How To Test Your Bathtub For Lead

Heather Dessinger

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how to test bathtub for lead

I vetted my rubber ducky’s lifeguard certification before I put him in the tub with my kiddos. Okay, not really, but as a mama I have tried to make bathtime safe. Filter to remove nasties like chlorine and heavy metals? Check! Homemade non-toxic shampoo and soap? Yep, that too.

I’d considered everything I put in the tub, but what about the tub itself?

Over the weekend a Dallas Morning News article popped up on my Facebook feed about Laura Rudeseal and her family. I immediately recognized her as one of the amazing mama’s I’ve gotten to know through this community and reached out to her to clarify some things that weren’t covered in the article.

She graciously made time to share some incredibly important info with us – thank you Laura! Here’s her story:

Earlier this year, blood tests revealed that Laura’s two small children – two-yearold Trevor and six-year-old Kassidy – had elevated levels of lead in their system. She searched for the source with no luck, so she hired an expert to come do a little detective work. After eliminating the usual suspects – door frames, windowsills, walls, etc. – he headed straight for the . . . bathroom?

Yep. Though few parents know about it, one study found that 64% of tubs tested had leachable lead on at the surface. (source) According to the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, “it has been determined that about 75% of pre-1978 bathtubs have lead in their glaze and that about 40% of these tubs will have measurable levels of lead dust when dust samples are collected from the surface of the glaze.” (FHCO)

Lead Poisoning Leads To Lowered IQ, Learning Disabilities, & Impaired Growth

According to the National Safety Council, “All it takes is the lead dust equivalent of a single grain of salt for a child to register an elevated blood lead level.” (NSC) Children under the age of six are especially vulnerable to the effects of lead exposure because their brains and central nervous systems are still developing.

“Tests in August showed Trevor and Kassidy had lead levels of 4.4 and 4.5,” wrote the Dallas Morning News, adding that “A blood lead level of less than 5 in children can cause decreased academic achievement and a lowered IQ as well as problem behaviors and attention deficit disorders. Blood lead levels less than 10 in children have been linked to delayed puberty, decreased IQ and decreased hearing.” (emphasis mine)

Here’s another article that goes into more depth on the connection between lead exposure and attention:

“There is also plenty of evidence that lead may have some causal effect in relation to ADHD. One author of a previous study states:

Similar to the effects observed in children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), experimental animals exposed to lead (Pb) exhibit behaviors attributed to “impulsivity” and ‘inability to inhibit inappropriate responding.'” (Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1998 Jun;60(2):545-52)

Another study examined the lead concentrations in children’s hair samples and compared them to attention-deficit behaviors. The authors state:

The striking dose-response relationship between levels of lead and negative teacher ratings remained significant… An even stronger relationship existed between physician-diagnosed attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and hair lead… There was no apparent ‘safe’ threshold for lead. Scalp hair should be considered a useful clinical and epidemiologic approach for the measurement of chronic low-level lead exposure in children. (Arch Environ Health 1996 May-Jun;51(3):214-20).

Making the possibility of lead poisoning even worse are the studies showing that fluoridated water supplies can increase children’s absorption of lead, and, when lead is introduced into your body in sufficient quantities, it displaces zinc, which disrupts brain cell growth.” (source)

I have to say, I am so amazed that Laura followed her instincts and had her kids tested. Who knows what kind of potential problems she prevented by acting as soon as she had suspicions!

Is Laura’s experience an isolated one?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Last year it was discovered that a Richmond, VA toddler was being slowly poisoned by his bathtub, and in 2010 Good Morning America reported on a family that spent $15K removing lead-based paint from their home only to find that their children’s blood still measured dangerous levels. The problem turned out to be the tub. (NBC, LeadCheck)

How many more cases are out there? Experts say that there are often no obvious symptoms of lead poisoning and the effects can take years to show up. The only reliable way to determine exposure levels is through a blood test.

So, Where Is The Lead Coming From?

The lead found in porcelain enamel glazes is usually intentionally added as a bonding or pigmenting agent. When the glaze cracks/chips or begins to wear thin due to use, the lead leaches into bathwater. This particular type of lead is not easily absorbed through the skin, but it is quickly absorbed when ingested. The main concern is with small children who are likely to drink bathwater, but as mentioned above some bathtubs may also have lead dust on the surface which could be inhaled.

Many U.S. companies have stopped using them voluntarily, but there are no regulations in place that restrict the use of lead. In other words, the brand new tubs at your local hardware store may contain lead. (Vermont Housing & Conservation Board,  Dallas News, Hudson Valley Parent)

How To Test Your Bathtub For Lead

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Ironically, as I type this a brand new tub is being installed in my bathroom. Though I’ve done what I can to ensure that it is unlikely to contain lead (it is made by a U.S. company and has a base of steel rather than cast iron), after it turns three years old I will be checking it every six months just to make sure that as the finish wears no lead is coming through.

The most accurate way to test for lead is with an XRF machine, which will analyze the surface and what’s underneath the surface so you can be aware of the potential for leaching as the finish wears. Unfortunately XRF machines are not readily available and you do need some training to use them, so testing with an XRF is most often done by a lead expert.

However, according to lead-poisoning prevention advocate Tamara Rubin,

The cheapest, easiest and most effective way to test for lead in a tub is to use a LeadCheck swab. In almost all cases a tub that is positive for lead will instantly turn a LeadCheck swab pink or red! In some cases a tub will have lead, but the finish will not be deteriorating/chalking and it may nottest positive with a swab (in cases like that an XRF will give a definitive, quantitative result.) In some cases the tub may take a while to turn red (depending on the type of coating) – so I recommend testing a dry tub and if it doesn’t turn red right away… check back in a couple of hours to see if either the swab used or the spot tested has turned pink or red [this is true for many of the “off-label” instances — where LeadCheck swabs may* detect lead on items that are metal or have a metal substrate (*PLEASE NOTE: strictly speaking, any chemical reagent swabs such as LeadCheck are only intended for testing house paint, and so shouldn’t be considered in anyway a definitive or reliable substitute for XRF testing of anything other than paint; that said, in some cases – such as a badly chalking leaded porcelain or enamel tub, you can often get an easy positive detection using them.)” (Rubin)

You can find the test kits from Lead Check here. Below is a photo of Laura’s tub after the test.

Note: This test may stain the tub.

How To Test Your Bathtub For Lead

What To Do If You Find Lead

I am not an expert on lead in the home, but I did find several suggestions for dealing with it’s presence while researching this post that I wanted to pass along.

  • Consider switching to showers – It’s a simple solution if it’s not in your budget to take other steps and/or you are renting.
  • Encapsulate your bathtub – This involves hiring an expert to paint a protective coat on top of the ceramic coating to prevent it from leaching. It is a far less expensive option than replacing the tub.
  • Replace your tub –  If you want porcelain instead of plastic, your best bet is to find a U.S. manufacturer that makes steel tubs coated in porcelain. You might also want to check with them and see if they will confirm whether or not they use lead in their glaze.
  • Consider a detox protocol – If it were me I’d get in touch with Quicksilver Scientific. They mainly make supplements that assist with the detox of mercury, but some are thought to be helpful for lead as well. They may be a good referral source for a qualified practitioner.

Does the possibility of lead in your bathtub surprise you? Why or why not?

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Sources for this post:
Lead Action Network (1996) Lead in Baths. Retrieved from Lead.org

Fair Housing Council of Oregon. The Risk of Salvaged Building Components (PDF). Retrieved from FHCO.org

National Safety Council. Lead Poisoning. Retrieved from NSC.org

DePompa, Rachel. (2012) NBC 12 Investigates: Child poisoned by bathtub. Retrieved from NBC12.com

LeadCheck (2010, July) Lead Exposure in Porcelain Enameled Bathtubs. Retrieved from LeadCheck.com

Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (2004) Facts About Lead In Porcelain & Enamel Glazes.

Wigglesworth, Valerie (2013, Oct) Dallas News: Old bathtubs found to pose lead exposure risks for children. Retrieved from DallasNews.com

Hudson Valley Parent. Lead In Bathtubs Could Be Poisoning Your Child. Retrieved from HVParent.com

Rubin, Tamara. (2013, August) Q: What about my original bathtub? Retrieved from TamaraRubin.com

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About HEATHER

Heather is a holistic health educator, herbalist, DIYer, Lyme and mold warrior. Since founding Mommypotamus.com in 2009, Heather has been taking complicated health research and making it easy to understand. She shares tested natural recipes and herbal remedies with millions of naturally minded mamas around the world. 

Leave a Comment

96 thoughts on “How To Test Your Bathtub For Lead”

  1. Oh my! Another danger to beware of. 🙁 our tub is a 1949 pink thing that probably has lead. I guess it’s a good thing I don’t bathe my daughter very often? 😛 Does this have an effect on adults? Also, why did you say you’ll start testing when your tub is 3 years old?

    Reply
  2. Another thing to be wary of, indeed! I don’t have children yet, and we just take showers, so right now I’m most wary of the dishes! We just spent a good amount on a pretty, new set of ‘organic reactive glazed’ stoneware dishes & mugs from World Market…I wonder if they’re a danger (just checked, and they’re made in China). And I have no idea what the ‘reactive’ glaze means.
    {On that note, when clicking the link to see what dishes you switched to, the ‘page was not found.’}
    Do you know if there’s anything to prevent lead leaching from dishes…like is microwaving or washing in dishwashers going to make it worse (even though they say its safe)? Do I need to worry about mine (I’m hoping you’ll say no). These are what we got: http://www.worldmarket.com/product/organic+reactive+indigo+collection.do?&from=fn

    Reply
    • I used to buy plates and pottery from local artisans who claimed to use lead free glazed, but found out that any plate, dish etc. made from clay has lead and cadmium as it all comes from the earth. Fiesta ware does a good job of testing and making sure their products have the least amount, but impossible to remove 100%. I wonder of Le Creseut pots and pans have lead in the porcelain? They are made in France.

      I would never buy anything made in China. Even stainless steel items made in China are problematic.
      I would also be concerned about mineral makeup unless it’s tested for lead and cadmium. Burt’s Bees lip glosses have tested positive for lead also. Anything coming from the earth is suspect and must be tested.

      Reply
    • Hi Krystal – on my facebook page I often post photos of dishes that test positive for lead (and also pictures of some that test negative!) So if you scroll through the photo album you can see if you find some that are similar to yours. Alternately as a free resources my nonprofit the Lead Safe America Foundation does free XRF lead-testing for items like dishes. You can send one of your smaller dishes or mugs to us – include return postage – and I can test it for you and let you know if it contains any lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. Unfortunately a lead-check swab is not always a reliable way to test dishes for lead. Dishes (and bathtubs, and crock pots) may contain high levels of lead – but not test positive with a lead-test swab, and it is still possible for that lead to leach – especially with heat (microwave, crockpot, oven) and acidity (vinegars, alcohol, juice, tomato sauce) – immediately and overtime… A really good example is leaded crystal. Most leaded crystal will not test positive with a lead-check swab even though it is fully immediately leachable and may contain up to 300,000 parts per million lead or more.
      The swabs are a definitive test for a “positive” but are not a definitive test for a “negative”… I have tested bath-tubs ranging from 79,000 ppm lead to 350,000 ppm lead – and even though some of them did not test positive with a lead-check swab, I would not say they are non-toxic (instead – they have the potential to leach and so a tub with any wear should be tested by a professional and/or re-sealed or replaced.)
      Please check out http://www.TamaraRubin.com
      http://www.MyChildrenHaveLeadPoisoning.com
      and
      http://www.LeadSafeAmerica.org
      and
      http://www.Facebook.com/MisleadMovie.com
      for answers and feel free to ask me specific questions and I will be happy to answer them.
      Tamara Rubin
      Executive Director
      Lead Safe America Foundation
      & Mother of Lead Poisoned Children
      Portland, Oregon

      Reply
      • Tamara, I am filled with gratitude for all you are doing. Keep it up!
        Would you mind sharing what type of dishes and mixing bowls you use? Also, have you ever tested an electric Nesco roaster oven/crock pot with a cookwell that is not nonstick? I browsed all the lead photos on your FB page – very sobering. Is there a webpage that has a fairly comprehensive list of dishes and housewares that have been tested using the XRF testing?

        Reply
  3. Ahh!! This is maddening. I had my first baby 8 months ago, and like so many others I know, having a child pushed me to really start researching real foods and decreasing the toxins in our environment (and I found your blog!). Literally every day, I’m finding out about another product we use on a daily basis that is coated in chemicals and toxins. Thank you so much for this post, I had my husband read it too, and we ordered a lead testing kit right away. As a side note, have you ever looked into nontoxic car seats? That was my project last week as we are looking at convertible car seats. I never thought about all the toxic flame retardants and “chemical baths” the seats are soaked in…until now! I’d love to hear your take on that, too.

    Reply
  4. Dear Heather,
    You often bring up insightful articles and push me to look into further detail on, well in this case our new dinnerware that we are beginning to purchase. I called the company and they will not or are unable to directly say (in order to protect their propriety blend) whether the glaze contains lead and or cadmium. They were able to say that it meets the standards of Proposition 65 in the state of California. In laymen terms I found the following information from a website that states, “Prop.65 provides that persons doing business in California may not expose individuals to chemicals known to cause cancer and/or reproductive toxicity without giving clear and reasonable warning, nor dishcarge such chemicals into drinking water.” Is this company giving me the runaround? If and item meets the standards of Prop. 65 is that enough to alleviate concern for my family? On a side note your dinnerware that you have switched over to is very cute and I like it!!

    Reply
    • Hi Sarah, it is my understanding that Prop 65 requires there to be **no more** than “X” amount of lead in the glaze. Personally, I don’t think the standards are stringent enough. I’m also not sure whether items made in China have to conform to those standards at all 🙁

      Reply
      • Anything sold in California (regardless of country of origin) needs to comply with prop 65 standards. Prop 65 standards do not have a minimum or maximum on the amount of lead contained in an item – but rather a limit on the amount of lead that is allowed to leach from a particular item (in parts per billion) before it considered toxic (in terms of food related items – like dishware and faucets.) In general prop 65 compliance is one of the best standards out there, however there are potential pitfalls with that – in that a product line may meet prop-65 standards but with something like ceramics there is potential for any given batch of an item that has been leach tested to have a firing anomaly (lower firing temp of a ceramic cup for example) and not meet prop 65 standards (even though the product line does.) Plus… what happens to the item over time / as it wears and how does usage impact the long-term prop 65 compliance. These are considerations I have when looking at dishware that has sometimes lead levels as high as 50,000 ppm or more yet “passed” prop 65 compliance tests in the initial stages of manufacturing…

        Reply
  5. Thanks a BUNCH for posting this! It’s something I’ve been meaning to research for a while and being a research driven mama already, I can literally spend all my time looking into things. 🙂 One question…do you have any suggestions/sources for a detox protocol if needed?

    Reply
    • For a detox protocol – I recommend NDF by Bioray Natural Detox. Generally studies have been done that show that garlic, cilantro and chlorella are all great natural detox food items that can be added to the diet.

      Reply
    • You should put your family on fruits for a week and this will start the detox process
      Eating as raw as possible (no meat) will help the kids to remove the toxins regularly.
      For more idea on detox you could google Dr.Robert Morse.

      Reply
  6. Coincidentally, I just bought a 3M Instant Lead Test at Home Depot. I was going to use one of the two swabs to test the cookwell of my electric roaster oven/slow cooker. I was wondering what else I should test and I think it will now be our vintage claw foot tub! I didn’t realize the “red means lead” slogan on the package meant that the item you’re testing would turn red. The instructions say the swab tip turns red. Maybe both the item and the swab turn red? If our beloved tub tests positive, we’ll have to seriously consider getting it coated or swapping it for another tub. (Oh, the cruel irony of doing detox soaks in a tub that’s dousing you with lead!) For the slow cooker, the cookwell is black so I doubt the red would show up on the surface.

    All readers, let’s report back here on what we discover!

    Incidentally, I’ve heard that fabrics used in things like tote bags can contain lead. Ugh.

    Reply
    • By the way, if you head to the home center to find this test, it will probably be in the paint department. The Home Depot employees I asked didn’t know where it was until I finally found it in the paint section.

      Reply
  7. Great article and a really important topic! I’m just finishing up an essay on ADHD, and yes, lead is a very significant heavy metal that can affect kids’ brains. In addition to the issues noted here, it blocks the uptake of both zinc and iron. There was a fascinating article in the January 2013 issue of Mother Jones on the bell curve of crime in the U.S. (which rose through the 80s or so, and then started to drop – crime rates are much lower overall than they were a few decades ago, and it’s not just better policing); the line almost exactly parallels the use and decline of leaded gasoline in this country. (Look up “America’s Real Criminal Element: Lead” on motherjones.com – it’s well worth a read.)

    Reply
  8. Ack! I’m surprised but not. The thought of whether or not my cute porcelain dishes contain nasties crossed my mind just yesterday. Apparently, brown rice contains not only arsenic but lead and cadmium as well. The amount of heavy metals we’re exposed to is crazy, and I’ve just started learning about it! It can make me feel crazy and defeated… Thanks for this. Now to pray and research!

    Reply
  9. Thanks for this info Heather. I am wondering how you can test your child’s lead levels. Is this something that a doctor does through a blood draw or is this something you can do at home? Any info would be helpful. Thanks for all your research and outreach. Can’t thank you enough!

    Daphne

    Reply
  10. Just a note on detoxing….pregnant and lactating Mommas should NOT do any detoxification without careful consideration by their healthcare provider. The toxic agents could be mobilized to the fetus or into the breast milk.
    AMC, MD

    Reply
    • Thank you for making this important point. DMSA chelation should be very carefully considered by anyone beforehand because of the risk that removing the metals from the tissues is not always directly folowed by excretion. In fact it sometimes leads to redistribution within the body and can make matters worse. Low dose and doctor’s care are important. Alpha lipoic acid may be a better, milder natural chelation approach, though not the quickest. Lead poisoning is such an important topic! Thank you, mommypotamus!

      Reply
  11. Hi Heather,
    I just so happened to be testing some things around the house for lead, when this post showed up on my news feed. thank you, and I’ll be sure to add the tub to my list.
    Do you have suggestions for thorougly removing the lead tester goo from the test area? I tested my crock pot and will do the tub later, Want to make sureI don’t leave any lingering toxins from the lead check sticks.
    is soap and water enough?

    Reply
      • Also, my bathtub, windows, and paint are all now confirmed to be lead-free. This isn’t surprising because this isnt’ a very old house, but it’s still reassuring to know 🙂

        Reply
        • Abby, did you use a lead test swab or other method? I just read the subsequent comments above by Tamara Rubin. The swabs are a definitive test for a “positive” but are not a definitive test for a “negative” (so they are considered unreliable if they test negative).

          Reply
          • Hm, so in other words, we will never know? lol
            The strips do come with these lead test papers that you blot the test swab on after use, and if it turns red, then the test was done correctly..

          • It looks as though the XRF test Tamara mentions above would be a way to test definitively if you get a negative with the 3M product.

  12. Yet another great post and more info to soak in…and it’s timely, because we’re about to remodel our bathrooms this winter. So far we haven’t used our 50’s tub (only the shower), but I’m sure it’s guilty of lead. It is so frustrating that no matter how hard we try to clean up our environment the industry is always handing us new ones to find a way around– the inconvenience is one thing, but my goodness it ends up costing a lot…

    Reply
  13. Wow, thank you. We just purchased and installed a new bathtub from Kohler, so I have contacted them to check on this. If it has lead we can surface it prior to use.

    I want to test my crockpot now too, and also will be sure to check our new dinnerware set is lead-free.

    My kids have sulfation/methylation issues, which means they are especially sensitive to toxins like lead. (Many autistic kids share this issue too, but we are fortunate they are only ADHD and allergy-prone, not ASD)….

    Following may interest some readers:
    http://www.evenbetterhealth.com/lead-poisoning-detox.php

    Reply
    • Hi Hazel! If it is brand new and does contain lead it is unlikely to leach it for at least a few years (unless it gets chipped somehow). So glad you found this info helpful!

      Reply
  14. Thank you for this article! We are remodeling 100 year old home and saved money by using the two cast iron tubs. I will be testing and looking into the protective glaze you mentioned. Scary!

    Reply
  15. I read the reviews of the 3M lead test kit on Amazon from this link. People were warning that Amazon does not actually have the 3M brand in stock, but are sending another version…the 3M kits are considered too old to be reliable, according to some reviews…might be better to purchase the kit from your local hardware store so you can be sure it is not expired, etc.
    Otherwise, great info in this article, thank you for doing the work, and checking into this…never would have occurred to me to even check my tub, or worry about it! Now I will also be checking my sink…an old enamel surface…great.

    Reply
  16. Argh! It’s always something, isn’t it?? Sometimes it feels quite hopeless, like no matter how much I try to reduce my children’s exposure they’re going to end up bathed in the stuff… Well, here ya go ><

    Guess I'm getting some tests and going on a frenzy!

    Reply
  17. So many things…we are renting a house built in the 1940’s and I’m assuming the bathtub is original, though it might not be. It’s not especially cute or vintage looking 😉 We only take showers, but my toddler sits at the foot of the tub when I shower until I rinse her off and wash her hair when I’m about to get out. Obviously no contact would be best, but I wonder if soaking in water would be worse than just sitting on it, plus the likelihood of her drinking the water is reduced. I always feel bad about not letting her play in a full bath more, but maybe it’s a good thing.
    Our thrifted dishes I’m scared about now…at least if I replace them we won’t have lost much!

    Reply
  18. I got word back on our new Kohler cast iron bathtub:

    Thank you for contacting Kohler Co. with the question regarding the lead content in your new Highbridge tub. I am happy to let you know our cast iron enamel tubs do not have any lead content in them.

    Reply
    • I contacted Kohler the other day about lead in their cast iron tubs and was told that the cast iron tubs DO contain lead. The rep said the level is less than it used to be, but that the current tubs do contain lead.

      Reply
  19. As far as paint goes, there are lead encapsulating primers. We use them in the construction industry all the time when working in very old buildings. It’s usually more costly to remove the lead paint properly and safely than it is to just encapsulate it. But you do need to remove any loose paint first.

    Reply
  20. Thank you x 1000, after reading your post I ordered the test swabs. Our bathtub (an old claw foot porcelain) tested positive. We’ve been renting this home for eight months and our two young boys have been bathing and playing (and drinking) in that tub. Our next step is to contact our landlords. Heather, your post saved our kids from who knows HOW much exposure to the lead in this tub. Thank you.

    Reply
  21. Well have to admit I never thought about the problems of lead leaching from an old bath tub, it really makes one think… I know of people that still get their drinking water through old Victorian lead water pipes.

    Reply
  22. This is such a great post! I am in the fortunate position of renovating, and currently choosing a new tub. But it is so hard to assess what is the most non-toxic material for a new tub! Acrylic? Concrete? Composite? I am worried about the hot water causing the tub material to leach phthalates or other toxins. Do you or your readers have any resources on this question? Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • I am wondering the same thing. I have even looked into wooden bathubs http://www.qieastqiwest.com/tubs.php but they are also coated with a polymer and so I wonder about leaching. Is acrylic an okay option? Did you find a reason to not use it? I have read that the stainless steel tubs do not last as long as the porcelain.

      Reply
      • Hi Amy. I ended up using a healthy homes consultant on my reno, and got a clean bill of health for acrylic and composite tubs. I went with a composite quartz (similar to a corian or caeserstone counter). I love it. One warning. I learned a lot of companies are using a sealant on their porcelain or other materials meant for bathrooms that contains triclosan, the anti-bacterial. Unclear how that leaches, but I decided to avoid it.

        Reply
        • Jessica, do you mind telling me where you purchased your composite quartz bath tub and which tubs you found that use triclosan? Thanks

          Reply
          • The tub we got was from Blu Bathworks. The Duravit brand has something called “Wondergliss” coating (triclosan) but lots and lots of building products have triclosan now… shower glass, tile grout, etc. You really have to look closely or ask the manufacturer because it is hidden in tricky language.

  23. This is a great post – very well researched with helpful links. Unfortunately I only found it after discovering that our tub (that we’ve been bathing our 9 month old in) was leaching lead and then doing a internet search. I don’t know why this risk isn’t more widely publicized. I’m posting a link to your entry on Facebook to help get the message out!

    Reply
  24. Which company did you find that had a USA made tub? Every time I contact someone they say that 98% of porcelain enameled tubs are made in China as they specialize in porcelain.

    Reply
  25. When reading this, people should know that the lead levels registered by these children (in the 4 range) is “elevated” but it is not even close to the level considered “high” where treatment is in order. A perfectly safe lead level is generally 0-4…therefore these kids were pretty darn close to normal, even having discovered the issue with the tub. While it is good to understand this issue and that many bathtubs do have lead paint, it is not a given that bathing your child in said tub will cause a level that is considered dangerous.

    Reply
    • Hi Mary, while routes of exposure matter and bathtubs are perhaps less of a priority than other forms, I wholeheartedly disagree that there is such a thing as a “perfectly safe” level of lead. It has been demonstrated that very small amounts of lead in the body lower IQ, and the effect is compounded by our exposure to other substances such as PCB’s. That’s not to say I live in fear of these things, but I do try to educate myself and remove sources that are cause for concern.

      I highly recommend this short video for more insight into how little things matter when it comes to this subject: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/20/toxins-children-brain-little-things-matter_n_6189726.html

      Reply
      • Thanks a ton Heather for sharing this article and taking the effort to reply to the questions.
        I am keen on going chemical free and I am on this journey for the past 2 years.
        Lead is something that is of my concern right now. The water report from the water association said level of 14 which is less than 15 (max level allowed) and the water is safe.
        I do not agree with that and hence I decided to buy a water purification system that could possibly reduce the lead. But the bathtub is like an alarming thing for me now and I guess I have to test all the Corningware that I use for serving guests. Will keep following you.
        Keep up the good work.

        Reply
  26. There is literally no way to keep our bodies lead free. It certainly is prudent to be aware of the threat that a bathtub can cause, but if we try to combat every toxin in our environment, we will live in fear and anxiety. The cost of removing or glazing over a leaded bathtub is considerable, and certainly not one that many families can afford.
    Plus we have to keep in mind that our generation, and our parents’ generation also grew up bathing in these same bathtubs. There is already so much for parents to worry about these days–it is important to be informed but not overreactive.

    Reply
    • Mary, you are misinformed. There is a wealth of peer-reviewed studies demonstrating that even extremely low measurable blood lead levels can have devastating developmental effects on health, learning, attention/executive function and behavior. Trying to deemphasize the risk is unhelpful and dangerous. If people have truthful, science-based information they can make better choices to protect their kids and community by not purchasing or renting risky properties and products, not exacerbating risk by bad rehabbing and deleading practices. They can learn how to as safely as possible mitigate unavoided or unavoidable risks, and they can find resources on how to treat a child with an elevated level, which some doctors do not take seriously enough. Kids should be tested regularly and way sooner than one years old. Sadly, as happened to us, an elevated level is the first notice parents may get that their child is at risk, and repeated testing the only way to be sure the risk has been correctly identified and effectively mitigated as it can be posed by so many different elements in a child’s environment at home and in any other place they may go. This is one of the key public health challenges we face, especially in poorer areas where housing stock older, and products or new ones coming from China and other foreign markets. It is difficult, costly, scary and very inconvenient due to its pervasiveness, but it requires serious awareness and attention. While I may have survived lead paint and gas and gone on to higher education and/or a moderately successful career and life, millions from less fortunate circumstances all over the world have not due to lead poisoning, and my otherwise fortunate child was compromised. Lead is worth every parent’s and community member’s attention with a hair on fire attitude.

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  27. Thank-you for writing this. The lead on my (provoked with 300 mg DMPS & 500MG DMSA 8 hour) Doctor’s Data urine element test was 38 and should be less than 2. A hair element test in 2006 showed I was toxic with various heavy metals but in 2013 showed I was clear. Ironically, to help me detox by improving sulfate levels in my body, I take epsom salt baths every few days in my 1968 mobile home so now suspect the tub is a source of some of my chronic health challenges. My BHMT (shortcut through the methylation cycle) is +/+ for all and I have other genetic issues similar to Amy Yasko’s patient analysis – see http://dramyyasko.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/03-A1-Mutation_Breakdown.pdf. l will be researching William Walsh’s metallothionein protocol to see if it could possibly help my body process heavy metals better since some people are genetically more susceptible to problems than others see http://larrynewman-kirkman.blogspot.com/…/how-to-support-bi…. I used Andy Cutler’s low dose alpha lipoic acid protocol to chelate mercury a few years ago after having silver dental fillings removed, but now know ALA doesn’t chelate lead so will be trying Andy Cutler’s method with the DMSA. I am now using a BPA free plastic foot size tub for my very helpful epsom salt soaks. .

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  28. Hi Heather,

    Thanks so much for covering this. While doing a bathroom renovation earlier this year, I discovered our 1960’s bathtub contained lead and decided to have it professionally refinished. The reglazing service gave me the name of the product they’d be using. I looked up the Safety Data Sheet and also called the manufacturer to ensure the porcelain glaze would be lead-free. The process turned out to be fairly easy and more cost-effective than replacing the tub.

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  29. I have a question about balancing lead concerns with the traditional foods diet: if your child does have elevated levels of lead in his/her blood, it is often recommended that you feed them a diet low in fat (because fat absorbs heavy metals easier?) and calcium and iron, I think. Would you recommend sticking to a traditional foods diet (high in healthy pastured animal fats) or doing the recommended low-fat diet? I want to nourish my son’s brain with good fats, but his lead levels were higher than I would like (3.9) at last check — I want to make sure I’m not making him more susceptible to contamination through his diet. Thanks to any who can respond!

    Reply
    • Hi Rose. I have always wondered how important the low-fat recommendation is. I’ll post the question on a private FB support group for parents of lead poisoned kids, moderated by Lead Safe America Foundation. I’m on the Board, and the Director Tamara (she posted above) is extremely knowledgable. If I get an answer to this I will circle back and post here.
      Alternatively, you can post directly on her FB page: Mislead: America’s Secret Epidemic. Let me know if you want to join the support group.

      Reply
  30. Thank you so much for this article! This is all so frustrating! I hate that we have to be so cautious and go through such measures–often expensive ones! just to have a safe natural product in something as simple and important as a bathtub. Shame on our government for allowing these things to go on. It isn’t right that in what many argue is “the greatest country in the world,” if you’re poor or simply not rich, you can’t have safe, natural products. This world just does not work… only for a few sitting on top of it all, and those are the people making these decisions. I’m sorry, but it makes me livid.
    It is excellent that you’re getting this information out there. Knowledge is always the first step to changing things so thanks for all your work here.

    I have a question about a couple things you mention. First, why do you suggest a steel tub coated in porcelain as opposed to a cast iron tub coated with porcelain? Wouldn’t this essentially be the same thing as far as the risk of lead in porcelain? How would the steel make any kind of difference I’m curious?
    And finally, about the protective coatings you can get on bathtubs, what kind of coatings are available that are natural and free of things like VOC (which I’m just starting to learn about) and other harmful chemicals?

    Thanks for your time!

    Final thought: Our government should provide every household who needs it, with safe natural bathtubs free of lead… take away the mounds of tax money going to dead end, cruel and destructive animal testing (despite there being many actually accurate, cruelty free and much cheaper alternatives), private jets, and countless other senseless things (some very destructive things like routinely killing wild horses, wolves, and marine life such as seals, dolphins, etc. for “competing” with animal agriculture and commercial fishing) and this would be no problem for them to do. But I guess us non elitists should just make do.

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  31. Hi Heather,
    Are plastic tubs and plastic baby tubs safe to bathe in? What about detoxing baths in them–would that be safe or would it leach dangerous stuff from the plastic into the water (and into you) by doing so? What tub or tub material do you recommend being safest to bathe and detox in? I thank you in advance!!

    Reply
  32. Hello Heather,
    This is a great post – very well researched with helpful links. I’m really thankful to your for this amazing information.

    Reply
  33. I heard about lead in tubs recently and just used a testing kit on our old porcelain bath and discovered yes indeed, it is positive. My daughter’s lead levels haven’t been tested for a couple years (she’s five) and were within normal limits during that point in time – when she was mostly taking baths. I’ll have to have her retested. What a pain. Although knowledge is power, right??

    Fortunately, we are VERY lax about bathing! 🙂 My daughter has always HATED the tub – baths would be a very quick scream fest – and we did not let her drink the water in the tub. She may have snuck some though! She switched to showers almost a year ago. I’m definitely still concerned and would like to replace the tub, but I’m not as anxious about this as I would have been during her younger baby and toddler years. We’ll see what the blood test results say. I’m expecting #2 in July and there’s no way I’ll be bathing an infant in there!

    I’ve wanted to renovate the bathroom for ages and have always HATED that claw foot tub since it’s a huge pain to clean and you have to deal with the show curtain sticking to you. Considering switching to just a large stand up shower, even though it might not be that great should we choose to sell the house at some point. We have a small house with only one bathroom. Should be interesting to see what my carpenter husband’s reaction is tonight when I say I’d like to add a bathroom reno to his list of tasks (which also includes finishing our addition so we have room for baby)! Here’s hoping we win the lottery…

    Thanks for the informative article. 🙂

    Reply
  34. So i got my whole house tested for lead with RXF gun and by bathtub was the highest thing of 219,000 ppm for lead. It if freaking me out and i can;t remove it right now due to it being built in. But what protective coat can i stain it with?

    Reply
      • look up local environmental scientist or environmental testing agency– most abatement companies also know some testers but I personally don’t think you should have the same company do both the testing and the abatement

        Reply
    • To the people who asked- I called American Standard about their Americast tubs which are porcelain coated steel and they verified via email they are lead-free. That’s what we are getting for our kids. Kohler was not willing to do so about their cast iron tubs and I have heard about people with brand new Kohlers that failed a swab test even – meaning there was lead dust on the surface of the tub. The commenters who are questioning the validity of worrying about lead in tubs are so off base it’s scary. The porcelain sheds invisible dust full of lead. The lead dust gets in the water and on littles’ hands which then go into mouth. Or goes on bath toys that go into mouth. Well documented cases of children being lead-poisoned solely from bathtubs. So it IS something to take action on. And for the very mis-informed commenter who said our parents and grandparents grew up with lead tubs and all sorts of other things and they were fine…well where to even start with that ridiculous comment. IQ levels were lower, dying from communicable diseases was higher, and mostly- they grew up getting alarmingly high rates of fatal disease- cancer, MS, Alzheimers and so on! In fact I suspect my grandmother’s Alzheimer’s could be party due to the fact that the dishes she used for 50 years were so full of lead that it was available on the surface…meaning all the food she ate every day was picking that up. So yeah. It’s a big deal and not just for kids. Lead is a toxic result of industry and it is not something humans have had to deal with until modern times, our tolerance for it is near nothing.

      Reply
  35. HELP!! In regards to this post I’m not seeing a safe recommendation for recoating the tub??? We are looking to buy an older cast iron tub and have it recoated to encapsulate any potential lead. Anyone have any products they have tried to eliminate the potential to come in contact with lead

    Reply
  36. Great article! thank you!

    We are in the process of choosing appliances/etc for our remodel and I honestly never thought about this. Do you have a brand rec for a tub? I am currently looking at american standards steel tubs.

    Thank you!

    Reply
  37. I have been dealing with this same problem and I have checked a few companies that sell bathtubs and have found that the ones that don’t contain Styrene do contain Lead. That includes cast iron and copper tubs. One thing I looked at was if the company sold tubs to California then that would mean they will have a prop 65 warning on them if they contain lead or high levels of styrene. I spoke to someone from American Standard and they said all their tubs have styrene in them. I also spoke to three other companies about styrene and lead. One never got back to me and the other two said they both had prop 65 warnings for lead. One was a cast iron with porcelain enamel and the other was a copper tub. I spoke to many different companies and organizations to try to get a answer on what type of tub I could buy without worrying if it has styrene or lead and could not get an answer from anybody. It does not look good and I might just be putting in a shower instead.

    Reply
    • Hi Gerald,
      Were you able to find a non toxic bath tub option? I’ve been contacting several companies and have been met with the same frustration regarding lead and styrene, as well as one brand ignoring my questions.

      Reply
    • I went with a tub made in usa that has no metal in it. I went with the lesser evil because lead stays in your body and builds up over time. We take showers most of the time. Never found a completely safe tub. The tub I found did not have a prop 65 warning on it but come to find out if the company is small enough they don’t need to have one.

      Reply
  38. Hello, thank you for sharing important information to parents about the real dangers of lead exposure to adults, but especially children. You clearly have a large number of readers and are a trusted source. I want to caution against the citation of websites and stand-alone medical providers whose claims are based on fear and not any real evidence, and go against consensus of numerous of other caring medical professionals and researchers.

    Reply
  39. A few days ago a woman sent me an email to find out what the ingredients were in the bathtub sheets my company makes. She said that both she and her daughter tested positive to high levels of lead. She couldn’t think of any place she could be exposed and then someone suggested her bathtub. It tested positive. She didn’t want to trade one toxic substance (lead) for something toxic in the product I make. After I explained to her how the film was made and why it was chosen she was satisfied.

    She and her daughter love hot baths. She also has four other kids who use the bathtub. How frightening. She doesn’t have the money to refinish or replace the bathtub.

    In the last year after I created and launched this product I have been exposed to ALL sorts of strange things that happen in / to bathtubs that create an unhealthy bathing environment. I now just see the bathtub as a vessel to hold a TUBSKY that can hold water. If you are concerned about the things that could be leaching into your bath water, then maybe I might be able to help. I know this sounds like self promotion, but I am truly concerned and want to help. Bath time should be easy and relaxing.

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  40. Hi! Interesting blog post! Can you tell which DIY lead tests are reliable? Is Pro-Lab Lead Surface test kit reliable enough? (It’s the only test kit available in our country, Slovenia, Europe – at least online, it seems)

    Reply
    • 5 stars
      Home test kits work for testing the surface if the lead level is high enough unfortunately there is no safe level for lead. Only reliable test would be to send sample to lab or possibly a xrf analyzer.

      Reply