black powder spill carpet

[Sharpie44]

i have a major problem

I'm always very careful with black powder. I keep it in the original container and never take it out until I need it but i had an accident today.

I was going to go to the range and I was filling the powder flask. I went to put the cap on it and it slipped sending the flash to the ground missing the plastic mat I was standing on and duped right into the carpet. There was a lot in there. I cleaned it up and used ductape to get as much of it up as possible. Then i vacuumed for a long time but I'm still finding grains when i look deep in the carpet.

I'm partitioned that my apartment is going to burst into flames. how worried should I be?

 

[Sharpie44]

I'm kinda freaking out about it.

 

[strask]

You might think about steam cleaning the carpet?? That should help draw more of the powder out of the carpet. Beyond that maybe a stronger vacuum like a shop vac?? Be careful of the vaccuum and static etc. that is why I think I would opt for a wet method like a steam cleaner.

 

[misher]

Even Pyrodex says not to use a vacuum...be careful

 

[Stumpkiller]

If the vacuum cleaner missed it there won't be enough to do much harm. In the open it doesn't have much force. Until you concentrate it in some closed container like a vacuum cleaner bag.

Let the dog piss on that spot of carpet a few times and you'll be fine. ;-)

Seriously though, if you get it wet the carbon will likely leach out and may stain the carpet. I'd just vacuum a few more times and forget it.

And don't allow smoking in the living room.

 

[Sharpie44]

well I have a steam vac on hand and i just did that then I said to heck with it and cut up the carpet.

I might be freaking out a little to much. it is flame resistant carpet and it's not very much powder left.

 

[misher]

I guess over the years there must have been tons of it spilled and I can't ever remember hearing of a fire starting from it....But it does pay to be carefull.I would not want to be the one it happens to.

 

[jordanka16]

I have small bits of powder in the carpet where I reload, I get as much of it as i can with a broom, but there is always some left. It's never been a problem, I used to freak out about it, but now I don't. Just don't leave big piles laying on the floor :thumbsup:

 

[Sharpie44]

Thanks I do feel a lot better now. I've never spilled the stuff before.

 

[widget350]

Two words...controlled burn.

Seriously though, blackpowder is hygroscopic, so it's possible if you have much humidity in your apartment, the powder may already have lost much of it's potency. Use the hose attachment on your vacuum if you wish to reduce the chance of static, and empty it when you're done - so you don't have an explosive sucking device sitting around. Using the steam cleaner afterward is not a bad idea. All I can say after that is hopefully you don't have white carpet.

 

[Sharpie44]

Nope brown. i think I'll be ok so long as i can get the chunk I cut out back.

 

[jordanka16]

For what it's worth, I just took a small piece of really old carpet, and touched off about 10 grains of powder on it outside. The only thing it did was make it smell bad, no fire at all.

 

[Semisane]

I wouldn't worry about it in the least. Vacuum up what you can and forget about it. You want problems? I once knocked over a 25 lb. bag on #8 shot onto the hardwood floor of the living room. That damn shot migrated to every part of the house and we were still finding some along the baseboards and in nooks and crannies ten years later.

 

[Billnpatti]

Been there, done that. Mine was #6 shot spilled on the basement floor five years ago. It's still showng up. You recon that stuff multiplies like bugs?

 

[MSW]

i wouldn't get too upset over the urban legend that static will ignite black powder. there's a link floating around here somewhere which pretty much puts the kabosh to that myth.

if you've already cut up a piece of the carpet in order to solve this problem, i'd say you're wasting a perfectly good worry, and we need to save our worries for stuff that's important, but if it makes you fell better, go for it.

 

[Dphar]

Good grief....
Lets see now you drive around in a car with GALLONS of extremely volatile, high energy fluid (more energy per gallon than nitro-glycerin IIRC) sloshing around in the fuel tank that the slightest spark will ignite into a fireball surrounded by others with the same bomb in the tank passing within a few feet of each other at combined speeds of 120-150MPH. Think about the fumes when fueling the car...

A few grains of BP in the carpet are the LEAST of your worries. The most dangerous thing you did was vacuum and that caused no problem.
Having the stuff in a metal flask is more dangerous than having a little in the carpet.
Static will not ignite BP BTW. Been tested.

Answer, pour your powder in the garage over concrete floors. Or switch to vinyl floor covering. Its healthier anyway.

Dan

 

[rafterob]

I have read 2 separate accounts of vacuum cleaners igniting the powder inside the vacuum-both older style uprights. Didn't blow up the vacuums but created a lot of smoke and scared the hell out of the operators.

 

[J.D.]

Good grief....
Lets see now you drive around in a car with GALLONS of extremely volatile, high energy fluid (more energy per gallon than nitro-glycerin IIRC) sloshing around in the fuel tank that the slightest spark will ignite into a fireball surrounded by others with the same bomb in the tank passing within a few feet of each other at combined speeds of 120-150MPH. Think about the fumes when fueling the car...

Now that image will be burned into all the minds of those anxiety ridden folks who read this forum. :wink:

Dang Dan, that post will keep, who knows how many psychologist working with neurotic clients for a loooonnngg time to come. :bow: :rotf: :rotf:

God bless

 

[Zonie]

A person who is really concerned about dumping black powder into the pile of their carpeting should remember that the powder is water soluble.

A little water will remove the salt-peter leaving the sulfur and charcoal, neither of which burn very well.

Rent a carpet cleaning machine and clean the whole rug. It probably needed it anyway. :rotf:

 

[Skychief]

This thread has been a "classic"! Thanks for some really good laughs all !!!