Dishfunctional Designs: safety

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

My Dollar Store Reading Glasses Disaster

Last week I ran to the dollar store to pick up an extra pair of reading glasses to keep in my studio. If you follow my blog and my jewelry adventures, you probably already know that one of my biggest jewelry making hints is to keep a pair or two of reading glasses on your workbench to help you see what you are doing when you are working with tiny components. This tip is especially helpful if you are like me and don't wear prescription glasses. A pair of reading glasses can be a great help when making jewelry.

You can get them at any drugstore or grocery store, but I didn't want to pay the twenty bucks for yet another an extra pair, so I figured I would snag a cheap pair at my local dollar store, since I had noticed them there in the past.

So I spotted the reading glasses display, found the magnification I was looking for, tried a pair on, and checked out at the register. All within about three minutes.

Wow, only one dollar for such an important tool! Of course at this point I was feeling pretty great about myself and my amazing cheapskate shopping wizardry. Until....

...Until I got home and wore them for the first time. I sat down to solder some jewelry, grabbed my new reading glasses, put them on, and started to work. But wait, what was that smell?

Within just a few minutes I started to notice a strong chemical smell coming from my glasses. Well, I thought, they are cheapie reading glasses, so I guess they smell a little bit like new plastic. I tried to ignore the smell and kept on working. Within a few more minutes, it seemed like the smell was getting stronger and stronger. And not only that, my eyes were starting to burn!

Could these reading glasses be giving off toxic fumes that bothered my eyes? They had to be. There was no other explanation. I tried to wear them one more time, to see if the smell was fading. Nope. It wasn't going away. But these glasses weren't just smelly, they actually made my eyes burn. Something was really wrong with these glasses.

I googled "dollar store reading glasses smell" and up popped a few articles about things NOT to buy at a dollar store... the first article I read was from Woman's Day magazine and was about the 10 most toxic items at a dollar store, and though reading glasses weren't on the list - lots of other plastic things were - such as plastic kitchen utensils, silly straws and window clings, and these items had some pretty scary descriptions. Some included cancer-causing chemicals in plastic, toxic levels of DEHP, PVC and chlorine. (read it here)

After realizing that something was really wrong with the glasses, I didn't know what to do with them. I didn't want to throw them in the trash because I didn't want their toxicity landing up in the Earth. Do I send them to the EPA? Return them to the store? I'm still not exactly sure what to do with them, but I'll figure it out soon.

But my whole point is this: Remember, anything that you are putting against your skin you are also putting inside of your body. I read that years ago, and it always stuck with me.

I don't dye my hair or use tons of cosmetics or beauty treatments. I worry about toxic chemicals and fumes. I imagine people going through cancer treatments due to exposure to toxic, cancer-causing substances. Situations that maybe could have been prevented. It happens every day.

There are labels on so many products warning us of dangerous substances. People use those items all the time without a second thought or safety precaution. They only think of the here and now and well I need this treatment for my skin/hair/nails/for cleaning/what-have-you right now.

It's such a self-contradiction when people fuss about buying and eating organic foods and yet in the same breath they get chemical based beauty treatments put onto their bodies...which land up inside of their bodies, in their organs, in each of their cells, etc.

Okay so I'm kind of passionate about the subject and get a little carried away, but it's important. Isn't it?

What do you think?

Have a great week!

Laura

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Sunday, April 10, 2016

10 Things You Should Never Buy At A Thrift Store!

If you are a regular reader of my blog then you know that I love thrifting! I've written more than a few blog posts about thrift store shopping, and have shared some of my best tips and finds with you. Now I am going to share with you the ten (if not more) things you should NEVER buy at a thrift shop!

Thrift shops are great places to find all types of things. Unique and unusual collectibles, antiques, accents for your home decor, craft materials, not to mention clothing. But did you know that there are some things found at thrift stores that can actually be harmful to your health and home? Here is my list of 10 things you should never buy at a thrift store.

1. Bicycle, motorcycle, and skateboard helmets

Steer away from any sports safety equipment helmet, since you never know what could have been in an accident or used and abused by the previous owner. Once helmets have taken a hard hit or fall, they no longer meet safety regulations.

2. Child car seats, cribs, and strollers

When it comes to child car seats, cribs and strollers, recalls abound. Many people discard their old car seats and the like at thrift shops, many which have been recalled due to hazards to safety. Buy your car seats, cribs, and strollers new.

3. Bedding; pillows and comforters

One of the easiest ways to introduce invasive insects such as bedbugs is in bedding and pillows. Especially if the bedding is thick, heavy, or not washable.

4. Mattreses & box springs

As in #3 above, mattresses and box springs can harbor bedbugs and other insects, which can wreck havoc on your home and health. This rule not only applies to thrift stores, but mattresses & box springs from moving sales, Craig's List and the like. Buy these new.

5. Wigs & hats

Wigs and hats can harbor head lice. Enough said. Unless it's a hat that can be thoroughly and carefully washed, steer clear of wigs and hats.

6. Upholstered and stuffed furniture

As with mattresses and box springs, stuffed furniture makes a great home for bedbugs and roaches. Unless you are buying the item for the frame and plan on completely stripping the furniture of all of its material and stuffing and replacing it with brand new materials, leave the upholstered and stuffed furniture at the thrift store. If you do buy a piece to re-do, keep it outside of your home until the old material and stuffing has been removed and it has been thoroughly cleaned.

7. Toys for small children

Many toys for small children made years ago have small parts that pose choking hazards and lead paint that can be poisonous. Again, over the years many toys are recalled due to these safety hazards. Use discretion when shopping this section, or better yet, skip it altogether.

8. Stuffed animals

This is the same as pillows and stuffed furniture. Stuffed toys and stuffed animals can harbor insects such as bedbugs and roaches. You certainly do not want your kids playing with those!

9. Cosmetics

Be advised that as cosmetics age they become stale and rancid. I'm talking about "new and still in the original package" cosmetics. Opened and partially used cosmetics are a definite no. They are filled with bacteria. Yuck! Always buy your cosmetics new.

10. Old electronics & appliances

There's two things you have to watch out for when it comes to buying old appliances at a thrift store. First, you want to make sure that there is nothing structurally wrong with the item that could pose a shock or fire hazard, such as a frayed electrical cord. Second, I'm going to tell you a story from a friend who used to work at an apartment complex. The apartment complex was insect-free until one day a tenant complained that he had cockroaches. The manager of the apartments told the man that he must have brought the bugs with him since the apartment was roach-free before he moved in. He swore up and down that he did not, and that the place he had moved from was clean and bug-free. Until one day he was in his kitchen, and noticed bugs coming from the electric clock that he purchased at a thrift store for his new apartment around the time he moved in. Upon further inspection, the inside of the clock was full of bugs. It turned out that he brought the buggy clock home from the thrift shop, and that the insects had made their home inside of it because it was warm. Yuck! Keep that in mind when you're shopping for secondhand electric appliances.

My motto is that it's always better to be safe than to be sorry. I'm sure I may have overlooked something on my lists, so if you have any things that we should not buy at a thrift shop, leave a comment below. Thrift shop shopping is a fun hobby that can yield great treasures. Above all it should be fun. Remember to shop smart and shop safe!

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