Why You Should Check Your Vintage Glassware For Lead (And How To Do It), According To Our Experts

Lead used to be part of the manufacturing of many different products. Once as ubiquitous as plastics are today, lead was added to everything from aqueducts to winemaking, and even though lead has been removed from products like paint and gasoline due to its toxicity, it's still present in many different areas of our lives. One area where lead used to be extremely prevalent was in glassware, and therefore, it's likely that your vintage glassware contains lead. House Digest spoke exclusively with experts about why leaded glassware is dangerous, how to check your glass for lead, and how to keep yourself safe from lead exposure in your home.

Dr. Lori Verderame, a Ph.D. Antiques Appraiser explained to House Digest that, technically, for glassware to be considered crystal, it has to contain at least 24% lead. "Crystal or lead crystal is recognized by its weight and clarity. Crystal is clear and heavy, and it remains a highly-sought after antique and vintage object in today's market," she said. Luckily, there are ways to determine if your glass is truly crystal, how much lead it contains, and how to protect yourself and your family.

Exposure to lead can poison the bloodstream and the organs of the body, with ramifications ranging from minor headaches and fatigue to potential organ failure and death. Small amounts of lead exposure once or twice isn't likely to be terribly harmful, but unfortunately, the real danger emerges as the lead exposure builds up over time. This is especially true for young children, who are much more susceptible to deadly consequences from this heavy metal and are prone to putting everything in their mouths.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with House Digest, Dr. Scott Noorda, a Longevity Physician with Resolve Medical, says more than 400,000 die yearly from lead poisoning and that we should be aware of the lead items in our homes. "Even though lead is widely known to be a toxic heavy metal, it is unfortunately still found in some glassware used for food and can leach out into the things we are eating and drinking," he said. "Lead paint or lead glaze microparticles can stick to food and lead used in producing glass cups or bottles (commonly used for alcohol) can also seep into the liquids inside." These lead particles are much more likely to be found in products produced before the 1970s when lead was a common additive in decorative glassware — making them potentially dangerous.

Dr. Noorda says it's important to make ourselves aware of the toxins we're exposed to. "We don't have control over many of our exposures, so we need to address the things we can," he said in an exclusive interview with House Digest. There are many ways to determine if your glasses have lead in them. According to Dr. Noorda, "There are professional services that will test your items for lead, various kits accessible online, tapping tests for lead crystal, or even looking at the glass with a black light to see if it glows." Lead will glow under a UV light in a vibrant color ranging from blue to violet, for example, and if gently tapped with a butter knife lead crystal will resonate auditorily.

At-home test kits are generally affordable and easy to use, but only three are recognized by the EPA. Moreover, many of these types of kits, such as the EPA-approved 3M Lead Check (no longer in production after October 2023), are primarily meant to check surfaces like paint and metal, so results on glass might be misleading. Similarly, most professional lead inspectors focus their services on paint and water testing in and around your home, but if your inspector has an XRF machine, they can read the overall lead content of objects for about $50 per piece. The coatings of consumer products should contain no more than 90 parts per million of lead, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Antiques appraiser Dr. Lori tells House Digest that crystal glassware "remains a highly sought after antique and vintage object in today's market," so people who seek these items are going to come into contact with lead. However, lead exposure can be managed, so you can keep your household safe without sacrificing your family heirlooms. If you've determined that some of your antique home décor contains lead, one of the best ways to protect yourself is to refrain from using them for anything other than display. This is particularly important for glass with noticeable wear and tear, either in the glass itself or in any raised paint design, as the lead particles can come off into your drinks. Furthermore, if you do use your lead crystal glassware, don't allow liquids to sit in it for too long, lest the lead leach into it.

Meanwhile, Dr. Noorda told House Digest in an exclusive interview that anyone who suspects they've been exposed to lead in glass or elsewhere should see their physician for a blood test. "If you do have elevated levels ... make sure that your drainage pathways are working well so that you can bind and flush out the toxins. Toxin binder supplements will attach to the lead and pull it out of the body via sweat and urine," he said. This, and the discontinued use of your lead glass, will hopefully restore your health.