Wood Archives - Lead Safe Mama

Full XRF test results for Target’s Hearth & Hand with Magnolia animal figurine set (wood)

December 25, 2021February 1, 2024

Published: December 25, 2021 — Saturday A reader sent these toys to me for testing (they were ordered directly from Target’s website) because there were some rumors on the internet (Facebook mama groups specifically, as I understand it) that these toys tested positive for Lead. The toys pictured did not test positive for Lead —…

Full XRF test results for: Target’s Hearth & Hand With Magnolia Kids’ Tree Set – Wood.

December 25, 2021July 20, 2022

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Published: December 25, 2021 – Saturday Full XRF test results for the toy pictured: Reading #1) Plain wood of trees 60-second test Lead (Pb): non-detect Cadmium (Cd): non-detect Mercury (Hg): non-detect Antimony (Sb): non-detect Arsenic (As): non-detect Chromium (Cr): non-detect Bromine (Br): non-detect Iron (Fe): 33 +/- 7 ppm Barium (Ba): 232 +/- 40 ppm…

Melissa & Doug Dominoes for kids: Lead-free, Mercury Free, Cadmium-Free, Arsenic-Free (as expected!)

September 17, 2021July 20, 2022

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Introduction: Tamara Rubin is a Federal award winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and childhood Lead poisoning prevention. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009, and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. She uses XRF testing (a scientific…

Folks are surprised when I say relatively modern toys from their youth may not be safe for kids. This 1992 toy is painted with Leaded paint.

June 13, 2021June 7, 2024

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For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used…

Green Building Supply wood flooring – Kahrs Oak Meno: non-detect for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Arsenic & Antimony.

January 16, 2021January 16, 2021

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This “Kars” “Oak Meno” flooring sample from Green Building Supply (pictured here, sent to me in December of 2019) had the following readings when tested with an XRF Instrument: Front surface of panel: Niobium (Nb): 1,438 +/- 33 ppm Bromine (Br): 28 +/- 3 ppm Palladium (Pd): 14 +/- 3 ppm Platinum (Pt): 147 +/-…

Fagus wooden crane attachment for basic wooden truck toy: Lead-free, Arsenic-free, Mercury-free – in all components.

December 14, 2020July 20, 2022

nContinue reading below the image. Published: December 14, 2020 Fagus Crane for Basic Wooden Truck When members of a Facebook group for wooden toys tested this item (earlier this year) using different methodologies (XRF testing and reactive agent testing using a home kit), they had mixed (and quite confusing) results. The preliminary (short / quick)…

Wooden Hebrew building block for children (c. 2010): Lead-free, Arsenic-free, Mercury-free. Thank G-d!

July 23, 2020July 20, 2022

Here’s a link to a product like this block on Amazon. [The designs and lettering look the same but the color scheme is different, however I am not 100% sure the blocks in the link are the same manufacturer as the block tested]: https://amzn.to/2OQsLPJ Please note, different batches of painted wooden toys may come up…

Vintage 1972 Wooden Fisher Price puzzle. 3,925 ppm Cadmium on the knobs. Cadmium is a known carcinogen.

July 18, 2020July 20, 2022

2 Comments

Are vintage Fisher Price puzzles a concern? Yes. A child will often chew on the knobs on this type of puzzle and these knobs (yellow or red) are consistently high-Cadmium vintage plastic. Cadmium causes cancer. Even if the risk is small it is not a risk that I feel is worth it given the inexpensive…

Sur La Table beechwood spoon “Made in China”: no metals detected! Natural wood is generally a good choice!

December 8, 2019December 8, 2019

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A simple wooden spoon! In the Rubin household we love plain, natural (uncoated, undecorated, unpainted, unsealed!) solid wood cooking utensils. We’re funky hippies after all, lol! My mom actually used to date a wooden spoon salesman named Norm (late 1970s I think, possibly early 1980s!) After Norm and Mom were no longer dating I even…

Things From Canada – Red Wooden Block: 4 ppm Lead. Safe by all standards.

November 12, 2019July 20, 2022

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When tested with an XRF instrument this red painted wooden child’s building block (sent to me by a reader in Canada) had the following readings: Lead (Pb): 4 +/- 3 ppm Arsenic (As): Non-Detect / Negative Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect / Negative Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect / Negative Antimony (Sb): Non-Detect / Negative Barium (Ba): 189 +/-…

Maple Landmark Wooden Magnetic Train: Lead-Free, Cadmium-Free, Arsenic-Free, Mercury-Free! #SaferChoice

February 26, 2019July 20, 2022

Click here to see similar products by this company on Amazon*: https://amzn.to/2Eq8pqX When tested with an XRF instrument this small wooden train car made by Maple Landmark of Vermont was negative for any toxicants. Please see below for the XRF test results for each of the components tested. Gray Painted Logo on Bottom of Train (image…

Hand Painted Wooden Maracas, Made In Mexico: 1,219 ppm Lead (Context: 90 ppm is illegal in new children’s items).

February 10, 2019July 20, 2022

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I tested this set of wooden (made in Mexico) maracas with an XRF instrument, and the painted area on these had the following reading: Lead (Pb): 1,219 ppm For context, the amount of Lead that is considered unsafe in a newly manufactured item intended for use by children is anything 90 ppm Lead or…

When tested with an XRF instrument this “You Name It Toys” Custom Name Puzzle – Farm Theme was negative for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Arsenic!

November 21, 2018July 20, 2022

1 Comment

Originally published: November 21, 2018 Updated: October 26, 2020 I want my readers to know that this is not a paid post. The company that manufactures these products did not pay me to test their product nor to report about it on my website. The way this website works is I test and report on…

Vintage Handmade Wooden Percussion Drum: Lead Free! [Click to read full XRF test results.]

November 12, 2018July 20, 2022

When tested with an XRF instrument all components of this piece were negative (Non-Detect) for the following metals (& any other metal not listed below in the specific results listing): Lead (Pb) Mercury (Hg) Cadmium (Cd) Arsenic (As) Antimony (Sb) Selenium (Se) Chromium (Cr) Here’s a link to a similar style drum on Amazon.* In…

Vintage Fisher Price Little People Wooden Boy With Red Hat: 4 ppm Lead, 75 ppm Cadmium and 19 ppm Mercury.

October 13, 2018July 20, 2022

Vintage Fisher Price Little People Yellow Wooden Boy With Red Baseball cap. Body: Painted Wood. Head: Painted Plastic. Hat: Red Plastic. Year of Manufacture Unknown (presumed c. 1970s). To see more vintage Fisher Price items I have tested, click here. The XRF test results for this exact item (pictured above) are as follows: Red Plastic…

Reminder: A Thomas the Tank Engine wooden toy was recalled in June 2007. Do you still have these trains at home?

September 9, 2018February 28, 2024

27 Comments

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama,…

Hape Wooden Railway Kid’s Xylophone Melody Track

September 6, 2018July 20, 2022

3 Comments

When I coordinate XRF testing of consumer goods for my friends and followers I ask them to send me a box with one complex item and up to nine simple items. I usually test these ten personal items for people in thanks for their $150 contribution that helps to cover the costs of the XRF…

#LeadFree: Melissa & Doug Wooden Toy Train Set

December 29, 2017December 29, 2017

2 Comments

I tested this Melissa & Doug wooden train set back in 2014 and it was non-detect (ND) for lead (Pb) when tested with an XRF instrument! Here’s my affiliate link for this product on Amazon!* All of the Melissa & Doug products that I have tested have been negative for lead. The nice thing about Melissa…

Red & Yellow Brio Train, Made in Sweden: 1,862 ppm Lead & 575 ppm Arsenic

December 5, 2017July 20, 2022

6 Comments

Brio train, “Made in Sweden” age unknown. Tested with an XRF in 2015. Lead (Pb): 1,862 ppm Arsenic (As): 575 ppm To learn more about XRF testing, Click HERE. The amount of Lead that is considered unsafe in a newly manufactured item intended for children in 90 ppm Lead (or higher) in the paint or…

#Leaded: Swedish Nils Olsson Painted Horse

November 29, 2017July 20, 2022

Swedish painted toy horse: as high as 360 ppm Lead. New in 2015. Thanks to Mary Byrd for donating and supporting this post! For #SaferChoices for your family, click here. To make a contribution in support of my independent consumer goods testing and lead poisoning prevention advocacy work, click here. Thank you!

Bambu Organic Bamboo Baby Spoon

October 14, 2017December 1, 2020

Small organic bamboo wooden baby spoon. By “Bambu” Free of all heavy metals. Amazon Affiliate link for this product: http://amzn.to/2iR8dJM No lead. No cadmium. No Arsenic. No Mercury. Good choice all around! Tested with an XRF instrument. Please consider supporting my independent consumer goods testing and advocacy work with a contribution! I am still working…