How To Thrift Smart

(And Still Have Fun Doing It)

I get the appeal of thrifting, turning old into new- to - you the thrill of the hunt. It's a blend of nostalgia, excitement, utility, and mystery and you never know what you’ll find. I certainly dont and Ive gone countless times.

But… there are risks.

Its easy to see how this could pose a risk of cross contamination.. but drinking out of this surface would be wayyyy worse..

What Makes Thrifted Items Risky?

Older items are more likely to contain toxic metals like lead, cadmium, and arsenic—especially in ceramics, glassware, and painted metal. Some old electronics, holiday decorations, or kitchen appliances may even be fire hazards due to degraded wires or flammable materials.

The adage of the "dont make them like they used to" rings so true here, but not in the typical "today's items are junk"

Modern products are often times unsafe, made by unscrupulous companies or sold by companies that obey (sometimes bend) insufficient rules.

Sure an iphone made in 1960 would last a lifetime but they did get rid of leaded gasoline and lawn darts...

The Truth About Lead in Thrifted Dishes

As many of you know, I go looking for lead in thrift stores. I only buy items that contain lead—because I’m testing them, researching them for practical safety, and showing the public how to identify and avoid them. That’s my job.

And I absolutely love this job, my endless curiosity and the ability to reach people so they can avoid lead exposure on their terms is easily the most utility I have ever had to this world.

But if you’re buying dishes to eat off of, or mugs to drink your morning coffee from Of course test the inside

BUT

Just because the lead is on the outside doesn’t mean it’s safe.

• Nesting bowls? The inside of one bowl touches the outside of another.

• Handling utensils or dishes with surface lead? That transfers to your hands.

• Touch food after? This is called cross contamination, its a leading cause of food borne illness and is the primary way people get exposed to lead in the kitchen.

& You can read all about my lead in food options HERE

The Key to Thrifting Smart:

Awareness & Common Sense

There’s nothing inherently wrong with old stuff. The only thing that puts people at risk is not knowing what they’re dealing with.

Luckily, we dont need to rely on one person, the goverment or news agency to tell us whats safe in terms of lead exposure.

This is where I come in, by optimizing the manufacture and distribution of Fluoro-Spec I can get the kit to you at the lowest cost and provide not only the most tests at the same time, but the best support.

I enjoy talking to people who have questions about lead, It costs me nothing to pick up the phone or answer an email, I know that after someone has a positive experience using this product the people around them, ( those are most risk are going to have a better chance of living a LEAD FREE LIFE)

I could go on but lets focus here- focus Eric how do they thrift smart!~?

If an item glows green AFTER applying the liquid and shining the flashlight onto the surface Fluoro-Spec has detected bioavailable lead—that could actually get into your body if you used the item for food, drink, or cross contamination.

If the lead is stable, sealed, or not able to be picked up by the solution, it won’t glow. It’s that simple.

CPSC requires items to be tested at below 90 ppm if they are intended for use by children BUT this test is not what you think. This is an average of ALL the lead. Check out this video for a quick explanation on that.

Understand the Limitations and misrepresentation of "90 ppm is safe for children"

So, How Do You Thrift Smart?

1. Bring FluoroSpec with you.

2. Run (safely) into a thrift store and test the dishes before you buy. It takes seconds.

3. ALWAYS Test the food contact areas & Even if the decoration is only on the outside, Test that too.

4. Don’t just leave leaded items behind.If you find something with dangerous levels of lead, remove it from the store. (you can try to alert the owners but they probably wont care)

   • Think it’s rare or valuable? Wash it off and keep it in your collection—safely.

   • Think it’s just dangerous junk? Throw it out. It’s okay to trash leaded dishes. That’s where they belong.

5. Never use leaded items for food, ever.Doesn’t matter how pretty they are—don’t risk it.

   
   

Final Thoughts

Thrifting is absolutely a worthwhile, fun, and safe hobby—if you’re equipped with the facts and tools.

The magic of finding something special doesn’t have to come at the cost of your health and you certainly dont want to wind up exposing your children.