4 replies to this topic

[123glldd]

Me and my husband live in a house with my in laws. We are frequently in the family room with them. They had a dog that died in 2010 who was obviously not gluten free.....as we only found out we had to be last may. I was wondering....are we going to have to worry forever more about touching and sitting on their couch since the dog use to be jumping up on it? Not to mention them eating wheaty stuff and touching the couch themselves? Is there any way of getting rid of it so we don't have to worry about cross contamination?

[Marilyn R]

Wendy, I honestly don't think you have to worry about the couch. My sister's one year old Rottweiler goes bonkers when she sees me, licks me all over and is definitely not on a gluten-free diet.

I usually head right to the bathroom shortly after the Rottie has her big welcome, washing my face and hands. When I leave, it's a repeat of when I entered, but I wait until I get home to wash up before cooking or carrying on. My sister's dog has licked my legs, arms, neck and I've slept soundly without showering that night or getting sick the next day(s).

The best part is always hearing my sister yelling at her dog to stay down and not to lick me, because I was so paranoid about it at first.

I'm pretty OCD about handwashing before food prep, though, and suppose you are too.

Good luck

[Adalaide]

It isn't something I think you need to be particularly worried about, especially if you have given it a thorough cleaning. You can even get furniture professionally cleaned. There are also some really great and fashionable furniture covers available. I'm not saying you need to worry about it, but I am saying that sometimes things are about simple piece of mind and these are things that can bring that.

I also don't let dogs... or animals all over me. I'm a toucher. I touch my hair, my arms, my whatever, and my face. I don't want gluten on me. Anywhere. Period. I don't judge people who are find with it, but I just am not. Because of the fact that I have no interest in getting gluten in my mouth because of habits that I've had my whole life and have no desire to try to break, I just keep pets away.

I still wash my hands when I've been on furniture. I do things like put my feet on the furniture and just ewww, without worrying about other issues like gluten. Also, if pets have been on furniture think about where else they have been before being on the furniture. In litter boxes, or digging in the yard, or licking their um.... yeah. We have lots of reasons to wash our hands when we share furniture with pets besides gluten.

[1974girl]

_{We are a mixed household. 3 of us are not gluten free and my daughter is. We never worry about furniture. In the kitchen, we do wipe down fridge handles, counters, etc after touching anything with wheat. We wash our hands after eating a sandwich. BUT...we don't do anything different with furniture. My daughter still has normal bloodwork showing no exposure. If that dog died 2-3 years ago, I am sure you are safe.}

[cavernio]

If you're going to be concerned about your friend's couch, then you should be concerned about everything single thing you touch outside your house. Wash your hands often and always before putting them near your mouth. Don't put things in your mouth besides food.