Broken Cfl Lightbulb On Carpet

Like any glass product cfls tend to break occasionally causing many homeowners to worry about potential mercury exposure and adverse health effects.

Broken cfl lightbulb on carpet.

How to clean up a broken cfl bulb. The amount of mercury in a cfl may be up to about 5 milligrams mg. Broken glass from a shattered cup vase or light bulb is not only a nuisance to clean off of carpeting but also represents a hazard to anyone who walks in the. How to clean broken glass off carpet.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs cfls contain small amounts of mercury. However because cfl bulbs contain mercury the process for cleaning it up is a bit more complicated than simply picking up glass. It s a rather simple process that doesn t require a professional and can be completed within a few minutes. You can purchase cfl bulbs that have a glass or plastic cover over the spiral or folded glass tube if available.

These types of bulbs look more like incandescent bulbs and may be more durable if dropped. While cfls are being promoted because they are energy efficient their use has also raised health concerns as they contain a very small amount of mercury inside the lamp. If every american home replaced just one standard incandescent light bulb with a long lasting cfl the resultant energy savings would eliminate greenhouse gases equal to the emissions of 800 000. You can consider using a drop cloth e g plastic sheet or beach towel when changing a fluorescent light bulb in case a breakage should occur.

Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces. Cleaning up a broken cfl bulb isn t a difficult or harrowing task. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag. Compact fluorescent light bulbs cfls use 75 less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last about six times longer but it s no secret that cfls contain a small amount of mercury about 4 milligrams per bulb on average.

In this episode of spec. Mercury also can be released into the environment if bulbs are not recycled properly. Sense vance shows how to safely clean up a broken cfl bulb. A small percentage of this mercury can be released into the air if the bulbs are broken.

Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. If a fluorescent light comes crashing down onto your kitchen floor releasing the mercury trapped within you don t need to panic. Cleaning up broken cfl light bulbs more canadians are replacing regular incandescent light bulbs with more energy efficient products such as compact fluorescent lamps cfls.