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Cleaning Up Gluten Crumbs

ll79

By ll79
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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ll79 Apprentice
ll79
Posted

Hi, I just had my last roommate move out two days ago. I started feeling sick yesterday and today the DH rash showed up. The only thing I can think of is that after she moved out I had to clean out the fridge, pantry, etc that all contained gluten. Also, she had left bread crumbs from the toaster everywhere on the counters that I had to clean up. I washed my hands afterwards and then made dinner. Is it possible that all that handling of gluten got me sick?

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verushka1974 Newbie
verushka1974
Posted

Don't think it could be possible but who knows.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

My daughter has an allergy to wheat. If she touches it, she gets a rash.

Poppi Enthusiast
Poppi
Posted

I think it's possible. I won't cook the kids gluten food because I don't want to expose myself to crumbs. It can take as little as one crumb to get sick so it's just not worth the exposure. You could have accidentally wiped crumbs and/or flour on your clothes and then had it contaminate your food that way. Or inhaled aerated gluten from the cleaning.

I've learned to never underestimate the risk.

In our house the only gluten food in the upstairs kitchen (our 3 teenagers have a seperate gluten kitchen downstairs that I never cook, clean or eat in) is bread that is in the chest freezer for the little kids. My husband will prepare them toast and sandwiches using the top of the chest freezer and the toaster that is on the shelf above the freezer. Then the surface gets wiped off and I never put my food on that surface even if it looks clean.

SaraKat Contributor
SaraKat
Posted

That wouldn't bother me, but I guess everyone is different. I clean up bread crumbs all the time with no issues.

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

We had to go to a gluten free household because just having the stuff in the house was enough to get me. I never touched it that I was aware of and it still got me. It would certainly be possible to get glutened by cleaning it up. It all depends on how sensitive you are.

ll79 Apprentice
ll79
Posted
  • Author

Thank you everyone! I really think that is what did it to me. I am very sensitive. I had to leave my teaching job because I was next to the home ec classroom and couldn't handle breathing in the gluten flour. So I must be that sensitive. Thanks!

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