Best Studio Practice: D-Lead Wipes and Soap

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At the risk of sounding like your mother {stern finger pointed in your direction} I am going to insist that you wear latex gloves every time you paint in oil or any other toxic medium for that matter. Think of it as my own painterly initiative modeled after the "safe sex" campaigns of the 90s. Wear a rubber, every, single, time. But you can take this Best Studio Practice one step further by using D-Lead hand wipes & hand soap. Originally created for fire arm enthusiasts, D-lead wipes & soap break the electromagnetic bond between skin and lead and other toxic heavy metals. Both D- lead wipes and D-lead soap products are inexpensive and are an easy way to protect yourself from serious health risks due to our profession

According to estimates made by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), more than 3 million workers in the United States are potentially exposed to lead in the workplace. Lead interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues including the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems. And Cadmium poisoning is possible due to its low permissible exposure limit, over-exposures may occur even in situations where trace quantities of cadmium are found. Cadmium is carcinogenic which is a scary word for cancer (as if that needs to be any scarier) and cadmium dust inhalation and cadmium fumes may cause flu like symptoms including chills, fever, and muscle ache sometimes referred to as "the cadmium blues." More severe exposures can cause tracheo-bronchitis, pneumonitis, and pulmonary edema. Symptoms of inflammation may start hours after the exposure and include cough, dryness and irritation of the nose and throat, headache, dizziness, weakness, fever, chills, and chest pain. Clearly to avoid air-borne inhalation a good HEPA air ventilator is advised. I purchased mine through Jerry's Artarama and even had my flexible health plan pay for it.

So make your Mama proud. Put on a rubber every single time & be sure to run your HEPA air ventilator when painting in your studio. Enough said, now go clean up your room!