home Analyzes The thermometer was broken, what should I do at home? Emergency Situations Ministry specialists told us what to do if the thermometer breaks, and what absolutely should not be done. What to do if the thermometer breaks

The thermometer was broken, what should I do at home? Emergency Situations Ministry specialists told us what to do if the thermometer breaks, and what absolutely should not be done. What to do if the thermometer breaks

It is perhaps difficult to find a family whose first aid kit does not have a mercury thermometer. Many people know that this item should be handled very carefully, because a broken thermometer poses a direct threat to health. However, not everyone knows how to eliminate the consequences of such an “accident” and what exactly it threatens. In this article we will try to figure out in detail what to do if the thermometer breaks.

What does a mercury thermometer consist of?

A mercury thermometer has a very simple design, and therefore, of course, its operation is very convenient. Moreover, unlike a digital thermometer, this one has a lower cost and its readings are more accurate.

The device is made in the form of a glass tube, both ends of which are sealed. As a result, an absolute vacuum without air is created in the tube. At one end of this tube there is a reservoir that is filled with mercury.

In addition, in the thermometer it is easy to notice the temperature scale, which has divisions of 0.1 degrees. It is worth noting that the place connecting the reservoir with mercury and the tube narrows, and for this reason the mercury does not move in the opposite direction. Thanks to this design, temperature readings can be maintained after reaching the maximum value.

Touching the skin, the mercury reservoir heats up, which is why the mercury has the opportunity to expand and rise. Having reached the maximum value, mercury stops expanding, freezing at a certain number. Typically, ten minutes or a little less is enough to measure the temperature. Taking into account the fact that the thermometer contains mercury, it must be handled very carefully, in no case allowing it to break.

Before you take any steps to eliminate mercury, find out exactly what it looks like and why it is dangerous.

What mercury looks like from a broken thermometer photo and description

In the photographs presented you can see exactly what the mercury that flows from a broken thermometer looks like. Of course, once you have seen mercury in person at least once, you are unlikely to confuse it with anything else. As you can see, droplets of mercury have a metallic color, and generally resemble droplets of molten metal. From a distance, these droplets can be mistaken for beads. It is worth noting that, despite the fact that mercury is completely harmless (this is especially dangerous if children come across it), its fumes can cause a lot of trouble and seriously undermine health if measures to eliminate it are not taken in a timely manner.

What is its danger to humans?

Mercury– an extremely toxic chemical. By the way, mercury is mainly found in the body due to inhalation of its vapors, which have no odor. Even if the exposure time of mercury is minimal, it can result in serious health problems and poisoning. It has a toxic effect on the digestive system, as well as the nervous and immune systems. Dangerous for kidneys, lungs, eyes, skin.

There are mild mercury poisoning (in the case of food poisoning), severe (due to emergency situations at enterprises or lack of safety precautions). Chronic poisoning also occurs. The latter type increases the risk of tuberculosis and other diseases. The consequences of poisoning can make themselves felt even after a long period (even after 2-3 years).

Please note that acute poisoning can result in loss of vision, baldness, paralysis and even death. Mercury poses a serious threat to women during pregnancy, posing a risk to the development of the baby.

What to do if a thermometer with mercury in an apartment breaks

If a mercury thermometer breaks in your apartment, then, as already noted, you should eliminate the consequences of this trouble. However, it is important to remember that strict safety rules must be followed when collecting mercury.

It is best to collect mercury using a regular syringe. You can also use regular napkins soaked in vegetable oil or newspapers soaked in water - the drops will stick to the paper. The balls will also easily stick to adhesive materials such as tape. Among other options, you can consider another quite simple one: collect mercury on a sheet of paper with a soft brush. During the procedure, pay special attention to baseboards and crevices.

If mercury is on the carpet, under no circumstances should you use a vacuum cleaner or broom! Roll the carpet from the edge to the center so that the balls do not scatter around the room. Wrap the rug in plastic wrap and take it outside. Before hanging it, lay down a film so that the soil is not contaminated with mercury. After this, lightly knock out the carpet. Such a carpet will have to be aired for at least three months, so if possible, it is better to throw it away.

Demercurization, disinfection and ventilation

The room can be cleared of mercury, both by employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and by one’s own efforts. So, before starting this process, which is called demercurization, it is worth starting to ventilate the room by opening all the windows. By the way, the room should be thoroughly ventilated for the next week. Doors to other rooms should be closed during the elimination of mercury so that vapors of the hazardous substance do not spread throughout the apartment. At the same time, a draft should not be allowed so that the balls do not scatter around the room and break into mercury dust, settling on the table, bed, walls, and so on. Before you start cleaning up particles on mercury, you should definitely put on rubber gloves on your hands. Also, don’t forget about shoe covers for your feet (can be replaced with plastic bags). During demercurization, the mouth and nose should be covered with a damp gauze bandage. By the way, even after all drops of mercury visible to the eye have been collected, some microparticles of the substance may still remain in the room. It is for this reason that it is also necessary to carry out disinfection. Wash the floors and walls with a solution of some detergent that contains chlorine. In addition, a solution of potassium permanganate is also suitable.

What to do with the remains of a broken thermometer

If you are convinced that you have completely cleared the room of mercury on your own, and for some reason you cannot call the Emergency Ministry team, then there is another way to get rid of the dangerous substance. Take a jar of mercury, a broken thermometer, the clothes that you were wearing at the time of demercurization (if there is a possibility that mercury got on it), and hand it all over to a special enterprise that disposes of waste containing mercury. If there is no such institution nearby, then the thermometer can be taken to the sanitary and epidemiological station or a state pharmacy, where you will be asked to fill out a special application.

Having collected the substance, place it in a glass jar with water at room temperature along with the remains of the thermometer. The container must be tightly closed with a lid. It is strictly not recommended to throw a jar of mercury into the sewer or water supply system, so as not to pollute the environment. If you did not call the Ministry of Emergency Situations immediately, you should do this after you have collected the toxic substance in a jar. When the team arrives, give them a jar with a thermometer and mercury, as well as all the materials used for demercurization. The responsibilities of the team of medical specialists include mandatory subsequent disinfection of the premises.

Who to call if the mercury thermometer at home is broken

As we have already mentioned, the best option in this unpleasant situation is to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations team. It is possible that you will do something wrong and will not be able to completely remove the remaining toxic substance from your home. In turn, specialists will do everything to ensure that there are no traces of mercury left in the room and that your health is not in danger. Please note that clothing and shoes that have been in contact with a hazardous substance cannot be washed in a washing machine - it is best to throw these things away. Also, under no circumstances should you remove mercury using a broom or vacuum cleaner, despite the fact that these options seem to be the most obvious.

How long does it take for mercury to dissipate?

Even after you eliminate all traces of mercury from your apartment, its fumes will still remain in the room for some time. In order to minimize their negative effects, after removing evaporating sources, it is strongly recommended to thoroughly ventilate the apartment. If you do not have the opportunity to ventilate the entire apartment, you must do this at least directly in the room in which the thermometer broke. If you want to remove vapors that have already accumulated in the air, the room must be ventilated for at least 5-7 hours. If possible, it is better to ventilate the room for at least several days! Over the next week, we recommend treating the surface where the substance was located with a solution of potassium permanganate several times a day.

Also, certain measures should be taken by the person who collected the mercury, if this was not done by the Ministry of Emergency Situations team. To prevent poisoning, you should drink as much fluid as possible, because mercury formations exit through the kidneys. In addition, fresh fruits and vegetables will undoubtedly benefit. If you still feel unwell in the near future, in order to avoid deterioration of your health, you should immediately consult a doctor.

First aid if a child has inhaled mercury vapor

If a thermometer breaks in the house and the child manages to inhale mercury vapor, first aid measures must be taken as soon as possible.

First, carefully examine the child’s hands and hair, and if a toxic substance is found on them, dispose of it immediately. If a child has swallowed mercury balls, immediately call an ambulance, and while it is heading towards you, you need to induce a gag reflex in the child.

The situation is more complicated if the baby managed to swallow fragments - nothing should be done until the doctors arrive. Just put your child on the bed and minimize all his actions.

If mercury gets on his clothes, he should change his clothes immediately. The situation is less critical if the mercury has not had time to get on the child’s skin, hair and clothes - then you just need to take him out of the room. Once outdoors, give him activated charcoal.

Carefully inspect the room to find all the thermometer fragments and drops of toxic metal - you can remove them yourself or call the Ministry of Emergency Situations team for this procedure.

After eliminating the “accident,” drink as much fluid as possible with your child over the next few days.

Even if it seems to you that the baby feels quite normal and the mercury vapor has not affected his well-being, you should still consult a doctor for confirmation!

What not to do if the thermometer breaks

In conclusion, let us summarize what should not be done under any circumstances if a thermometer breaks in the house.

1) First of all, remember that you cannot collect poisonous balls with a vacuum cleaner - it will heat the metal, and this will only speed up the evaporation process. Particles of the substance will settle on the parts of the device, and it will become a hotbed for the spread of toxic fumes - as a result, it will definitely need to be disposed of.

2) Do not sweep the mercury with a broom, because the drops will split into even smaller ones and will be much more difficult to find.

3) It is forbidden to collect mercury balls with a rag - this will increase the area affected by the substance.

4) After collecting toxic droplets, do not throw them into the garbage disposal - it will be impossible to get rid of them, and in the end it will not only be you who will suffer.

5) Do not create a draft in the room until the mercury is completely eliminated, otherwise the balls will separate into microscopic particles and end up on the walls or furniture.

6) If you have even the slightest suspicion that a toxic substance has ended up on your things, it is forbidden to wash them in a washing machine - mercury may remain on its parts. We recommend simply throwing away these clothes - it’s probably easier than later getting rid of the washing machine.

Which of us has never had a thermometer slip out of our hands? And who knew exactly what to do at home if the mercury thermometer broke? Unfortunately, in such an extreme situation, many make a lot of mistakes - but mercury is not only dangerous, it can be fatal to humans.

Mercury is a chemical element that has certain properties. In fact, it is a cumulative poison that evaporates if it is in a warm room. Therefore, if a mercury thermometer breaks at home, everyone should know what to do to protect themselves and loved ones from serious poisoning.

If the thermometer breaks, then the mercury contained in it is enough to fill approximately 100 mg per cubic meter. That is, its quantity will be more than 300 thousand times higher than the permissible norm for residential premises. However, by ventilating the apartment, the risk is significantly reduced. In addition, in order for mercury to completely evaporate, an extremely high temperature is needed. Therefore, if mercury is not removed, its concentration will be exceeded “only” 100 times.

Mercury vapor is toxic, poisoning occurs unnoticed

Mercury vapor poisoning is not noticeable at first, but that makes it even more scary. Mercury accumulates in the body, after which it begins to cause serious disruptions in the functioning of various systems: nervous, immune, digestive, and also negatively affects the kidneys, eyes, and skin. There are many videos that clearly demonstrate how harmful mercury poisoning can affect the human body.

Direct contact with mercury could have occurred several years ago, and the consequences appear only now, when it is no longer possible to trace the connection between the disease and its cause.

How to protect yourself

Despite the fact that everyone knows about the dangerous properties of mercury, thermometers periodically slip out of their hands and break. This is due not only to careless handling of a potentially dangerous object, but also to simple inattention. To prevent this from happening, you must use the thermometer with caution, following the following rules:

The thermometer can only be used by people with good coordination, in a sober, conscious state. That is, it should not be given to children, the elderly, or people under the influence of any drugs or alcohol. When measuring the temperature of such categories of people, you need to constantly be nearby and monitor the situation.
The thermometer must be stored in a special case or container, out of the reach of children.
When you need to shake the thermometer to return the mercury to its original position, you can do this only with dry hands, away from hard objects, preferably even over a soft surface - a bed, a sofa.

Store the thermometer in a special protective case

The thermometer broke

What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks in an apartment or any other residential area?

First of all, don’t panic, take all household members out of the room and ventilate the room (but without drafts - you need to close other windows in the house). If it’s warmer outside than in the apartment, warm air will only worsen the situation, which means you can’t open the windows.

Small balls of mercury easily get into hard-to-reach places

Mercury tends to stick to surfaces, so stepping on it is strictly prohibited. Protect all exposed surfaces of your body - with gloves, shoes, gauze bandages. In this case, the clothes will then have to be handed over to specialists, which means choose as a working option something that you don’t mind throwing away.

Once on any surface, mercury turns into tiny balls, which can be divided into even smaller ones. You can collect them using such improvised means as:

rubber bulb;
two sheets of paper;
plaster or tape;
wet cotton wool or newspaper.

Carefully collect mercury from all crevices using a syringe or rubber bulb; even a small drop of mercury remaining in the room can subsequently cause a serious illness. If it seems to you that the silver balls have rolled behind the baseboard or into other hard-to-reach places, do not be lazy to check if this is so - remove the baseboard, lift the linoleum, move the cabinet. Often it is a drop of mercury, lost in a crack on the sofa or under the baseboard, that can literally poison life for many years. Don’t rely on chance, double-check everything even several times, because health is more valuable.

The process of removing mercury droplets with a syringe

If you had to remove the mercury for more than a few minutes, leave the room and breathe some air near the open window. When the collection is complete, drink activated carbon or another adsorbent. Try to drink more fluids to immediately remove mercury from your body.

If a mercury thermometer breaks at home, you cannot do without the help of the Ministry of Emergency Situations - only specialists know what to do with mercury, how to neutralize it correctly, to whom you will hand over the jar with the toxic contents. To call rescuers, call “01”.

A visual sequence of actions if your mercury thermometer breaks

The area where the mercury spilled must be treated with a special solution:

We make a dark brown, saturated solution of potassium permanganate, add salt (a tablespoon per liter) and an acid (for example, vinegar, citric acid). Be sure to wear gloves and use a brush or brush to treat the entire surface where the mercury has spilled (do not forget about the cracks). The solution should remain in this place for 7 hours, and this surface should be periodically moistened with water. Keep in mind that after such a “cocktail”, after 7-8 hours you need to treat the surface with a soap-soda solution to wash off the reaction products (add about 50 g of soda and 40 g of soap per liter of water). Over the next few days, the procedure must be repeated, leaving the potassium permanganate solution on the surface for only one hour.

There is a second option to neutralize the effects of mercury. Pour “Whiteness” bleach into a plastic bucket (in a ratio of 1:8 – one part “Whiteness”, 8 parts water). Rinse the hazardous surface with this solution and rinse off with water after 15 minutes. Then prepare a solution of potassium permanganate in the same proportion and now treat the area of contamination with it. In the following days, continue to wash the room with bleach and try to ventilate it as often as possible. If a solution or sponge becomes contaminated with mercury during processing, they are also handed over to specialists.

Positive reviews about these demercurization methods are based on the fact that if a mercury thermometer breaks at home, everything must be done to prevent the spread of mercury vapor throughout the apartment and throughout the house.

Precautions when collecting mercury

Due to certain properties of mercury, when collecting it, precautions must be taken to prevent further spread of the toxic metal.

When cleaning mercury, you should wear protective gloves.

What not to do:

You cannot use a garbage chute or sewer to dispose of a broken thermometer and collected mercury, and do not throw away rags, sponges or any other means with which you collected mercury - all this must be handed over to a specialized team;
A broom is no help in the fight against mercury! Its rods will simply break the poisonous droplets into even smaller ones - and therefore it is better to use a brush;
You also cannot collect mercury balls with a vacuum cleaner - firstly, due to the air being blown, the poison will begin to evaporate faster, and secondly, the mercury will settle on the hose;
It is strictly forbidden to wash clothes in which you have collected toxic metal in a washing machine;
If a mercury thermometer breaks on the carpet at home, it will be difficult to clean it yourself, which means it is better to contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations or other specialized services.

Knowing what to do if a mercury thermometer breaks at home, you will be able to prevent serious illnesses through your actions.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

Mercury poisoning can be either acute or chronic. If a person has inhaled mercury vapor from a mercury thermometer that has broken at home, advice on what to do in this situation will only help if symptoms such as weakness, a metallic taste in the mouth, discomfort when swallowing food, and weak appetite are identified. Also, a person poisoned by mercury vapor may feel sick or vomit.

If you miss these first signs, the symptoms may intensify to the point of bleeding gums and loose, bloody stools.

If you notice such symptoms, you should immediately call an ambulance, as severe mercury vapor poisoning can be fatal. The greatest danger from inhaling mercury is for children and pregnant women. A weakened and unformed body is not able to withstand contact with silver poison.

The main symptoms of mercury vapor intoxication

As mentioned above, symptoms of mercury poisoning may not appear immediately after contact with the poison, but after many months and even years. If mercury was not found or it was not removed well enough in rooms where people are often present, then gradually its concentration in the body will exceed the permissible limit and poisoning will begin.

Due to chronic mercury vapor poisoning, a person’s risk of various diseases increases significantly; this is especially dangerous for women, since it affects the reproductive system.

If you have any concerns that mercury poisoning has occurred, be sure to call an ambulance, and before it arrives, try to drink as much fluid as possible. Talk to your doctor by phone about what absorbent medicine you can take while you wait for an ambulance.

The safety and health of every person is primarily in his hands. Often - in the most literal sense. When using not only a thermometer, but also any medications, we must remember that they can save us, or they can kill us. Therefore, take your treatment seriously. Caution is never too much when it comes to life and health. Despite the fact that a mercury thermometer is a common item in every home, it can cause mortal danger.

And remember that by taking care of the proper disposal of mercury, you are helping to protect not only yourself and your family from illness, but also hundreds of people who live in your apartment building. Therefore, treat what happened with full responsibility.

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When my child broke a mercury thermometer, I realized that I didn’t know what to do or how to do the right thing. Great, I know that this metal in the air is poison, but how to properly collect mercury balls has already been completely forgotten since Life Safety lessons.

And I believe that every family should know the correct actions from the moment of protecting themselves from poisoning to disposal.

Mercury is a first class toxin, and the greatest harm from it occurs when inhaling the vapors!

It evaporates at temperatures above 18 degrees.

Under no circumstances should the balls be collected with a broom or vacuum cleaner. When collected with a broom, the mercury begins to be broken into smaller pieces by the hard bristles; as a result, evaporation occurs faster and it is very difficult to remove the smallest particles. The dangerous metal is rubbed into the carpet and lodged in the bristles.

When collected with a vacuum cleaner, it will begin to actively evaporate, i.e. you suck it up with a vacuum cleaner, it will begin to be thrown out through the return filtration system and enter the air in tiny particles. Moreover, the vacuum cleaner heats up during operation, thereby heating up the mercury. You can create a toxic mixture in the air.

You need to start collecting balls with simple steps.

The first step is to remove children and other adults from the room. You can open the window, but on condition that there is no draft!

The second step is to protect ourselves from vapor poisoning. We put plastic bags on shoes and socks. Wear rubber household gloves on your hands.

You need to protect your respiratory organs: take gauze and a disposable mask. We roll the gauze into several layers and put it into the mask. And this bandage must be wet. If there is nothing, then wet and tie a towel or diaper around the airways. This way you will be safer from toxins.

The third step is to prevent the mercury from spreading throughout the room. Try to enclose the balls with a damp cloth folded into a rope so that they do not spread throughout the apartment.

Fourth step, collect the balls. You can do this with tape, a medical plaster, or, in extreme cases, two sheets of paper. You can also use a rubber bulb or syringe.

We put the stuck balls together with the tape into a jar of water (solution) and seal it tightly.

It is better to use a chlorine-containing solution or a soda solution, they are neutralizing.

Solution recipe: 1 liter of boiled water, 40 g of laundry soap, 50 g of soda.

You need to disinfect the surface after you have collected all the balls. To do this, treat the area where the mercury comes into contact with the floor with a chlorine-containing solution. Simply wet the cloth and place it on the floor in the desired location. We hold for an hour. After this, we treat the area with soapy water and do a wet cleaning of the room.

According to the law, the collected metal must be handed over to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. It is advisable to also hand in the clothes you wore during cleaning, gloves and everything you were wearing.

Under no circumstances should we throw it into the water or sewer, bury it in the ground, or put it in the refrigerator!

If mercury gets on the carpet, it is advisable to remove it from the apartment. After collection, the carpet must be ventilated for up to 3 months.

If you have small children, keep this reminder.

What are the possible health consequences?

Naturally, if the room temperature is higher, the mercury will evaporate faster. Therefore, if the balls have rolled under the battery, you need to start collecting it from there first.

Two grams contained in a thermometer are enough to poison 6,000 cubic meters of air.

Signs of mercury poisoning:

Nausea,
headache,
cramps,
increased fatigue,
metallic taste in the mouth,
irritability,
irregular twitching of the eyelids and fingers.

If symptoms are severe, consult a doctor!

What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks? This is the most important question that those who prefer to use this device have to face at least once in their lives. Mercury vapor is very harmful to the body and can cause serious illness.

To understand this issue, you must first become familiar with the operating principle of this device and how to use it correctly.

The thermometer consists of a capillary tube in which there is no air. It is hermetically sealed on both sides. At one end of the tube there is a container with mercury.

A capillary tube with mercury is attached to a bar with a printed scale. The scale values range from 32 to 42 ºС. Each degree is divided in turn into another 10 divisions for more accurate measurements. One mark is equal to 0.1 ºС.

A medical thermometer differs from a conventional thermometer, which measures the ambient temperature, in that the movement of mercury in the opposite direction is difficult. This occurs due to a narrowed channel that connects the capillary tube to the mercury reservoir.

First, the patient’s temperature is measured with a thermometer: the mercury heats up, expands and rises through the tube, showing the maximum value. After stopping the measurement procedure, the mercury in the thermometer remains below its maximum value for a long time. This property of the thermometer is very convenient for monitoring the patient’s condition until the doctor arrives.

To “return the mercury” to its original position, just shake the thermometer vigorously several times. But this must be done carefully so as not to drop the fragile instrument..

Advantages of a mercury thermometer:

It is more accurate, unlike its modern counterparts.
Practically does not respond to changes in environmental conditions. That is, under any conditions, a mercury instrument will show the most objective indicator of the temperature of the human body.
It can be easily disinfected by dipping it in a special solution that is used by medical institutions.
The reasonable price makes it accessible to a wide range of consumers.

Disadvantages of a medical thermometer:

Measures temperature for a long time: about 7-10 minutes.
Mercury poisoning from breaking a thermometer. The thermometer has a very thin glass shell, which easily loses its integrity when it hits the floor.

Before using the thermometer, shake it well so that the mercury liquid returns to its original position.
Keep the thermometer on your body for at least 10 minutes.
After each use, the device should be disinfected, but not with hot water. To do this, you can wipe it with a cotton swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide.
Do not leave a fragile item without its case.
Don't fall asleep with him.
Do not give to children.

Advice: If there is a small child living at home who, through negligence, can break a fragile device, then it is better to purchase an electronic instrument for measuring temperature.

A mercury thermometer has broken - what to do?

So, the biggest disadvantage of this home appliance is the loss of its integral structure. If a thermometer is broken, what should you do? Droplets of mercury should be collected as quickly as possible and the room should be disinfected. But this must also be done correctly, since mercury has its own specific properties.

Why is mercury and its vapor dangerous?

Mercury is a silvery liquid with a metallic tint. It begins to evaporate already at a temperature of +18 ºС. Mercury is a metal that begins to melt at a temperature of -38.9 ºС. It is traditionally believed that metals are solids with a very high melting point.

If a thermometer breaks in an apartment, the silvery liquid that was inside it disintegrates on the surface in the form of small balls. At the same time, these microparticles can get into the carpet pile, sofa upholstery, under the bed, on children's toys, in the crevices of baseboards and furniture.

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Then these droplets will begin to evaporate at room temperature and enter the air that households breathe. Excess mercury in the body can lead to the following diseases:

headache;
gastrointestinal disorder;
disorder in the functioning of the kidneys;
stomatitis;
anemia;
dermatitis;
increased heart rate;
blurred vision;
neuroses;
convulsions.

So, to the question: “the thermometer broke, is it dangerous?”, you can answer this way:

Mercury is hazardous to health in large quantities. Even if a person does not immediately feel a deterioration in his condition, then later the evaporating mercury will make itself felt.
It is especially dangerous for pregnant women and children to breathe mercury vapor.

Thus, it is necessary to eliminate the broken thermometer as quickly as possible and collect droplets of silvery liquid.

What to do with a broken thermometer

First steps if the thermometer breaks:

All household members, including animals, must leave the premises. At the time of cleaning the apartment, no one should be at home.
Close tightly the room where the device fell and open all windows. But drafts in this case are unacceptable.
To eliminate traces of a broken thermometer, you need special equipment: rubber gloves and a cotton-gauze bandage. The mask should be moistened in a solution of water and soda. If you have a respirator, you can use it.
It is necessary to prepare a flashlight or lamp to provide good illumination of the scene of the incident.
Put shoe covers or plastic bags on your feet so you can throw them away later.
First, remove the fragments of the thermometer, and then proceed to the mercury.

How to collect mercury from a thermometer:

You can’t just throw silver balls into a bucket, so you need to prepare a glass jar with water. Water will prevent the mercury from evaporating and spreading through the air.

All tools that were involved in cleaning up the toxic liquid are wrapped tightly in a plastic bag and then taken out of the apartment to the trash. The jar of water in which the mercury was collected is also tightly closed and handed over to the Ministry of Emergency Situations employees.

Stages of cleaning a broken thermometer

As soon as all the tools for cleaning the thermometer have been prepared and the first steps have been taken, you can begin cleaning the room. This process is divided into the following stages:

demercurization – removal of mercury globules;
chemical demercurization – disinfection of the premises;
calling the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Stage No. 1: remove metal balls from all objects in the apartment

First of all, it is necessary to conduct a thorough inspection of all surfaces and objects in the apartment. It should be noted that mercury material is very fine and can roll into the most inaccessible places: under the bed, between cabinets, into the carpet. Therefore, for inspection you need to use a bright flashlight.

If affected items can be thrown away, it is better to get rid of them. This applies to clothes and toys. If items contaminated with mercury cannot be thrown away, then they should be taken outside or onto the balcony so that they are cleared of toxic fumes.

When inspecting the floor, the affected areas should be marked (circled with a pencil) so as not to accidentally step on mercury. After all, the metal balls will remain unnoticeably on the shoes and begin to evaporate.

Large drops are collected first so that they are not separated into small fractions. To do this, take a thick sheet of paper and bend it in half in the form of a scoop. Next, take a copper plate (knitting needle, needle, syringe) and collect balls with this object onto a sheet of paper.
The drops are moved into one pile so that they are reunited into one whole piece.
Small balls can be collected onto a patch.
To get mercury liquid out of the cracks of furniture, take a cotton swab and dip it in a solution of potassium permanganate. This stick is used to get mercury in hard-to-reach places.
If the cracks are very tight, then in this case you can use a syringe with a thick needle.
You can collect drops from the carpet with a syringe. Drops of it are sucked out of the thick pile, and the syringe itself is wrapped in a plastic bag and thrown away. The carpet itself should be taken out into the fresh air so that all traces of harmful metal evaporate from it.
The collected particles are placed in a glass jar. Band-aids and cotton swabs are also placed there. The jar is tightly closed and then handed over to the Ministry of Emergency Situations employees.

Demercurization may take several hours. In order not to be poisoned by harmful fumes, you need to go out into the fresh air every 15 minutes, and carry out work in a cotton-gauze bandage or a respirator.

What not to do if the thermometer breaks:

Touch the mercury balls with your bare hands.
Collect crushed metal with a magnet. Mercury is diamagnetic, meaning it has a very weak magnetic field. It will not be attracted to the magnet, but rather, on the contrary, repelled from it.
Remove metal balls using a magnet and a vacuum cleaner. When a vacuum cleaner blows air, it can release mercury back into the air. In addition, mercury heated by a vacuum cleaner will begin to evaporate intensively into the air. It will no longer be possible to remove mercury from a vacuum cleaner; the household appliance will only have to be thrown away.
You should also not use a broom to remove toxic particles. Hard rods will crush the mercury balls even more, which will evaporate faster and settle on the lungs.
Throw away the remaining mercury thermometer down the drain and into the trash. Silver liquid in a volume of 2 grams can pollute 6000 cubic meters of air.
Items that were involved in eliminating traces of the accident cannot be washed. It's better to throw them away.

Stage No. 2: carry out chemical disinfection

This requires chemicals that have disinfectant properties and contain chlorine molecules. The simplest substance in this case may be ordinary potassium permanganate, which is found in the first aid kit of every apartment.

To prepare the solution, you need to add several crystals of calcium permanganate into a jar of water until the liquid turns dark brown. Next, add 1 tablespoon of table salt to 1 liter of water, and the same amount of vinegar, as well as a pinch of citric acid. Everything should be mixed thoroughly.

Wearing rubber gloves, disinfect the room:

Using a soft cloth soaked in the prepared solution, wipe all places where mercury could get in: the floor, furniture. Particular attention should be paid to cracks and corners.
The applied solution is left on the surface for 8 hours. After this, wipe the floor and all surfaces with plain clean water.
Next, do wet cleaning using conventional cleaning products.
The apartment is cleaned daily during the week. This is the only way to finally get rid of traces of the incident.

Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use ferric chloride. Make a 20% solution and wipe all objects with it.

A good alternative to disinfection is regular bleach.. For 5 liters of water take 1 liter of bleach. This liquid is used to wash the floor, baseboards and walls. After 20 minutes, the chlorine solution is washed off with plain water and aired without drafts. There is no need to overcool the room, as this will make the mercury evaporate worse.

However, you cannot wipe laminate and wallpaper with bleach - this can ruin the material. Bleach is used mainly in medical and government institutions: hospitals, kindergartens, schools.

Stage No. 3: what to do after eliminating a broken thermometer

When the apartment is cleaned and ventilated, the last steps should be taken:

Contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations by calling 101 and give their employees a jar containing the collected poison.
If there are still suspicions that mercury balls are left somewhere in the apartment, then you need to call the employees of the sanitary and epidemiological station, who have special devices that determine the level of harmful vapors. There are special centers that deal with the disposal of mercury and the remains of a broken thermometer.
After the incident, mercury in small doses, one way or another, enters our body. Therefore, you need to drink more liquid: juices, water, compote, tea, in order to remove harmful substances from the body.

It should be noted that there are cases when a small child swallows mercury from a broken thermometer. This comes as a shock to many mothers. But it's in vain!

Mercury drops that enter the body are not absorbed by the intestines, but are excreted along with feces. Much more dangerous than mercury vapor, which affects the lungs. But in this case, you must definitely seek medical help from a specialist..

How long does it take for mercury to disappear if a thermometer breaks in an apartment? The remaining mercury evaporates within a few hours. However, the room where the thermometer crashed must be ventilated for at least a day, without people or animals being there.

If the thermometer breaks at home, it’s not a problem. The necessary knowledge and proper cleaning will rid the room of harmful fumes and eliminate all signs of danger.