • You can not use a broom and brushes to collect mercury from the carpet and other surfaces, as with them you will only break large drops into smaller ones, which will be even more difficult to collect.
  • You can not use a vacuum cleaner to collect mercury, as it will settle on its internal parts and can then be thrown away, and also in the process of cleaning with air currents, mercury will evaporate even faster.
  • It is not advisable to try to collect mercury from the carpet with sheets of paper, rags or sponges, from which there will be little effect.
  • A broken thermometer and collected mercury should not be thrown into the garbage chute, but should always be taken to specialized centers for the disposal of such substances.

In conclusion to the article, it can be noted that if a thermometer with mercury at home crashed and mercury got on the carpet and other surfaces, then it is best to turn to specialists to solve this problem and not save on your health and the health of loved ones, but if there is no way to do this, it is better to collect all the mercury as quickly and accurately as possible and demercurize the premises yourself. Leave your feedback and advice on how to remove mercury from the carpet if the thermometer breaks at home, leave it in the comments to the article and share it in in social networks if it was helpful to you.

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When a thermometer breaks, eyewitnesses usually panic, not knowing how to eliminate the consequences of an emergency. The first step is to immediately get everyone out of the room, and if they were close to the broken appliance, all family members will have to strip to their underwear and leave their shoes in the room. 1 person will clean the poison, clean the room - this way there is less likelihood of mass poisoning and the movement of mercury balls throughout the apartment. You can ventilate only after all the poison has been collected.

Textiles and carpet: neutralize or throw away?

If mercury comes into contact with furniture upholstery, carpet or clothing, it must be removed from these surfaces as soon as possible before it has settled deeper. An excellent tool is a very sticky tape, with which you can combine all the visible particles of metal.

What will be described in this paragraph is not a guide to action! Read it to the end! So, in some sources it is written that after collecting mercury, the carpet must be shaken out in a wasteland and neutralized with a disinfectant solution. It is very dangerous! It is best to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations or a demercurization service, because the carpet or carpet must be removed from the floor and sent for recycling. Do not spare property, because health is more expensive!

Remember: for any other contamination, dry cleaning of carpets will be the easiest and most economical way out. But with mercury it is better to play it safe and get rid of everything from which it is impossible to completely remove the microparticles of this dangerous metal. This also applies to textiles, as it is a non-smooth surface.

How not to clean carpet or carpet

  • Do not vacuum this area. Powerful jets of air will only spread the poison to all surfaces in the room, and it will be almost impossible to collect it without calling the specialized services. Yes, and the vacuum cleaner will have to be thrown away, because microballoons will remain on its internal parts;
  • Sweeping the floor with an ordinary broom is also not worth it - hard rods will crush drops of mercury to the state of the smallest balls and drive them even deeper into the pile over the entire area of ​​​​the room;
  • The collected liquid metal is forbidden to be thrown into the sewer, since it is heavier than water, which means that it will firmly settle in the pipes and cannot be washed off - just change the entire system.

The only way to throw away the collected mercury is to place it, together with fragments of a thermometer, in a jar filled with two-thirds of water, seal the container as tightly as possible and take it to the demercurization service. After the room is neutralized, you can’t live in it for a couple of days, for a whole month you need to air it daily for a long time.

In order to never encounter such a situation, it is better to purchase an electronic thermometer. Yes, it is much more expensive than mercury, but there is no danger from it either. This is especially true for families whose members are often sick, or if there are children, if they wish, they will even get to the carefully hidden first-aid kit on the top shelf of the closet.

The advantage of a mercury thermometer is stable accuracy in measuring temperature. The main disadvantage of a thermometer is that it is easy to break. It only takes one awkward movement for the toxic silver balls to scatter around the room. To avoid mercury poisoning, collect the hazardous substance immediately.

Why is mercury dangerous?

Upon impact, the mercury is divided into small balls, which instantly roll around the room. Mercury droplets roll into the cracks of the plinth and floor, penetrate into the underground space and settle in the pile of the carpet. The toxic hazardous substance evaporates at 18°C, poisoning the indoor air.

Getting into the human body, mercury from a broken thermometer has a local irritating effect and causes internal poisoning of the kidneys, cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Recommendations on what to do if a thermometer with mercury breaks will help to avoid intoxication.

What to do if the thermometer breaks

If you broke a mercury thermometer, it is important to properly demercurize. This includes the removal and disposal of mercury globules in the spill area. To remove toxic mercury balls yourself, you must perform the following steps:

  • Get people out of the room, close the door tightly and open the windows for ventilation.
  • Put on a respirator, rubber gloves and shoe covers.
  • Fill a glass jar halfway with water, put a mercury thermometer with the remaining mercury in it and tightly close the container with a lid.
  • Take a break every 15 minutes. Go outside and drink more cold water.
  • For 3 weeks, ventilate the room daily and disinfect the place where the mercury spilled.

How to remove mercury if the thermometer is broken?

Toxic mercury balls roll everywhere when dropped. More often they are concentrated in the cracks of the floor and walls, on the surface of the floor covering and on the carpet. To collect mercury, prepare:

  • medical cotton and plaster
  • thick sheet of paper or cardboard
  • glass jar with airtight lid
  • a medical syringe and a long knitting needle
  • solution of potassium permanganate and bleach
  • rubber gloves
  • disinfectants
  • flashlight and small pieces of cloth
  • plastic bags for collecting contaminated items.

It is necessary to limit as much as possible the area where the mercury thermometer crashed. Liquid mercury sticks to the soles of shoes and spreads around the apartment. Put on gloves and place the broken thermometer in a jar of water. Start collecting mercury balls, moving from the periphery of the affected area to the center.

How to collect mercury from a flat surface

Collecting toxic mercury droplets from a table or floor can be done in several ways:

  • With the help of a syringe, liquid balls are sucked up, after which mercury is placed in a glass jar.
  • Mercury is collected from the floor on a piece of paper or foil, helping with a brush.
  • Using paper napkins or sheets of newspaper moistened with sunflower oil or water.
  • Toxic droplets of mercury stick well to plaster or tape.
  • Mercury is collected with cotton swabs soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate.

What not to do when collecting mercury

It is strictly forbidden to use a vacuum cleaner to collect mercury. The air heated by the vacuum cleaner accelerates the evaporation of the poisonous liquid metal. Mercury lingers on the parts of the device, making it a distributor of toxic fumes.

If a member of your family broke a home thermometer, you will have to collect drops of mercury from a broken thermometer yourself. To do everything right, you should look at the thematic photo and video. This will help protect loved ones from the effects of toxic mercury poisoning.

Discussion

The question is good. For the first time, I saw in the hospital how the thermometer broke and the mercury rolled into small beads on the floor. We collected them by rolling them with a napkin to each other to make a single ball. I was then about 10 years old. But in the end it turned out that it was impossible to do so! What had to be urgently reported to the medical post, because mercury is toxic and evaporates quickly, and we breathe it. I know for sure that you need to open the windows, put the bags on your feet, and in no case collect them with a broom, a vacuum cleaner, or a rag.

Comment on the article "How to properly remove mercury from a broken thermometer"

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Mercury is a liquid metal that evaporates even at room temperature of 18°C. Its vapors are the strongest poison, they have no smell, therefore they are even more dangerous. From a broken thermometer, 2-4 grams of this metal are released, capable of polluting up to 6 thousand cubic meters of air (unless, of course, all this is removed in time).

Drops-balls roll into cracks in the floor and baseboards, hide in the pile of carpets, stick to slippers and spread throughout the apartment. Mercury evaporates and gradually poisons the air. A person, being in the room where the thermometer crashed, inhales these fumes. Poisonous metal accumulates in his liver, kidneys, brain and so-called mercury intoxication develops.

What to do in an emergency? Who to contact?

  • Immediately remove everyone from the scene of the "catastrophe", especially children, if any. You will not even notice how these curious creatures will immediately begin to explore the contents of the thermometer and play with funny live droplets scattered on the floor.
  • Close all doors to other rooms. Avoid drafts that will spread dangerous balls throughout the room. Only after cleaning can you open the window and ventilate the room. And this will have to be done not for a day or two, but for three months.

The right equipment

If the operation to destroy the mercury is delayed, put a damp gauze bandage over your nose. Every 10-15 minutes, try to leave the room to another room or fresh air. Protect your hands with rubber gloves, put ordinary garbage bags on your feet if you don’t have disposable shoe covers on hand.

Tools and methods for neutralizing the mercury "catastrophe"

Find a glass container with a tight lid to serve as a container to store the mercury. Be very careful that this container does not accidentally tip over and break. Pour cold water into it. Place the thermometer in a plastic bag.

Forget about the existence of a broom in the apartment and do not try to collect mercury with a vacuum cleaner. The rods of the broom will crush the balls even more and turn them into poisonous dust. She will rise into the air, settle on furniture and walls.

If you want to use a vacuum cleaner, be prepared to throw it away immediately after cleaning. Mercury will cover the inside of the device with a thin film, and it will safely evaporate there, especially during operation, when the engine will heat up. But that's not all. The microdroplets drawn in by the vacuum cleaner together with the air, safely bypassing the filters, will fly back into the room and disperse throughout the apartment.

Available demercurization methods

  1. How to collect mercury when the usual methods are not suitable? Use the most common syringe - tighten the balls inside like a vacuum cleaner, release the contents into the prepared jar of water. It is especially good to catch naughty droplets under baseboards and from cracks with it. After that, you will have to dispose of the syringe.
  2. moisten paper napkins sunflower oil - mercury droplets stick to them perfectly. You can do this with a newspaper soaked in water or wet cotton balls. The insidious metal also sticks to copper wire, adhesive tape, and adhesive plaster. Try to collect it with a soft brush on a piece of paper.
  3. After collection, be sure to treat the room with bleach or soapy water, even if you are sure that you have collected everything. Wash not only the floor, but also the walls. Fill cracks in the floor with chlorine solution. Suitable for this and a solution of potassium permanganate. Use a disposable cloth, which you immediately place in garbage bag. And if you, on someone's advice, are going to treat the surface of the floor with ferric chloride, be careful: it is also very toxic. Why poison yourself twice? In addition, indelible stains may remain after it.

After all the procedures, you, as a liquidator of a mercury accident, need to take a shower, rinse your mouth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, brush your teeth and drink 6-8 crushed tablets activated carbon. And, of course, drink plenty of fluids to prevent poisoning. Mercury, as already noted, is collected in the kidneys, and through them you will remove this poisonous metal.

Mercury vapor is a class I poison. Even in small quantities, they cause irreversible harm to humans and animals.

If you break a mercury thermometer or spill mercury, provide ventilation, leave the contaminated area and call the mercury collection service immediately.

Entrust search and demercurization to professionals with certification. Specialists go to the place of emergency with all the necessary equipment.

The mercury metric complex is included in the State Register of Measuring Instruments. After diagnosing the degree of contamination - a thorough demercurization. We guarantee the complete elimination of mercury contamination. Specialists carry out work according to the readings of the device, until the premises are completely cleaned of toxic mercury vapor. Control measurement - free of charge!!!

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How to wash gouache

Removing paint from a carpet is not as easy as it might seem: various detergents can be used for this purpose, but they are more intended for watercolors. If the "surplus" gouache remained on the carpet, then do not lose heart or call the dry cleaners. All that is required of you is to buy a suitable cleaning solution and carry out a general cleaning.

To effectively remove gouache from the carpet, it is necessary to carefully dilute the purchased powder in water until a dense foam is formed, then apply the foam to the stain and walk several times with a soft brush. Be sure to let the substance dry and only then clean the carpet of residues with a vacuum cleaner in another way.

Even stubborn blood can be removed from the carpet in a matter of minutes, the main thing is to know which means to use. However, it is best to deal with such stains as quickly as possible. This problem is so common that there are an unprecedented number of ways to clean the carpet. Below we will talk about several common methods, but we still recommend that you first try the most gentle - with the help of water.

Method 1 - using water

Many housewives are wondering how to remove blood from the carpet or the surface of the sofa, and without hesitation they themselves begin to rub the stain with a rag soaked in water. This method is suitable if the bleeding has happened recently. Fill a spray bottle with cold water and apply it to the stained area, wipe gently with a dry sponge or cloth and let dry.

Method 2 - using detergent and water

On a white carpet, old blood stains look terribly unattractive. Many try to get rid of them with purchased stain removers, but they forget about budget methods. So, dishwashing liquid is just as effective as advertised household products. To prepare the composition, you will need one tablespoon of detergent and two glasses of cold water.

Next, you need to moisten a piece of white cloth in the solution and apply on the blood marks. Small areas are best worked out with a toothbrush. Rinse off the solution with a clean damp cloth and re-wipe the area with the cleaner. Dry the surface with a towel and leave it for a few minutes to allow the water to absorb better.

Method 3 - using hydrogen peroxide

If you are still wondering how you can wash blood from the carpet, then you have never heard about the miraculous properties of hydrogen peroxide. This substance does an excellent job with old stains from paint, wine, food and even blood. However, this method should only be used as a last resort, as hydrogen peroxide will discolor carpeting.

To clean the carpet, apply a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide to the stained area, then leave for an hour. Blot the mark and, if the stain persists, repeat the process again.

Disposal and destruction of contaminated items

Things that have come into contact with mercury should be aired for three months. Only after that you can wash them and continue to use them, but it is better to throw them away.

But a jar of mercury, the remains of a thermometer and all the devices with which you collected metal should be voluntarily handed over to the Ministry of Emergencies. Do not be surprised if you are politely redirected to a pharmacy or housing office. Be stubborn and persistent, demand the disposal of this poisonous metal.

In no case do not pour liquid with silver balls into the sewer, toilet bowl and do not throw the thermometer and contaminated things into the garbage chute: do not pollute the environment.

After all this headache, be sure to visit your nearest pharmacy and purchase a safe electronic thermometer.

The material was updated on 06/28/2017

How to remove coffee stains from carpet

Removing old coffee stains from the carpet is very problematic, as they tend to blur. That is why, when washing a contaminated area, you need to move from the edges to the center of the product. It is also important not to rub the carpet too hard, as this can damage the fiber.

You are required to blot the stain with a soft sponge (it is better to use a white rag so that it absorbs as much liquid as possible) and treat the area with soapy water. You need to do this until the coating is clean again. Finally, apply a carpet cleaner to the treated area. In most cases, this is enough to remove traces of coffee.

Removing nail polish stains from carpet

It's easiest to remove nail polish stains from carpet as soon as they appear. On wet textile fibers, stains take longer to dry, making the procedure faster and more efficient.

Let us dwell on the method using nail polish remover, since it is the most effective. To get the maximum cleaning effect, you must follow the instructions below exactly and change the fabric (with which you are treating the surface) as often as possible - to avoid "spreading" of marks.

There are other ways to remove such stains - alcohol-based detergents are considered the most effective.

How to remove iron marks from carpet

You can get rid of small tan marks on the carpet using a special mixture. To do this, mix a few tablespoons of vinegar, fifty grams of talc and two chopped onions. Knead the resulting slurry with your hands and apply to damaged areas. After the solution dries, remove it with a stiff brush.

For breeding a large number If the carpet is burned, you may need to cut off the top layer of pile or sew on patches. If the burn marks are slightly noticeable against the general background, then simply wipe them with a washcloth for washing dishes (always with metal shavings on the outside) and treat the burnt places with linseed oil.

How to collect needles from a Christmas tree from a carpet

If it is customary in your home to use natural spruce for New Year, then you know how unpleasant it is to remove needles from the Christmas tree throughout the house. If there is no carpet in the living room, then just sweep the floor. But to clean the carpet you need a vacuum cleaner. First you need to collect all the thorns and small needles by hand, and then go through the vacuum cleaner at the slowest speed.

How to cover up a burnt spot

First of all, you need to carefully cut the pile, making a smooth transition from the undamaged area so that it is not very noticeable. If the pile is gone to the base, then it is necessary to remove the remnants and pour transparent glue on the area. After the glue has set a little, the area can be restored with other pile fragments cut from inconspicuous places.

Modern detergents allow you to get rid of various stains on the carpet, the most important thing is to quickly remove as much dirt as possible. When cleaning the carpet from viscous mixtures (chewing gum, slime, plasticine, varnish), solvent 646 helps well. It easily dissolves most varnishes and paints.

As an analogue, you can use white spirit or, if you have the opportunity to get it, high-octane kerosene (aviation fuel). With their help, it is possible to remove even stains from oil or fuel oil (rugs or upholstery in a car). However, it should be remembered that solvents should not be used on synthetic carpet.

Information on how to remove mercury may be needed by a person at any time, because even a broken thermometer harms people. This dangerous substance evaporates and releases harmful particles into the air, which are toxic, suppress the immune system, cause intoxication, are deposited in the kidneys and are slowly excreted from the body.

How to collect mercury if the thermometer breaks?

It is important to know how to remove mercury from. This liquid metal scatters across the floor in the form of tiny balls that are problematic to collect, and fills the air with toxic fumes. During cleaning, you need to ensure the ventilation of the room by opening the window and closing the door to other rooms. Before you remove the mercury, you need to put on shoe covers on your feet, rubber gloves on your hands, and a gauze bandage on your face.


How to collect mercury from laminate?

The easiest way to remove mercury from smooth surfaces - linoleum, laminate, wood. For cleaning, you need to prepare a jar of water or a solution of 2% potassium permanganate. The substance and fragments will be placed in it. How to remove mercury from laminate flooring:

  1. Collect the pieces of the thermometer and put them in a jar.
  2. To collect mercury, you can use ordinary pieces of paper. All visible liquid balls are driven onto them and poured into a container with potassium permanganate.
  3. The remaining small particles are collected with adhesive tape, gluing it to the surface where the source of vapor is located. Used adhesive tape is placed in a jar.
  4. Hard-to-reach places are cleaned with a medical pear, sucking toxic balls into it and pouring the substance into a container of water.
  5. The surface can be checked with a flashlight - the remaining mercury glows.
  6. After cleaning, the place where the thermometer was broken is recommended to be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate for a week, and the room should be ventilated for at least 24 hours.

How to remove mercury from carpet?

It is more difficult, because small balls are lost in his pile, especially if he is tall. How to remove mercury from a thermometer from a carpet, rug, carpet:

  1. To do this, it is best to use a syringe (rubber pear) or a syringe. They can suck up droplets of a substance from the surface and send them to a jar of potassium permanganate.
  2. Sticky tape will also help collect the balls.
  3. After that, the product is taken out into the street, slightly knocked out over the film, from which droplets of the substance are then collected and sent to a container with water. Cellophane after cleaning is thrown into a bag with mercury-containing waste.
  4. The carpet is treated with a spray solution of potassium permanganate or bleach. After such cleaning, stains or damage to the pile may remain on the material. More gentle solution: 1 tbsp. l. baking soda, 2 tbsp. l. grated laundry soap per liter of heated water.

How to remove mercury from the sink?

If the thermometer crashed in the sink, then the liquid metal cannot be washed down the drain - its particles will remain on the walls of the drain pipes and will evaporate. How to properly remove mercury from the sink:

  1. To solve the problem, it is necessary to close the drain hole and mechanically collect large liquid balls, pour them into a container of water. A sheet of paper and a brush will help with this.
  2. Small drops of mercury can be removed with a well-soaped sponge, wiping the surface from the edges to the center. A rag with a sticky substance is placed in a glass jar with a lid.
  3. Carry out chemical treatment of the sink with the following solutions:
  • per 1 liter of manganese water 1 tbsp. l. vinegar and 2 tbsp. l. iodine or chlorine-containing agent (whiteness);
  • apply the solution to the sink, allow to dry, repeat the treatment several times.

How to remove mercury from the toilet?

It is very inconvenient to remove mercury from the toilet. Many owners, out of inexperience, try to wash off the droplets, but they often do not overcome the “knee” of the plumbing fixture, remain at the bottom and continue to harm human body. Extract matter from sewer pipes also incredibly difficult. How to collect mercury from the toilet:

  1. It is necessary to block the flow of new water into the toilet bowl, use an enema with a nozzle to remove all the liquid from the “knee”, suck the balls and pour out all the jar of water.
  2. Small particles of mercury can be removed with a soapy sponge.
  3. The inside of the toilet bowl must be treated several times with a manganese solution or bleach.

How can mercury be removed?

Before you remove mercury from a thermometer from the floor, you need to know what can be used in this case and what cannot. Useful for cleaning: plastic tight garbage bags, sheets of paper or cardboard, rubber spatulas, brushes, enema, adhesive tape. How to remove large mercury:

  • visible particles with a scraper, brush, cardboard are driven onto a sheet of paper;
  • it is convenient to collect droplets with a pipette or a rubber bulb.

How to remove mercury - its small drops:

  1. Inconspicuous particles are removed with adhesive tape - with the sticky part, the tape must be leaned against the surface and slowly lifted, thrown into the trash.
  2. Use shaving cream and a brush, the foam helps to catch small balls. She covers the place where the thermometer crashed, then the product is carefully scraped off.
  3. A crumb of bread or dough will come in handy. A small piece should be pressed to the place of accumulation of small drops and thrown into a jar of water.
  4. Items used for cleaning are packed in plastic bags.

Is it possible to collect mercury with a magnet?

Many people advise collecting mercury with a magnet. However, this way to get rid of toxic balls will not work. Although the substance belongs to liquid metals, it is a diamagnet, when a magnet approaches, the droplets will repel it, therefore, using this improvised tool, you can only unsuccessfully drive mercury balls across the floor.

How to remove mercury with a vacuum cleaner?

Before you remove mercury from the floor with a vacuum cleaner, it is important to know that this is strictly prohibited. The substance will pass into the engine of the equipment, forming a toxic film on its parts. Then, when the vacuum cleaner is turned on, it will begin to heat up, mercury microdroplets under the influence of hot air will be dispersed throughout the apartment. This contributes to the strongest evaporation of the substance. If the vacuum cleaner was used in this case, it must be disposed of immediately.

What to do with collected mercury?

Liquid mercury is a very toxic substance, it should not be thrown into the garbage chute, toilet bowl, or into the street. You should know that one broken thermometer pollutes from 10 m 2 of soil, therefore, when the task of how to quickly collect mercury was successfully resolved, and the substance was collected in a special container, and auxiliary items in garbage bags, all this must be securely closed and handed over to proper place. There, toxic metal is disposed of in accordance with all the rules.

You can find out the address of the collection point for mercury-containing waste by calling the number of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in any city. You can also take the closed jar and package to the nearest fire and rescue unit of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. After completing all the work, it is advisable to invite home the specialists of the chemical-radiometric laboratory to check the air environment for the presence of mercury contamination.

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