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).
|