Allen County Public Health has partnered with the Ohio Department of Health’s HEPA Vacuum Loaner Program to make a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter vacuum available for Allen County residents at no cost. Industrial HEPA vacuums are made to safely capture dangerous materials like lead dust. They can trap 99.97% of these tiny particles.
Cleaning up areas that may contain lead dust is important, especially to protect kids from lead exposure. Lead dust can build up on places like windowsills, floors, toys, furniture, or even pets’ fur. From there, it can easily find its way into a child’s mouth through normal activities.
Using lead safe cleaning practices like vacuuming with a HEPA vacuum works to keep your home safe and healthy for your family. The loaner program is a free service to Allen County residents, and a HEPA vacuum can be borrowed for up to five days. You must call ahead to reserve a vacuum. You must also provide a valid driver’s license or state ID and a home address (no P.O. boxes). The loaner vacuum is to be used for dry household cleaning ONLY and needs to be returned emptied and clean. The video, Lead Safe Cleaning with a HEPA Vacuum shows how to use the vacuum and clean it. To reserve a HEPA vacuum, contact Allen County Public Health and ask for Environmental Health between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 419-228-4457.