I understand your concern about the potential mercury exposure from a broken CFL light bulb, especially with small children in the house. While it's essential to take precautions, the risk of harm can be minimized by following specific steps:
Evacuation: If the CFL light bulb broke, it's essential to evacuate the area immediately, especially your small children, and pets if you have any. Take them to another room and ventilate the area well by opening windows and doors.
Safety Measures: Avoid touching the broken glass or the mercury-containing powder with your bare hands. Mercury is a toxic substance, and direct contact should be avoided. You should wear gloves and use disposable materials to clean up the broken bulb.
Cleaning Up: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends using stiff paper or cardboard to carefully scoop up the broken glass and powder. Use tape to pick up any remaining small fragments. Avoid using a vacuum cleaner, as it can spread mercury vapors.
Disposal: Place all the broken materials, including the gloves and cleaning materials, in a sealed plastic bag to prevent further contamination. Check with your local waste disposal authorities about the appropriate way to dispose of the materials.
Ventilation: Continue to ventilate the area for at least several hours after the cleanup to disperse any remaining mercury vapors.
Regarding your stove, as long as the area around it is thoroughly cleaned up and ventilated, you should be able to use it safely. Just ensure that any potential mercury contamination has been addressed before proceeding.
As an extra precaution, you may want to keep your children away from the kitchen until you're confident that the area is safe. If you have any lingering concerns about your children's health, consult a medical professional for advice and peace of mind. Mercury exposure is generally more concerning with prolonged or high-level exposure, but it's still best to be cautious, especially with young children.