John writes
An exterminator used large amounts of Delta Dust in a wall space to exterminate a large beehive that extended from floor to ceiling between two studs. Now we need to clean out the honey and the hive. The only access is from the interior living space. How should we safely remove/cleanup the Delta Dust and remaining hive/honey without introducing the Delta Dust into the air in the living space or upon interior surfaces.
According to the SDS (safety data sheet) for the Delta Dust in regards to clean up: “Avoid dust formation. Sweep up or vacuum up spillage and collect in suitable container for disposal.” If the dust application is extremely heavy, you may find using a ShopVac is needed as a traditional home vacuum could possibly clog if the application is thick. We recommend wearing a mask to protect against any particles that may fly into the air during cleaning. Wash off any that gets on your skin with soap and water, and toss clothes in a washer when done if chemical drifted on those surfaces. We reached out to the manufacturer directly for suggestions, and the following information is what they provided. Please see below for best recommendation Expose the entire area where the dust was applied. Carefully remove any insulation in the treatment area; if the dust is present on/in the insulation, lightly spray the contaminated surface of the insulation with water to trap the dust and prevent it from becoming airborne. Using plastic trash bags, bag all contaminated insulation immediately and seal the bags before moving/removing them from the house. Vacuum the area with a HEPA filter-equipped vacuum. Try to remove as much dust as possible. Spray a water-diluted soap/detergent solution over the area, including all of the comb. You are trying to trap any residual dust in the treatment area on the structural wood and the comb and keep it from becoming airborne during the comb removal. Do not soak the site or allow the solution to run from the treatment area. Remove the comb while the site is still wet. Dispose as directed above for the insulation. Spray the empty treatment site with the water-diluted soap/detergent solution and wipe the space with cloths. Dispose of the cloths in plastic trash bags immediately. Allow the treatment site to dry thoroughly before re-installing insulation and drywall replacement.
Answer last updated on: 12/02/2021
