Background:
Most homes and apartment buildings (about 75%) built before 1978 have some lead paint with
buildings built before 1960 having the most lead paint. While lead can be present in paint on any painted surface,
lead-based paint is most often found in kitchens and bathrooms, and on windows, doors and railings in the interior.
Exterior paint used on clapboards or shingles, window trim, porches, columns and railings of pre-1978 homes
usually had high lead content. Surfaces that have been painted several times may have layers of lead paint
underneath layers of non-leaded paint.
Method: To test for lead in paint:
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- If dirty, clean the surface with a household cleaner, rinse and dry.
- Cut a small V-shaped notch (about ¼ inch long) to expose all painted layers down to the bare surface.
- Activate a LeadCheck Swab according to the instructions.
- Rub the activated Swab into the notch to determine if any of the paint layers contains lead.
- Examine the Swab tip and/or test surface for a color change to pink or red.
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Interpretation of Results:
- If the Swab and or the test surface turn a pink to red color, the test is positive for lead. Only lead
produces a pink to red color with LeadCheck® Swabs.
- If the Swab and or test surface did not turn pink or red no hazardous level of lead was detected. Use
the confirmation card to confirm that the LeadCheck® reagents were active (the circle on the card should
turn bright pink).
- If the Swab and or test surface turn orange, the result is negative for lead but positive for barium, which
was sometimes added to paint as an extender. If lead were also present in the paint the Swab tip and
or test surface would turn pink before turning orange.
- If the Swab and or test surface turn purple, the result is negative for lead but positive
for tin.
Additional information is available for:
Testing Red Paint
Testing Paint on Plaster, Gypsum and Stucco
Testing Marine and Industrial Paints or Lead Chromate Paints
*LeadCheck Swabs are a versatile and sensitive screening tool for the detection of lead on any surface. This applications
note provides a suggested method to allow testing for a specific application. Additional information and help are available
by calling 800-262-5323 or 508-651-7881.
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