Pam,

You have to first get a good idea of where all that dust is coming
from. If it is not from outside and due to some change that was
engendered by the recent construction in the building then you may
just be spreading the same dust around again and again.

First, as many of you well know, you should ALWAYS attempt to remove
all collections and to mask off significant parts of the interior if
construction has to take place within an historic building or museum.
And you should always make the clean up of non-collections surfaces
part of the contract with those doing the construction.

Now, most vacuuams will remove the larger and most visible grime and
lint. However they the smaller dust that can pass through the filter
gets shot right back into the room (Shop Vacs are the biggest
offenders). So I wouyld recommned using a HEPA vacuuam and seeing if
that doesn't knock down your dust problem.

If this dust problem is new or seems unusual or it comes back after
the cleaning then you have to find a source for it. If there is an
HVAC system in the building and this was worked on check that out. I
had the experience of moving into a brand new collections-conservation
building in which fiberglass rained down on us from the HVAC because
the contractor had not properly cleaned the ducts or taped down the
insulation in them. If there is no HVAC then look for what else may be
different - were windows and doors chan ged or worked on? Is there
weather stripping? Did something change in the attic with ventillation
or the basement? Get a complete list of what was done and investigate
all of the possibilities. If there are trees and shrubbery very close
to the building you may be getting a lot of pollen inside the building
- so check that too as a source.

Cheers!
Dave

On 5/7/07, Pamela Silvestri <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> A difficult situation I'm contending with and one that is VERY overwhelming
> for me is having to have our museum cleaned and ready to open for Memorial
> Day weekend. And an open house following on June 9th!
>
> This isn't ordinary cleaning - while I was away part of the winter, some
> renovations were done in the museum. The worker set up shop in the museum -
> table saw, even mixing cement. The renovations are great, the clean up has
> been left to me.
>
> I spent hours cleaning the front office and started cleaning in the back.
> Within days, dust had settled over everything again.
>
> I'm starting to plan for a small cleaning crew I have coming in on the 17th.
> I usually have this help for 2 days, but was told that the crew is needed to
> work on another site for one of these days. Vacuuming is first, followed by
> taking everything off the walls and washing walls and windows. That will
> take the one day I have.
> I pulled some framed photos for a program recently - and had to clean them
> because they were absolutely filthy. Every object is going to have to be
> cleaned.
>
> It looks as though I may have to just go with what I have and will have to
> open the museum before everything is cleaned. The rest I can clean here and
> there throughout the season, but the problem is that the dust keeps settling
> back down on everything.
>
> Does anyone have any helpful hints for cleaning? Especially for getting this
> dust up and out of the building? I have one exhaust fan in the wall at one
> end of the building and no working doors right now (except a separate front
> entrance door) until our new doors for the museum arrive.
>
> Thanks and I welcome your suggestions/advice!
>
> Pam
>
> Pamela Silvestri, Volunteer Assistant Museum Director
> Northeast States Civilian Conservation Corps Museum
> Shenipsit State Forest Headquarters
> 166 Chestnut Hill Road
> Stafford Springs, Connecticut 06076
> Telephone: (860) 684-3430
> e-mail: [log in to unmask] or
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
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