Cleaning spilled powder?

[WhoKnowsWho]

How do you clean powder spilled into a carpet? I'm guessing a electric vaccuum with a nice sparking motor would be a bad idea. Should I get some sort of tarp before I do anything else? I haven't spilled anything yet, but it could happen...

 

[Standing Wolf]

Hey, I did that once!

I was concerned about sparks from the vacuum cleaner's motor, too, so I sprayed the area with a combination of water and ammonia. It's my understanding ammonia breaks down gun powder. I have a few misunderstandings when it comes to chemistry, mind, but I figured water would reduce the likelihood of trouble.

The water made it difficult to vacuum up the powder, but I eventually got it all, and didn't cause it to combust. Now that I'm loading in a garage, spills are easier to contend with.

 

[Mal H]

Good idea, Standing Wolf. Maybe one of the "steamer" type vacuum cleaners. They spray cleaning fluid, or water in this case, on the carpet and then you sweep it up. The powder will never have a chance to pass near the motor.

If at all possible, WhoKnowsWho, see if you can find a reloading area away from a carpet. It can cause all sorts of problems in the future, spilled primers are a bear to find in a carpet, spilled powder as you mentioned, static electricity can really make scales, both electronic and beam balances, do funny things not to mention the sparks it can create.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

This one brings back a C.R.Sam post from TFL regarding primers....

Pretty loud pop.
Can get shrapnel into self.
Possible a bit of burn.

Definately worth wearing safety glasses while messin with em.

When sucked into Oreck vacuum cleaner, fan blows primer, primer knocks high speed fan out of ballance, mini earthquake, Oreck done. Makes wife type nervous too. Both times.

Sam

 

[SodaPop]

Maybe one of the "steamer" type vacuum cleaners. They spray cleaning fluid, or water in this case, on the carpet and then you sweep it up.

That's what I do once a year.

The rest of the time I just use a little wisk broom.

Just take the rug out on the lawn and flap it in the breeze.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Shop vac with the leg of a nylon stocking put over it so that the stocking is actually up inside the tube. Just tape it to the outside of the tube. As the powder is sucked up the nylon catches it before it gets to the motor area.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

The carpet is the cheap "solid" type surface carpet, so primers will still out pretty well.

And I wish I could use another area but this is the spare room and everywhere except the kitchen has carpet. I might end up doing it in the kitchen since I have more light in there too.

But I do like Mike's idea, if the worse happens, I'll do that. I tried sucking water up with a vacuum once, didn't work very well when the bag got wet and started throwing gobs of wet dust goo everywhere! Even though I have the bagless one now...

 

[stevelyn]

A rechargeable hand vac like a "Dustbuster". They have a filter element that traps dirt and dust in the dirt cup and it never passes through the motor.