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Is It Safe To Vacuum Up Gluten?

123glldd

By 123glldd
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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123glldd Collaborator
123glldd
Posted

We have some wall plaster on the floor behind some furniture left from before going gluten free...how would we go about getting rid of this? normally we would vacuum but will that send this stuff into the air at all?

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psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Maybe. Maybe not. It would vary from vacuum to vacuum, based on how good the filter is. If you are worried, I would consider using a face mask during the actual process. Then stay out of the room for an hour while any remaining dust settles.

But, honestly, it is not something that worries me.

1desperateladysaved Proficient
1desperateladysaved
Posted

With the average vacuum, I would not do it. I ruined my new central vac picking up sheet rock dust and the company said it was not made to pick that up. Vacuums are not made to pick up powder they said. Of coarse if it is an incindental amount I wouldn't worry about the vacuum.

I suggest someone else use the vacuum. Most vacuums do put dust into the air. To minimize that I wonder if you could use a special filter bag- if they have one for your vac. Change the bag before someone vacuums and when you are done.

If you can find noone else to vacuum, that does not have a gluten problem, I say the mask would be a good idea. I might pick it up with gloves and mask and small broom. I might vacuum. I would also rinse off everything used afterward. I would stay out of the room and revacuum several times before I was really happy with it.

I would say, for your information, that I think this is very cautious, and would satisfy me if I had the need.

I

mamaupupup Contributor
mamaupupup
Posted
:) since I am WAY too cautious...I would also wet mop/wet wipe surfaces down and either wash the mop and rags on sanitize or use disposable things like paper towels...
YoloGx Rookie
YoloGx
Posted

I have gotten ill from the dust from sheetrock. If its not cleaned up, its the bad gift that keeps on going. I know since I am a property manager of old cottages that often have needed repair.

If you can either wear a heavy duty mask with goggles or have someone else take a dampened paper towel(s) to pick up the sheetrock granules, and then just throw them away into a plastic bag, then it would reduce the amount that goes into the air from vacuuming.

You can buy vacuum cleaners that put very little dust into the air. I just got one from a used vacuum cleaner place, which reduced the cost to half.

I agree with cleaning the rest of the room. I would use a heavy duty mask while doing it, or have someone else do it.

123glldd Collaborator
123glldd
Posted
  • Author

We live in the basement apartment of my in laws house..they could do it but i would be too paranoid about stuff in the air after. maybe i'll use wet paper towels to pick up the bit that's there and then the VERY small bit after i'll vacuum ...like so small i can't hardly see it lol it's almost behind the bookcase so it's not anything major it was just left from a minor repair. i might be able to do this without the vacuum we'll see. I had cleaned out the floor of our jeep a couple months ago using a dust buster..you know..the hand held things? well we had just bought it and i forgot it just has a compartment..when i opened it some dust came up and i freaked =\ Actually ..maybe that made me ill beginning of august hmmm Either way the thing couldn't pick it all up..was useless so we trashed it anyhow lol

123glldd Collaborator
123glldd
Posted
  • Author

This reminds me...we still have holes in our walls that need repairing..how should we go about this? i know most plasters available out there have gluten..is there a "recipe" to make some at home or anything?

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shadowicewolf Proficient
shadowicewolf
Posted

Not that i'm aware of. I'd just wear a good pair of gloves and have at it with a mask on.

123glldd Collaborator
123glldd
Posted
  • Author

I thought that someone said in another thread i saw that a normal mask isn't good enough when sanding that stuff that you need something that filters? =\ Is there possibly any brand out there gluten free? I don't want to have to worry about it =\ then i also have to worry about clean up after.

flowerqueen Community Regular
flowerqueen
Posted

You need a vacuum cleaner with a good filtration system and even better a HEPA filter and that should do the trick. I would not advise dampening the plaster first, especially with an upright vacuum cleaner as it could damage the mechanics. For added protection use a face mask, you can also buy these with filters (from a DIY store). Of course, it would be better if someone else did the vacuuming for you but even then I would still advise a vacuum cleaner with a good filtration system so the particles are not left in the air, as this kind of dust takes ages to settle.

123glldd Collaborator
123glldd
Posted
  • Author

Naw what i'm saying is the little bit there i can probably get almost all of it with the damp paper towel and any miniscule stuff left could easily be vacuumed and practically unaffected by any damp towel.

Victoria6102 Contributor
Victoria6102
Posted

Sheetrock dust has gluten in it? I went to look at houses with my friends just for fun and we went to one that was in the middle of being built. As we were walking around everything was covered in some sort of dust( Sheetrock, wood...?!) I was obviously breathing it in, I could feel it in my lungs. Later that night my eyes got all swollen and red, itchy and watery. My eczema got really bad and my throat was itching/closing. Thought it was an allergic reaction to the dust, is it possible it was from gluten??!!! I usually have gastric issues, not that kind though.

CeliacShack Rookie
CeliacShack
Posted

Wow! My husband and I have been renovating our home for the past couple years, off and on. I knew I was sensitive/allergic to the dust, but never imagined it was gluten. I just cleaned up some mess after a demo a week or so ago and wore a mask and gloves, but still didn't feel great afterwards.

kittty Contributor
kittty
Posted

I had NO idea there was gluten in sheet rock! :blink: This has been a really eye opening thread.

We live in a 90 year old house, which has plaster and lath instead of sheet rock. Anyone know if old plaster has gluten in it as well?

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

Here are links to other threads:

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

I had NO idea there was gluten in sheet rock! :blink: This has been a really eye opening thread.

We live in a 90 year old house, which has plaster and lath instead of sheet rock. Anyone know if old plaster has gluten in it as well?

I lived in a 130 year old house for 26 years and moved out almost 1 year ago. I did work on that house many times and I had horsehair plaster and sheet rock

all over the place. I am an extremely sensitive, diagnosed Celiac who nearly died from this disease. I hit the wall with Celiac in that house and I recovered well in that house. It was never, ever an issue. Unless you decide to snort it up your nose, and the dry wall does indeed have a gluten component to it, then this should not be a problem for anyone. Not all sheet rock is a problem. It can easily be vacuumed up but if it is a large amount, a wet dry vac would do better.

123glldd Collaborator
123glldd
Posted
  • Author

Ok so since it was a rather small area and just a dusting of the wall plaster i put a bandanna with wax paper underneath it (between my mouth and nose and bandana) for a makeshift mask. wore vinyl powder free gloves and took duct tape and picked it up a bit at a time with that...that worked really well for the majority of it...then anything little left over i vacuumed. it would be such a miniscule amount i have my doubts it would be worrisome. i couldn't see anything anymore. and now the window is open.

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

Ok so since it was a rather small area and just a dusting of the wall plaster i put a bandanna with wax paper underneath it (between my mouth and nose and bandana) for a makeshift mask. wore vinyl powder free gloves and took duct tape and picked it up a bit at a time with that...that worked really well for the majority of it...then anything little left over i vacuumed. it would be such a miniscule amount i have my doubts it would be worrisome. i couldn't see anything anymore. and now the window is open.

That's perfect! Duct tape is just awesome, isn't it? I think Celiac is the only thing duct tape doesn't fix..... :P

123glldd Collaborator
123glldd
Posted
  • Author

That's perfect! Duct tape is just awesome, isn't it? I think Celiac is the only thing duct tape doesn't fix..... :P

I agree! lol You can do practically anything with it!

YoloGx Rookie
YoloGx
Posted

I agree--a vacuum cleaner with a hepa filter is the best. I bought a used refurbished one and its great! However I have also used a shop vac with good success. Thing is though that when you open it up you really need to be suited up with your mask, gloves and a clothes you plan to wash.

You can use the wet paper towel method, and then let it dry before using the vacuum.

Meanwhile I use one of those masks with carbon nozzles and extra cotton filter on the outside for nasty jobs like that. It does work.

As far as plaster goes, you can get the old fashioned kind that is just plaster and I think with a trace amount of corn. You mix it yourself. Again use the mask and gloves when mixing (and mix it outside) just in case there is CC. It does work! Then when it comes to sanding the patch, use the wet sanding method so the dust does not go into the air--and again the mask etc.

I always wash my clothes afterwards again to avoid CC.

Good luck! It should work out fine.

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