Hi Pam, Thank you for your response.  The insect issue wasn't that bad. The 
people called to get into the office, I said no and that was that.  I never 
thought of the duct work...but not having A/C in the building might help.  
We live in VT so not many buildings have A/C that is good for only 3 months 
out of the year! (we might have a frost here tonight!)
As for the cleaners.  Vinegar is good?  What type of ratio to water do you 
use?

Marielle



**********************
Marielle Fortier
Museum Registrar
Vermont
**********************





>From: Pamela Silvestri <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Cleaning supplies
>Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2005 21:20:16 EDT
>
>
>
>Marielle,
>
>Please take caution when using toxic chemicals (many bug killer sprays are,
>and they often have an oily base) around collections and  surfaces where
>collections are handled, etc. Also remember that fumes can  circulate 
>through
>ventilation ducts -which you seem to be aware of and have  concerns about. 
>When you
>see insect activity - it is best to identify the  species you are dealing
>with, and find a non-toxic solution to eradicate/control  the problem.
>
>If you can't identify the insect - bag it or place it in a container for
>identification (if you have someone who could research this and/or an
>etymologist to consult with). There are poison baits and traps that are 
>less  harmful.,
>etc., to nearby collections.
>
>For small mammals - I use traps for mice, and for chipmunks...a method I
>refer to as 'assisted suicide'. We're not supposed to use decon -because 
>the
>animal can die virtually anywhere and is left to decompose there. I also 
>shy
>away from it because were the poisoned animal to become prey to a fox or  
>cat,
>etc., that animal may become poisoned too.
>
>But I take a bucket of water and lean a slim slab of wood against the  
>bucket
>with -usually peanutbutter on the top. They walk up to the top for the  
>bait
>and flip over into the bucket of water and drown.
>
>So there are methods such as these that can be used to eradicate/control
>pests.
>
>For cleaning solutions - non-toxic cleaners are best and, again, try to  
>stay
>away from sprays/propellants. In the museum where I work...well my
>supervisor buys our cleaning supplies from the dollar store! But, for 
>specific  object
>cleaning (non-invasive) I look for cleaning supplies in supply catalogs,  
>such
>as Gaylord and even then, I research them the best I can. Even though the
>museum I work in is 'rustic', I still try to use proper methods for 
>cleaning,
>etc.
>
>Your #1 cleaning tool - especially for the new facility, will be  a good
>vacuum w/a HEPA filter. Vacuuming will greatly reduce your need to  use 
>cleaning
>solutions. And, I don't know how often you wash/bluff the floors or  what 
>kind
>of flooring is in the new facility - of course never use a broom  or 
>anything
>that may propel dust/dirt in the air. But mopping also  moves quite a bit 
>of
>dirt around. You're better off to vacuum often and 'spot  clean' the floor.
>
>If you are concerned about ammonia-based cleaners - like for the bathroom
>and offices...a squirt bottle with vinegar and water should be ok. Windows 
>- you
>  can even vacuum or dust with an anti-static dust cloth...there are some 
>that
>are  great and commonly sold  - like the 'Cape Cod' brand  - no need to
>polish furniture either...everything sticks to that cloth and they are
>washable/reusable.
>
>All I can think of off the top of my head. And of course you are not being
>supersensitive. Cleaning is an important component of  collections care
>management. Sometimes people ignore this - just because they  don't want to 
>be the
>ones having to clean! But if this is your responsibility  (or one that you 
>have
>taken on - as often can be the case) then you are right to  research and to
>advocate for the proper methods, etc.
>
>I know it can start to feel like you're just being OCD, so all I can say
>about that is to try not to think in terms about being 'sensitive', but 
>rather
>in terms of collections care management. I have had people get upset with 
>me
>when I ask them to not throw/leave food wrappers around - or opened soda
>cans...I have found M&M's on the floor in a collections storage room in  
>another
>museum I worked at.
>
>It is important to make people aware that this is a collection's management
>care policy -and that you're not just nagging. After all it is people and
>their  habits that cause much of what we end up having to clean and why we 
>deal
>with  pest control.
>
>Pam
>
>
>
>In a message dated 9/22/2005 12:13:43 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
>Hello  Fellow Museum-L members,
>I have been lucky so far in keeping Pest control  from spraying bug killer 
>in
>our former director's office where collections  are stored.  I have also 
>kept
>the facilities department at bay from  cleaning our museum's floor with a
>heavy duty floor cleaner and a buffer  machine.  Their question to me for 
>our
>current museum and for our new  building that is currently being built, 
>what
>type of cleaner should be  used near collections? Cleaners for the floor,
>windows, bathroom, offices,  and any other space that facilities might be
>cleaning?  (I am trying  to convince them that I will clean our storage
>rooms.)Am I being super  sensitive or am I doing the right thing?
>
>So the question is what type  of cleaners do other museums use to clean 
>their
>buildings?
>
>Thank  you for your answers.
>
>Marielle
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Pamela Silvestri, Museum Assistant
>Northeast States Civilian  Conservation Corps Museum
>Shenipsit State Forest
>166 Chestnut Hill  Road
>Stafford Springs, Connecticut 06076
>(860)  684-3430
>
>=========================================================
>Important Subscriber Information:
>
>The Museum-L FAQ file is located at 
>http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed 
>information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail 
>message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should 
>read "help" (without the quotes).
>
>If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to 
>[log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff 
>Museum-L" (without the quotes).

_________________________________________________________________
Don’t just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search! 
http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).