The morning after Diwali: clearing up properly

Diwali night ends late, but the cleaning should start early the next morning, before children go out to play and before the society sweeper arrives. Burnt cracker waste looks harmless, yet it can still hold a spark or an unlit charge.

Start by looking for duds. These are crackers that were lit but did not go off, usually flower pots, bombs or a section of a garland. Never relight a dud. Pick it up with tongs or a dustpan, drop it into a bucket of water and leave it there for at least an hour. If you counted the items you lit the night before, compare with what remains.

Then collect the sparkler wires. They stay hot for several minutes after burning out, but by morning they are cool, though sharp. Gather them in a metal tin rather than a plastic bag, so they do not poke through. In Lucknow, many scrap dealers take steel wire, so a tin of wires can go with your old newspapers.

Sweep the paper and ash with a stiff broom, wet it lightly first so the dust does not rise, and bag it as dry waste. Hose down the lighting spot, especially if it is near a car park or a drain. Last, wash the buckets of water and sand you kept beside you, and put them back where you can find them next year. It takes a family about twenty minutes, and it is a good job for older children with an adult nearby.