I'm as surprised as anyone to learn that my ceramic coffee mug and dinnerware may be poisoning me. But it's true! After all, the lead in these items is leaching into my food and drinks — and that's not a good thing. So, how to know if the ceramic mugs or cups contains lead?
Health concerns with lead in ceramic dinnerware
Lead is a toxic metal, and lead poisoning can cause serious health issues. Lead poisoning is especially dangerous for children, as it can lead to brain damage, anemia and kidney damage.
Lead can cause serious health problems, including lead poisoning. Lead is found in many ceramic products you may use every day: cups, mugs, plates and other tableware. It's also used as a glaze or paint on ceramics that are sold as decorative pieces but not intended for regular food use (e.g., collectible plates).
Does Lead Leach from Ceramic Glazes?
In recent years, manufacturers have been producing ceramic products with lead-free glazes. These are considered safe for use by children and adults alike, as the glaze is bonded to the ceramic body of the product, making it impossible for any lead to leach out.
However, if you’re drinking from a mug that was made before this change in manufacturing practices took place—which was around 2002—then you should be aware of how your mug might be affected by lead leaching. In Muabomb,the marble collection cups are available in a variety of colors so you can find the look that best fits your style. The marble ceramic mugs are made of high-quality, durable porcelain. The mugs are lead-free, non-toxic, cadmium-free. You can use these mugs in the microwave, oven, freezer, or dishwasher.
How to detect if a Mug or Cup has Lead in it
If you are concerned that your ceramic mug or cup may contain lead, there are several ways to test it. Each method has its own pros and cons.
Lead Test Kit: The most accurate way of testing for lead is with a lead test kit, which can be purchased online or in person at hardware stores. These kits range from $10-$40 but do not require any equipment beyond your hands and eyesight to use them. Simply dip one end of the strip into the liquid inside the cup, wait 15 seconds for it to dry, then compare color changes on both sides of the strip. A darker color indicates higher levels of lead in your mug or cup; however, these results can be influenced by factors such as how hot/cold water was used during testing (hotter being more likely) so keep this in mind when making judgments about what level might be considered "safe."
Lead Test Strip: Similar tests exist that simply require dipping a piece of paper into whatever liquid is inside your mug/cup; however, their results are less reliable than those achieved through kits because they do not account for many variables such as temperature changes over time between tests (which could make one sample look more like another), etcetera... They also cannot tell whether only certain parts inside contain high concentrations whereas others may have little-to-none whatsoever so it's best used firstly before deciding whether buying another option might be worth spending money on later down line.
Buy Lead-free Mugs
This is not to scare you away from your favorite mug or cup, but just to make sure that you know what kind of dangers are lurking in ceramic dinnerware and how to avoid them. Also, if you're concerned about the safety of the dishes and cups in your home, consider getting some lead-testing kits and testing those items yourself before giving them out! Check out our lead free ceramic mugs selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our mugs shops.
