Stop buying vintage Pyrex without checking for lead paint first

I grabbed a beautiful set of butterfly gold mixing bowls at a garage sale last month for $12. Got them home and tested them with a 3M lead swab - three of the four lit up positive immediately. Has anyone else run into this with older kitchenware at flea markets?

3 comments

3 Comments

cole_mitchell828d ago

Tested a thrift store Pyrex once and my kids asked why I was licking the bowl.

hannahs7128d ago

Actually, that "lead is usually just in the outside paint" thing isn't totally right. I've tested a bunch of vintage Pyrex myself, and while the colored designs on the outside definitely leach lead, the plain white/clear inner surfaces can also show positive readings if they were made with colored glass bases or flawed glazes. The 3M swabs are really good at picking up trace amounts on any surface, not just painted ones. Your butterfly gold bowls probably have the gold leaf detail on the outside, right? That's a big red flag because metallic paints almost always contain lead for that shiny finish. You sound like you've already got the right idea with test kits, but just don't let the pretty colors fool you into thinking it's safe to use them for food.

holly_young3528d ago

Wait, did you test the outside or the inside of the bowls? I heard lead is usually in the painted outside design, not where food touches. But seriously, that's a bummer about your butterfly gold set, those are so pretty. I always grab a test kit at the hardware store before buying any vintage kitchen stuff now. It's a pain but worth it to keep your family safe.

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