Tub-tastrophe

A few months ago, when we temporarily moved the clawfoot bathtub out of the guest bathroom (so we could work on putting down a new floor), we were really excited to see that it was in good condition on the back side. We thought we'd strip off a layer or two of paint, recoat it, and get to bathing! But when we looked into a rumor that old cast iron bathtubs can contain high levels of lead, we thought we'd better check our tub, juuust in case. We all know that lead paint dust is bad for us, and Ryan and I are betting that soaking in lead soup bathwater probably isn't great either.

I picked up a package of instant lead tests at our fabulous Frager's Hardware. The tests are super easy to use - just crush the stick in two places, give it a couple of shakes, and rub it on the test surface. If it turns pink/red, there's lead, and the darker the color, the higher the presence of lead. I tested three different areas on the  inside of the tub (since that's where it would leach out of into the bathwater).  Two area came back hot pink, and one (where the porcelain was worn away) came back light pink. Yikes! Just to be extra sure that I was testing the actual tub, and that I wasn't picking up rogue lead dust that had settled onto the surface, I used another stick to test a bunch of surfaces that were close to the tub. Nothing.

This tub-tastrophe was the end of our old clawfoot tub dreams, and the beginning of my search for a new bathtub. We definitely still wanted a clawfoot style, but debated over another (new and lead free) cast iron tub or an acrylic version. Cast iron is the real deal (and our preference), but they're heavy. We weren't sure how we would get the old one out, let alone a new one up our narrow stairway. Acrylic tubs are much lighter and easier to move; in fact, they're so light that they need to be anchored to the floor. From what we've read, acrylic tubs even look great. In the end though, we decided to go with cast iron because I found a great deal at Vintage Tub & Bath for one with the exact same dimensions and design as the old one! We also found a moving company that will move the old tub out, the new one in, and haul everything away for only a few hundred dollars. And they're licensed and insured, so when they drop the bathtubs down the stairs, break the bannister, and knock a hole in the wall, we don't have to worry about it.

So, goodbye, old tub. You served us well, despite your attempt to poison us. And hello to our shiny new addition, with your fancy chrome feet! We look forward to soaking in you soon!