[alan_t]

best way to clean them?
i have lead strips on my windows, so a pain to clean.

[Davindo Cleana]

personally; wet cloth/dry cloth

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

damp scrim followed by dry scrim
jay

[tomtommy]

Wet and dry scrim
BUT - you should ALWAYS use rubber gloves - the lead will get into your blood stream and over years WILL kill you.
Not trying to scare you - this is fact
Tom

[dave_carroll]

Alan,
          you the guy from Staffs uni?

[Ian_Giles]

I somehow don't think you are going to absorb sufficient lead to do you any harm whatsoever.
You simply won't be in contact with enough of it for long enough periods of time.

Sorry can't believe that fact, I've known plumbers handling the stuff very directly and in large quantities for years without any problems whatsoever.

As to cleaning leaded windows, I'm WFP now but prior to that I would use a sprayer with one of the cheap solutions in them (Tesco do a good own brand one, as do Wilkinson) a quick mist and buff clean with a scrim....Though now I would use the large Unger microfibre cloth as they are far better than scrim for this type of work. (Haven't used other makes, so I'm not saying the Unger ones are the best out there!)

Regards,

Ian

[AuRavelling79]

I'm with Ian on this - I used to work at a lead and zinc smelting works and those working in the plants had to have monthly blood tests for zinc, lead and cadmium levels. Lead and zinc would disappear from the body over time but cadmium would stay.

As the lead/blood level crept up to the allowed limit you were put on duties that exposed you less and the levels dropped away.

So I think that lead from leaded lights ain't gonna harm you unless you lick it clean!

[dai]

They are selling micro fibre pads in disscount stores and motorists shops at a quid each. They have applicator matererial on one side and a mesh on the other, they have a sponge pad inside them. I find them great for doing leads. Just dip them in your bucket and sqeeze them out. Follow up with your scrim. These pads are also great as a mini applicator for doing small openers. Using a 6" blade they don't leave enough water on to drip down onto the glass below. Dai

[Ray Pickering]

Hi Alan.

I'm with Ian.

Damp scrim--but buff with microfibre--buff with scrim & it leaves
tiny fibres remaining on the glass.

Ray.

[rosskesava]

Hi

I'm also with Ian.

Lead if ingested over a long period is a problem which is why lead water pipes are illegal. (And lead based paints etc)

That is also why lead in petrol to stop 'pinking' is long gone. It was absorbed through the lungs but forget benzine etc and just worry about smokers and passive smoking but what gets churned out of car exhausts - that don't matter and sorry to go on my soap box.......

Lead is quite hard to absorb through the skin as it is very stable.

As for cleaning leaded windows, in the summer I mop them, or use a damp scrim, and buff them dry with a microfibre and in winter I use Nilsglass.

Cheers