Lead Problems with Antique Bathtubs

You must be extra careful if you have antique bathtubs installed in the bathrooms of your home. Such bathtubs give an attractive appearance to your bathrooms, but they may have a problem hidden within: the porcelain or cast iron finish of most antique bathtubs contains some lead, an element that is hazardous to human health.

In the past, manufacturers of antique bathtubs used to put lead in the porcelain or cast iron finish mixture in order to give the bathtub a pleasant and glossy appearance. However, lead can leak and contaminate the bathwater. You must never bathe in water  polluted with lead, it is very dangerous to young children and adults alike.

1 – Consequences for Children

Hundreds of parents worldwide do not know that their beloved children are continuously exposed to lead poisoning when they bathe them in an antique bathtub. You must keep in mind that warm water causes the pores of the skin to open. Therefore, the polluted bathwater will very easily enter the pores, and the skin will consequently absorb it.

Also, keep in mind that lead poisoning hazards increase sharply when a young child is bathing in an antique bathtub, rather than an adult. Children tend to splash and swallow water when they are having a bath. Apart from this, children often put their mouths upon the rim of the bathtub and lick its surface, and in this way, they would also lick traces of lead. If lead happens to be leaking from the bathtub at that time, the child may swallow the lead and become ill.

Lead poisoning causes both physical and mental health problems to children. These may include inefficient bone and muscle growth, damage to the kidneys, degeneration of the muscles, severe cases of anaemia, as well as speech and learning problems.

2 – Consequences in Adults

Adults can suffer health problems related to lead poisoning as well, but the health problems may vary from children to adults. For example, when exposed to lead while having a bath in an antique bathtub, adults can start experiencing neurological disorders, feel a lot of pain throughout their bodies, particularly in the joints, and they can also have problems that have to do with sterility.

Like children, adults can suffer degeneration of the muscles too. Additionally, pregnant women must be much more cautious because lead poisoning can cause complications during childbirth. If an unborn baby is exposed to lead, it can suffer defects in its genes, and the prospective mother risks having a miscarriage or stillbirth.

If you have an antique bathtub at home, you are highly recommended to replace it with a new one. This should be done in order to protect yourself and your relatives. On the other hand, if you do not want to throw your antique bathtub away, you can still get rid of the lead-related health hazard by refinishing the bathtub. If you apply a waterproof finish to your antique bathtub, it will prevent further lead contamination of your bathwater by forming a barrier between the actual antique bathtub and bathwater.