How to Test Lead Paint on Old Wood
- 1). Hold a utility knife at an angle that is parallel to the painted surface.
- 2). Slip the blade under the paint to peel back the paint layers.
- 3). Pull a paint chip free of the painted surface. Place the paint into a plastic bag.
- 4). Clean the exposed surface to remove any dust or old grime with a cleaning swab from the lead paint kit.
- 5). Pull out a testing swab from the packet that it is sealed in. A testing swab will be saturated with a chemical that changes color in the presence of lead. Swab the exposed surface where you pulled the chip of paint away with the testing swab from the kit. The swab will change colors in the presence of lead.
- 6). Take the paint chip in the plastic bag to a laboratory that specializes in testing for lead-based paint. The EPA recommends use of a lab for detecting lead-based paint rather than relying solely on the results made by a home-based test kit.