The Most Contaminated Surfaces After Cooking or Smoking Meth
Author : Pradip Naskar | Published On : 19 Dec 2023
Meth or Methamphetamine, a stimulant, is made using over-the-counter chemicals such as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine which are generally used in cold medicines. Created by cooking and consumed by snorting, injecting, smoking, and swallowing, this dangerous drug is toxic and produces a long-lasting residue, which necessitates proper cleaning and decontamination.
Where does meth settle?
When cooking or smoking meth, VOCs and other airborne residues settle on various surfaces. By smoking, one inhales around 67% of meth, while 33% of it lingers in their surroundings. This lingering smoke is absorbed by flooring, walls, carpets, upholstery, other fabrics, countertops, etc. When surfaces contaminated with residue get disturbed, they disperse in their surroundings again.
When meth is cooked, toxic vapors containing ammonia, lithium, ether, pseudoephedrine, and acetone are released and absorbed into one's surroundings. Contamination also occurs through spills and cross-contamination, among other methods.
What makes meth dangerous?
Exposure to even small amounts of meth whether direct or secondary is dangerous. Short-term exposure causes rapid or irregular breathing and heartbeat, while long-term exposure risks include heart attack, stroke, and even death causing blood pressure and lasting brain and heart damage.
How does biohazard cleanup help?
Any space where meth has been cooked or smoked will remain contaminated until a biohazard cleanup company has properly decontaminated it. In Pennsylvania, the most reliable company is PENNSYLVANIACLEANIT. Apart from offering the best crime scene cleanup Indiana PA citizens have ever experienced, they accomplish the best biohazard cleanup Indiana has ever known.
If you suspect or know your home was contaminated by vapors or smoke of meth, it is best to contact these trained and licensed professionals at the earliest. They have extensive training and experience in tackling a wide variety of biohazards. Hence, they follow mandated rules and regulations, wear all necessary PPE, use industrial-grade cleaning agents and tools, and know how to dispose of different biohazard substances.
Only they can keep you and themselves safe during and after biohazard cleaning. They examine and determine the extent of damage, help file insurance claims, and then decontaminate and restore your home to transform it into a haven.
Conclusion
Simple dusting and wiping down surfaces using traditional cleaners and methods does not decontaminate surfaces but may disturb traces of settled residue and consequently increase exposure risks. To keep you and your family safe, we recommend employing the comprehensive cleaning services of an expert professional team.
