The house in this example
- Home
- A 1920s brick bungalow in Berkeley with plaster walls, painted wood trim and oak floors.
- Incident
- Tear gas used in the living and dining rooms during a police action next door, entering through a broken window.
- HVAC
- Forced air, running at the time.
- Concern
- Old paint layers likely to include lead.
Planning the cleanup
Illustrative example. Not a real job or customer.
Illustrative example, not a real incident, home or person. After the window is boarded, the owner hires a provider. The living room and dining room sting, and the bedrooms are milder.
- The provider HEPA vacuums floors, especially the gaps between oak boards, and the plaster texture and trim.
- Walls and trim are washed with mild detergent and soft cloths, without soaking the plaster, and rinsed.
- No sanding or scraping is done; the owner arranges lead-safe practices for repainting the damaged window frame.
- The HVAC contractor replaces the filter and cleans the blower and return duct.
- Curtains and a wool rug are sent to a cleaner told about the exposure.
The rooms were usable after a few days, the original finishes were intact, and the window frame was repaired by a contractor following lead-safe work practices.
Why the approach was gentle
Old plaster absorbs water and can soften or crumble if soaked. Painted trim from the 1920s likely has lead in lower layers, and any sanding or scraping would create hazardous dust on top of the tear gas residue. Vacuuming and gentle washing removed the residue without disturbing those layers.
Bedrooms and the air system
Because the furnace was running during the incident, the bedrooms received residue through the supply registers even though no tear gas was used there. They were vacuumed and wiped too, though less heavily, and the bedding was laundered. Cleaning the blower and return duct before the furnace ran again prevented the residue from being spread back through the house.
Questions this raises for older homes
- Does your home have plaster or original trim that needs gentle cleaning?
- Is there likely lead in older paint layers?
- Was the air system running during the incident?
- Which items should go to a specialist cleaner?
Common questions
Did the plaster need repainting?
Not in this example. Gentle washing was enough; only the damaged window frame was repainted.
Would sanding have helped remove residue?
No. It would have created lead dust and was not needed; residue sits on the surface and in texture, which careful washing reaches.
General information for Berkeley, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.