CPSC Recalls: Do You Get It?

Do you remember the lead paint scare circa 2007?  I remember it vividly.  That's when all of Patty's toys were teething type toys and I worried they were all laced with lead paint.  I so wish I had come across the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website five years ago!  If you look along the right hand side, just under the heading "get involved" you can sign up to receive product recall information by - you guessed it- email! 

I probably signed up for this email a few months ago and hadn't seen anything recalled that I thought we may have owned until late last week!  On the ninth the recall notice included GE dishwashers and I wasn't completely sure, but I thought we had purchased our GE dishwasher in the time frame listed in the recall.  So, I headed to the recall page on the GE site and was happily surprised to find I could input my dishwasher model/serial numbers to determine if we were affected by the recall.  Isn't that an awesome feature to have for your customers?

And I am happy to announce....that we were not affected!  Who hoo.  One less thing to worry about!

What's the moral of the story?  If you're not signed up to receive the recall notices, do not delay, sign up today!  If nothing else, it's pretty interesting to see the items that get recalled.  There have been several kids pajamas recalled lately for failing to be adequately flame retardant.  And, if there's no recall, you don't get any emails!

Oh, you can also report products that you think may be faulty.  Wish I had known this when we purchased those cutesy "Toy Story" and "Tinkerbell" toddler beds for the kids.  You know I was none to happy to find one of the screws had fallen out.  I contacted the manufacturer and they were willing to send me a replacement screw.  I wanted my money back but that didn't happen.  So, I left a negative review detailing our experience in the hopes that anyone considering those toddler beds would give it a second thought before bringing them into their home.  I never checked to see if the review got published!