Question from Christine

Hello- I am currently trying to find a slow cooker that is free of Lead Glaze. There seem to be a lot of slow cooker makers out there, but none of them state whether the inner pot that you put food in has lead/no lead glaze.

Yes, I could use the lead check swabs, but I don’t see how practical it would be, as there are more than 25 possible ones I have seen on the web. Order one and test and return if lead possitive? Nor really.

I contacted a few seller and manufacturors, but all of the sellers said they didn’t know, and I have not heard back from the others.

Any ideas where to find one?

Debra’s Answer

The VitaClay Chef Slow Cookers have a pot made from “natural pure unglazed clay.”

I read a post on another blog that said most of the crock pots made by major manufacturers DO have lead in the glaze. Also, an article called Cookware Safety says, “Enamel-coated iron and steel…does not contain lead, except in some glazes for slow-cooking pots (crock-pots). However, the amount of lead leached into food from these pots does not exceed FDA standards.”

An article from FDA Consumer in 1990 had this to say about lead in slow cookers:

Though the amount of lead in slow cookers may “meet FDA standards,” they are not zero. Though I couldn’t find the allowable standard for slow cookers, the FDA allows pitchers to leach 2.5 to 5.0 ppm, and plates and saucers, the level of lead that can leach into food over a 24-hour period cannot exceed 7 ppm. It is widely known that there is NO safe level for lead exposure.

Another point about slow cookers and any other small kitchen appliance is that the power cord contains lead, so if you are storing an appliance and plug it in before using, be sure to wash your hands before handling food, or wrap the cord with tape to encapsulate the lead.

Readers, if any of you want to call around to the manufacturers, or do some testing on a slow cooker you already have, please write in a comment to this entry and let me know your results and I will post them. I couldn’t find a review list of lead in slow cookers anywhere, and it would be great to have.

Add Comment

Question from Jane Sheppard

Is there is a plastic baby bottle available that won’t leach pthalates or other toxic chemicals into the baby’s milk?

Debra’s Answer

Readers? Do you know of one?

Add Comment

Question from mindy goldis

I wanted to know if any companies sell a sleeping bag that is made of natural fibers (on the inside), as the one I have is falling apart and if i purchase a new one, I want it to be non-toxic and natural.

Thank You!

Debra’s Answer

Allergy Buyers Club sells a Cotton Sleepsack that is basically a cotton liner that could be placed in a bed or sleeping bag, so as to have untreated natural fiber next to your skin while you are sleeping.

REI also sells such liners made from cotton or a cotton/silk blend, so I imagine you could get them at most stores which sell sleeping bags.

Back before the days of these lightweight, synthetic, mummy-style bags, I remember we used to have heavy rectangular cotton sleeping bags with flannel linings, and they still exist. Read descriptions carefully, as some flannel linings contain polyester. They are still filled with synethetic materials.

Here are some links for rectangular cotton sleeping bags:

http://eaglecampingequipment.com/pro894588.html

http://eaglecampingequipment.com/pro895787.html

Add Comment

Question from MISS PAM

I am a licensed daycare provider who feeds the daycare children natural and organic foods as well as cleans with natural things.

I belong to a child care chat and many of the other childcare providers are adamant that I do not use bleach to sanitize and feel I am not disinfecting and sanitizing.

I use vinegar and they think that I should be using something else, like bleach.

I am not sure of what to say. They want to know if vinegar is a disinfectant or a sanitizer. They want to know if it actually cleans as good as bleach. They say that vinegar does not kill germs like E-coli and the such.

How can I combat this to my wanting a chemical free environment in my home for my family and the daycare children in my care?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Debra’s Answer

Here’s the science about vinegar: http://www.sciencenews.org/
pages/sn_arch/9_28_96/food.htm.

You can also read more about natural disinfectants at Q&A: Disinfectants.

Add Comment

Question from mindy goldis

I have recently bought an extension cord at wal-mart and there is a tag on it that says it contains lead and may cause cancer and you need to wash your hands after touching it.

I tend to take a rag/cloth when I touch the cord, but I’d rather find a store that sells a cord that is lead-free.

Do you have any suggestions.

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

Yes. Please see Q&A: Lead on Power Cords.

Question from Jayne L.

Does anyone have a good green alternative to latex disposble surgical gloves?

I’m an artist and art teacher and sometimes I just have to use the disposable gloves due to health and budget reasons. (I’m not allowed to share gloves and I can’t buy each person their own set of gloves each class.)

If anyone has a suggestion, I would much appreciate it!

Thanks! Jayne L. Walnut Creek, CA

Debra’s Answer

Add Comment

Question from KJR

I have tried several of your recipes and they have all been fabulous.

But today I tried to make your nut cake for a friend’s birthday. It did not work at all. I’ve never made a cake without flour before, so I knew the batter would look different, but it was very runny and egg-like instead of “batter-like”. As it cooked, it rose like a souffle and then dropped when I took it out. It was a total loss.

Any idea where I went wrong? I used all the same ingredients without substitution.

Thanks!

P.S. I also made the crumb cake and it was excellent!

Debra’s Answer

I test all the recipes in my kichen before I publish them, so I know they work. Perhaps…the recipe says “finely chop the nuts…” They should be almost as fine as flour, like corn meal. Did you chop your nuts this fine?

Has anyone else made this recipe? Did you have success or no?

This is an excellent cake, so I want to make sure my instructions can be successfully followed.

Add Comment

Question from Melissa

By now many are well aware of the health benefits of Cranberries. My question is, how do you make your own Cranberry juice so that you don’t have to worry about artificial sweetners, perservatives, and colors? I’d like to use a juicer, but should they be boiled first? Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

Actually, if you are wanting all the health benefits of cranberries, it’s better to drink the raw juice–it’s not necessary to cook them first.

Bottled juice is always cooked for pasturization, which gives it a longer shelf life. When you cook the juice, it destroys many vital nutrients and enzymes.

You can go ahead and put raw cranberries through your juicer. It will be very tart, however! You might want to juice it along with apples, oranges, grapes, or cherries to add some sweetness, or use a natural sweetener that also has health benefits, such as raw honey.

Even better than juicing is to blend the cranberries with water to make a juice. This gives you the fiber as well (which is discarded in juicing) which is vital for intestinal health.

In At Home With Debra : My Vitamins, I wrote about a Chinese doctor who treats cancer, heart disease and diabetes with simple, readily available foods. The healing part of these foods is the phytochemicals, which are contiained in the fibers of the foods. So you need to chew each bite 40 times (or put the foods into a very high-powered blender) to release the phytochemicals. He recommends a 2-horsepower blender (Vitamix) or preferably a 3-horsepower blender (Blend-Tec) to can masticate the skins, seeds, and stems, to make the phytochemicals readily absorbable. Home blenders typically have motors less than 1 horsepower, but it’s better to use these low-power blenders than nothing.

The containers on both blenders are polycarbonate, but these are very hard plastics and there is a minimal amount of contact time with the food. The benefits of the blended drinks far outweigh exposure to any toxic chemicals that may be present.

Add Comment

Question from Lynn Evans

Hi Debra,

I love your books and website! (I sell your books in my office)

I’ve been making my own laundry soap for years (baking soda, borax and castile soap flakes). I just ran into a site with several similar recipes but noted NOT to use regular baking soda but to use Washing Soda instead. I see the former is sodium bicarbonate while the latter is sodium carbonate.

Do you know which would be best for laundry? And why regular baking soda is not a good idea?

Thanks!

Lynn Evans

Debra’s Answer

According to Arm & Hammer’s website:

So baking soda is made from washing soda.

I don’t see any reason NOT to use baking soda in the laundry. Arm & Hammer’s own website recommends using baking soda to boost laundry detergent.

It may just be that these other sites are recommending washing soda because it is more effective. Washing soda is advertised to improve laundry detergent performance up to 40 percent.

Add Comment

Question from S.L.

Greetings. Does anyone know of a good non-toxic or low toxin, compact spare bedding option for overnight guests? Inflatable plastic mattresses have lots of out gassing. Know of a good foldout comfortable cot or such? Thanking you in advance,

Debra’s Answer

Well, traditionally, that would be a futon. Our (infrequent) guests sleep on our sofa or put our sofa pillows on the floor.

Add Comment

Question from Susan

Hi Deb,

I want to go back to making my own cleaning supplies (something I have gotten away from) and I do remember a problem I did have earlier was finding a spray bottle that I could keep my sprays in. In particular, I had a ‘monster spray’..the boys were little and afeared of monsters. I made up a spray with lemon and lavender essential oils and would spray it in their rooms at bedtime to keep the monsters away (Tx roaches don’t care for lavender either). But I did have a hard time finding a container to keep the spray in and then keeping the sprayer from disintegrating.

So, where can I find containers at a reasonable price? (which was another concern and still is)

Thanks,

Debra’s Answer

I’m sure some of our natural cleaning people will write in with an answer for you.

The only cleaner I make is vinegar and water, and I have been reusing the same plastic spray bottle I got at a hardware store for years. But I see your formula has specific needs.

Add Comment

Question from DB

We need a new roof on our house in the Northeast. I’m researching the safest, most affordable materials, and would appreciate any info. We have cedar shakes now, but they are badly deteriorated & curly in many areas. I would like to find something that can be put over the old plywood underlay, since we don’t want any new plywood added if we can avoid it. So far it sounds like sheet metal is our best bet for safety & affordability. There is a large walk-in attic space between the living space & the roof, but we might use that space someday, so probably shouldn’t consider asphalt shingles. If anyone knows of alternatives that are affordable, please share! Metal shingles, standing seam metal panels, slate, and terra cotta tiles are all out of our price range, as far as I can determine. Thanks so much. Dorothy

Debra’s Answer

My experience with roofing is that there are different types of roofs appropriate to different climates. I’m not going to make a recommendation for that reason–because I’m not an expert in your regional needs–but perhaps a reader who is will write in with an answer.

I would suggest looking for green architects or builders in your area and asking them for a recommendation.

Add Comment

Question from Gloria

Hi Debra,

Could you tell me what to use instead of Crisco in baking, and how much to use? I really enjoy your newsletter and all the hard work you put into it.

Debra’s Answer

Well, you could use organic butter for sure, but if you want a shortening product like Crisco, try Spectrum Shortening, made from organic palm oil. I think you could also use coconut oil (professional bakers used to use coconut oil). All of these fats “firm up” like Crisco.

You would just use the same amount of these as you would Crisco in your recipe.

Add Comment

Question from jkw

Because I’m extremely chemcially sensitive, I’m looking for very good and very bad experiences, as well as brand names, regarding reactions to new flooring with 1) cork flooring and 2) laminate flooring.

Debra’s Answer

OK, readers. What do you recommend?

Add Comment

Question from Kim

Hi Debra,

We love your site; thank you for this wonderful reference.

Our family needs to make a decision on a new dock. I prefer cedar for many reasons but worry about health and environmental issues with what to treat/weather proof it with AND if we can get wood that is not chemically treated in the first place.

Does anyone out there know of any green marine suppliers?

Thank you!!

Debra’s Answer

There are some water-based DECK finishes that I gave in Q&A: Water-based Deck Finish, but I don’t know if these would stand up to the constant water exposure of a dock. You might contact these manufacturers and see what they suggest.

Readers, does anyone have any experience with this?

Add Comment

Question from KL

Is there a safe product that removes ink stains from leather without damaging the leather?

Thanks for the advice.

K.L.

Debra’s Answer

Good question! I’m dealing with some ink stains myself at the moment, on clothing.

What I did was email the manufacturer of the pen and ask them how to remove the ink stain. They replied with the names of a few products which I haven’t tried yet.

I found for clothing that rubbing alcohol and soap work together, but the soap didn’t work without the alcohol. But the alcohol smells. I’d like a nontoxic way to do this, but I may need to use something like alcohol, rather than throw my clothes away (a pen got in with the wash and ruined about two dozen pieces of clothing).

Another thing I’m considering doing is taking them down to a dry cleaner and letting them try their hand. Then I can wash out whatever residues of spot remover remain.

Anyone have any suggestions for removing ink stains from leather or fabric?

Add Comment

Question from Min

Dear Debra,

Is it possible for faux wood paneling be “encapsulated” so that it no longer emits VOC’s? Would a coat of paint (without an AFM sealant at all) take care of the emissions? Or, would there be any benefit to leaving the paneling just as it is (no paint or AFM-type sealant) and just covering it with, for example, unfinished wood beaded board? Thanks so much!

Debra’s Answer

It would be possible to encapsulate faux wood paneling so it doesn’t emit VOCs by using the proper AFM product, designed for this purpose. You’ll have to check with them as to the right product.

The AFM sealant is specially formulated to have the molecules very tightly bonded together so that the tiny gas molecules cannot go through. Paint will reduce some emissions, but it is not designed to be a sealant.

Simply putting more wood on top would not completely encapsulate it either, as wood is porous. Though the outgassing would be slowed, the gasses can penetrate any porous material.

If you want to cover it with another piece of wood, you could place a barrier between that would stop the outgassing, such as aluminum foil. However, there are electromagnetic disadvantages to doing this.

Can you simply remove the paneling and then finish the wall in whatever way you want?

Add Comment

Question from Min

Hi again, Debra! We did have another question as well:

Do you or any of your readers know of soundproofing materials for walls that would be safe for the chemically-sensitive? If so, where can these materials be purchased?

Debra’s Answer

Remember, there is a search box for this blog at SEARCH box. Type in “soundproofing” and you’ll get Nontoxic Soundproofing.

I would love any further ideas you all have on this subject.

Add Comment

Question from Water Baby

Debra,

After many years of staying out of chlorinated pools due to MCS I have returned to swimming. I live in New England where winter exercising is limited for me due to arthritis and the benefits of swimming are enormous for me.

I am concerned about how to protect myself from the harmful effects of chlorine. Currently I take a soapy shower followed by a sauna to sweat out any chlorine I might absorb. I swim and do exercises in the cooler lap pool and avoid the warmer exercise pool since I believe chlorine is absorbed more through heat. I am not noticing any immediate symptoms from the pool except that the achiness in my hands has increased. Could that be chlorine induced? My doctor says probably it is more temperature related.

My dream is to build my own nonchlorinated pool, but until then I want to keep swimming.

Any thoughts about purging chlorine further and its possible delayed effects? I have heard that Vit C filters out chlorine in shower water; could it counteract the effects internally? Any other supplements that bind chlorine i.e NDF [nanocolloidal detox factors–a heavy metal detox]?

Water Baby in Massachusetts

Debra’s Answer

These are good questions.

You are already doing everything I know to recommend, but perhaps my readers have some ideas.

Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Carol

Hi Debra,

I have chemical sensitivities and two years and three months ago I had to move after new vinyl double pane windows were put in all the windows in all the apartments in the building I was living in. I moved out during the installation period, when the smell was incredibly terrible. I tried moving back over a course of I think it was almost two months. Both times I became horribly sick on the second night back home. (Flu symptoms and vomiting.) So I moved out but now have an opportunity to move back. The apartment I am living in currently has vinyl windows so I know I can handle older vinyl. I am wondering if there might still be a risk after this period of two years and three months.

Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

The older vinyl is, the less it releases toxic fumes, for they already have been released . For an average healthy person, two years and three months is probably fine. Since you are so sensitive and have been sensitive to vinyl, I would test out being there for a day or two before committing to living there.

Personally, I wouldn’t live in a home with vinyl windows.

Add Comment

Question from Denise Arias

Debra,

I need an air purifier for the car. Can you recommend a certain brand?

Denise

Debra’s Answer

Many years ago I had an air filter in my car. I used the auto air filter from E. L. Foust Company and I was very happy with it.

Readers, do you have experience you’d like to share with any others?

Add Comment

Question from Christine

Unfortunately, I learned a little too late about a potential health hazard that is not often in the limelight. Please have your water tested for nitrates. This test is usually not included on regular well testing. It is especially important if you live around any agricultural areas, as nitrates often come from the decomposition of manure. For my family, it produced numerable digestive complaints, along with bluing around the lips for my young children. Nitrates can also cause blue baby syndrome, and is especially dangerous for children under a year old. Nitrates CANNOT be filtered completely out of water unless it is distilled. To lower the level of nitrates , one can use a reverse osmosis or special ionizer.The level of nitrates are also INCREASED with heating and boiling the water.

Wishing you all well,, Christine

Debra’s Answer

Add Comment

Question from Christine

If you are searching for a fun healthy popcorn popper, you may want to try BACK TO BASICs stove top popper. There are different styles. Look for the one that is stainless steel. It was so fun to use the first time, my daughter was jumping up and down in excitement. It can be used on most any stove top surface and works great on my ceran stovetop. We just crank the handle as popcorn is heated in the pot . We bought ours at target for about $30. May I also suggest trying organic all vegetable shortening ( palm oil) made by Spectrum to use with the popper…yumMMM!

Enjoy

Christine

Add Comment

Question from gayle

I’m almost frightened to ask this, but do you, or anyone, know how safe or unsafe the “hot cups” are from Starbucks?? I love that they serve organic milk, but what happens to it once they pour it in those bleached paper cups?!

Debra’s Answer

I went down to Starbuck’s and got a paper hot cup. Looks pretty white to me. But then I noticed that it says right on the cup, “Made with 10% post-consumer recycled fiber.” So I called the corporate headquarters and was told that their coffee filters, paper cups, and paper food contianers are whitened with a “nontoxic bleach.” I was glad to hear that about the coffee filters!

Now I know there are two processes for bleaching paper. One uses chlorine, which produces very toxic dioxin, which can leach into foods and beverages from paper packaging. The other uses oxygen bleach, and it doesn’t form dioxin.

Given the information given to me by Starbuck’s I would say they are aware of the dioxin problem with chlorine-bleached white paper cups, and are using a safely bleached cup.

Add Comment

Question from Howard Herscovici

Hello,

Recently there was an incident in our area of some people getting very ill, and one person dying, from drinking punch that was stored in containers that had windshield wiper fluid.

It got me to thinking of the toxicity of this stuff that we spray all the time into the environment.

Does anyone having any stats on this? It would be interesting.

Wondering if anyone knows of a product, commercial or home-made, that does the job. I am up in Ontario and it gets pretty cold here, way below zero. So it can’t freeze. That might be the hard part.

Anyway, look forward to being part of this blog. There is a lot to learn.

Debra’s Answer

I think we’re going to need to figure this one out all together.

For those of you who are not aware of what windshield wiper fluid is made from, it’s methanol, a very toxic solvent (see Methanol Poisoning Overview). In addition to our own exposure, when we use methan

Add Comment

Question from Joe

Has anyone found a good disinfectant that is certified by either Green Seal or ECP (Canadian Seal)? I know of two, but they are VERY expensive. If not a certified product, has anyone found a disinfectant that has no ammonia chloride in it that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg?

Debra’s Answer

Vinegar and hot water! I wrote all about this in my book Home Safe Home.

Add Comment

Question from Patricia

You have been and continue to be a life saver for me and so many other people. Thank you so much for all your kind work.

I am chemically sensitive and I have a Jacuzzi where I take a whirlpool bath each night to help me with chronic back pain. I have not been able to find a non-toxic product to do heavy cleaning of the jets and circulation system.

Do you know of any products I may be able to use or where I might do research to help me find a useable product? My husband, lucky me, does all the cleaning so I wouldn’t have to do cleaning but I find it difficult to be in the steam of a hot bath where toxic products have been used. Anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again.

Debra’s Answer

Don’t have a jacuzzi, so don’t have any experience with this. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Robyn

What cleaning product can be used in tubs and showers that will work as effectively as Tilex which is very toxic. Any help is much apprciated. Thanks Robyn F.

Debra’s Answer

This has been answered at Q&A: How Do I Remove Mold from the Shower Floor Tile?.

Add Comment

Question from Bob Jordan

I’d like to recommend a new book on the dangers of RBGH I came across, It’s called What’s In Your Milk? An Exposé of Industry and Government Cover-Up on the DANGERS of the Genetically Engineered (rBGH) Milk You’re Drinking by Samuel S. Epstein, MD. In it, Dr. Esptein tells the dangers of rBGH and why we should drink certified organic milk.

To read more about it go to http://www.preventcancer.com/publications/WhatsInYourMilkRelease.htm.

Debra’s Answer

Add Comment

Question from Anne

Hi! Does anyone have suggestions for a good alternative for plastic freezer bags? I’ve tried using cellophane bags, but they tear easily. I also use glass containers in the freezer, but they take a lot of room. Would love a recommenation for a nontoxic freezer bag that is durable.

Debra’s Answer

Readers? Any ideas?

Add Comment

Question from HAH

Hello Debra,

Bromate (Potassium Bromate) is calmly entering our FLOURS and bake goods! What is going on???

Where can we find ‘Organic Unbromated Flour’???

Thank you,

HAH

Debra’s Answer

Actually, potassium bromate has been in flour and baked goods for a long time, and recently there has been LESS potassium bromate in flour and baked goods, though more attention has been given to it, so more people are aware of it.

Potassium bromate (KBrO3) is a bromate of potassium. A bromate is a chemical compound that is formed when ozone and bromide react according to a specific chemical reaction.

Potassium bromate is typically used in flour to strengthen bread dough (bread of all kinds, including rolls, buns, and other bread products) and allow higher rising. It is also used in doughnuts and cakes. It may appear on the label as “potassium bromate” or “bromated flour”, but may also be present in products that don’t have labels, such as deli sandwiches and bakery products purchased unpackaged.

Under the right conditions, potassium bromate is completely used up in the baking bread and none remains in the finished product. If too much is added, or if the bread is not properly, then a residual amount will remain, which can be harmful to health if consumed. In 1992-93 and 1998-99, the FDA tested several dozen baked goods and found that many contained bromate at levels they considered to be unsafe. Yet, the agency still allowed this additive to be used and that continues today.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) considers bromate to be a category 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans). Bromate was first found to cause tumors in rats in 1982. It has been banned from use in food products in Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, and most other countries.

Though potassium bromate has not been banned In the United States the FDA has urged bakers to voluntarily stop using it since 1991. In California bromate was declared a carcinogen under Proposition 65, requring that baked goods sold in California would have to bear a cancer warning if they contained more than a certain level of bromate. Rather than label their baked goods as being carcinogenic, most California bakers have switched to bromate-free flour.

Add Comment

Question from Cat

New carpets were just laid down in my friend’s workplace a month or two ago – I think they are made of nylon. A couple of weeks ago she started feeling ill – nausea, dizziness, sinus congestion, and severe lethargy. Her doctor told her it was a virus, or possibly irritation of childhood ear injury. Could these symptoms be from the carpet? Are there any tests doctors can perform to determine whether patients are having a toxic reaction, or are there tests that can be done on the carpet itself to measure outgassing? Thanks for your responses!

Debra’s Answer

Absolutely it can be the carpet, and I would venture to say it probably is.

There are tests that can be done for toxic chemicals in the human body, but I understand they cost around $15,000.

Anderson Labs can test your carpet sample. They put your sample into a glass chamber and collect the chemicals it releases. Then laboratory mice are given the air from that chamber (containing the pollutants from your item) to breathe and ill effects (on eyes, nose, throat, lungs, and nervous system) from breathing that air are noted. This test does not identify the toxic chemicals, but does determine they are toxic. This kind of test costs about $1000.

Personally, I probably wouldn’t spend the money on testing. I’d take out the carpet, or have your friend go someplace without carpet for a week and see if she feels better. If so, then take out the carpet and spend the money on the replacement.

Add Comment

Question from Jennifer Lance

The only nonstick cookware in my home are the muffin pans. I want to get rid of these pans, but my children love organic muffins with raspberries from the garden. The only alternative I have found are cast iron; however, the reviews of the Lodge cast iron muffin pans state the muffin size is smaller than normal. Do you know of any other safe muffin pans or cast iron versions that offer regular size muffins?

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know offhand. I have some unknown metal ones that are non-stick, but I’ve had them for years and rarely make muffins.

Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Lucy H

Debra and/or Readers,

I have a CorningWare Slow Cooker (model SC-60). This is the second slow cooker i have tried. The first had a plastic base that heated up and off-gassed terribly. This one is described as “cool touch” so I thought perhaps the base would not off-gas as much. But it does. The question is, Do you think it is possible to heat it up and let it off-gas in the basement sufficiently for it to be safe the house? My basement has open windows and a cross draft. The base is made from a hard plastic, is it PVC?

Also regarding the “StoneWare insert”, do you think that is safe once it is cleaned?

I love the idea of a slow cooker but wonder if I will have to spring for the more expensive stainless steel model. Any suggestions for a safe version that is not over $100?

thank you

Lucy

Debra’s Answer

I personally don’t have a slow cooker, but I think they are a good idea. So I haven’t looked at them carefully enough to make a recommendation. Readers? What slow cookers do you like?

With regard to the outgassing…it may or may not be PVC. You can call Corning and ask. I don’t know how long it would take to outgas.

My rule of thumb is to always look for the less toxic materials and buy those. So I would buy the stainless steel even if it costs more. In the long run you’ll save money on medical bills.

Add Comment

Question from Gina

I am snowed in today and had the chance to look over your site more in-depth. Thanks for the section on how you live! I found it exciting and helpful to see that it can be done in a conventional house! I’m especially excited about the wool bedding and the copper cookware. I’m just starting to think about buying a new set and had been considering stainless steel until I read what you said about copper.

My question is about the tin coating on the Ruffoni. I called my father when I read about it and he said that it would oxidize. (“think of what happens to a tin can.”) Since you actually use it, I wondered if you could tell me if that is the case and what you do to prevent/deal with it.

Also, just fyi, I did a search on the Ruffoni cookware and found several sites that have pretty good pricing. Ruffoni’s own site is offering the 10 piece set on sale for 1400 something (normally 1700 something) and I found it at buycoppercookware.com for 1095. That’s a considerable discount. I’m not sure how that compares to Williams Sonoma, but I didn’t see a full cookware set on their site.

Debra’s Answer

Your post was very timely, as I was just about to add a comment to My New Cookware regarding my Ruffoni pots.

Before I purchased this cookware, I read an article which said there were two types of copper pots–a heavier pot for cooking and a lighter weight pot that is mainly used for serving.

Williams-Sonoma does have a full set of Mauviel copper cookware, but not Ruffoni. Mauviel is very heavy, which is why I didn’t buy that one. The Ruffoni is much easier to handle.

Prior to puchasing the Ruffoni, I asked the salesperson about the tin lining. They said it would last about five years and then need to be retinned.

Well…that was not the case. I’ve had my two Ruffoni tin-lined pots five months and already the tin was wearing through to where we could see the copper. Just last week we took the pots back to Williams-Sonoma and they exchanged both pots for new ones.

We learned a few things about these pots. You need to cook only over medium heat, You need to remove the food immediately, so you can’t store food in it in the refrigerator. Once you are done cooking, you actually need to wash the pot immediately because even one piece of vegetable will begin to wear away the tin.

Add Comment

Question from gayle

We recently purchased an older home (built in the 1940’s) The bathtub seems to be enclosed by a “liner”. It looks/feels like some type of plastic. Since the original tub probably carries lead, does this “liner” make it safe?? How can we tell??

Thanks so much.

Gayle

Debra’s Answer

A number of websites that sell bathtub liners say that such a liner will encapsulate the lead that may be leaching from your bathtub (more than half of all porcelain bathtubs made before 1974 leach lead, which can be absorbed through your skin when you take a bath).

Since you already have an existing liner, it may be made from either PVC vinyl or acrylic. PVC being the more toxic of the two.

You can tell for sure if lead is coming through the liner (or if you need to be concerned about lead in your bathtub) by using a lead test kit, such as Lead Check.

If you need to encapsulate the lead in your bathtub, look into refinishing your tub as it will encapsulate lead as well. Both liners and refinishing are pretty toxic to install. I think refinishing would be less toxic after installation.

Add Comment

Question from jal333

Have you heard of Children’s Orchard stores? We pay cash or store value added credits for kids clothes, toys, furniture sizes 0 through 10. We encourage parents to recycle back with us. If clothes are worn we donate them or send them to recycling centers. We work diligently to give back to the community, work with not for profits, elementary schools, PTA’s, OB/GYNs. We are not 100% green, but doing whatever we can. It’s amazing the wonderful items we have that people bring to us for resale.

This is a small, national family-owned franchise and been in business over 30 years.

Debra’s Answer

Sounds like a great way to participate in recycling.

Readers, remember when we recycle by using an already existing item again, it saves even more resources than when we recycle by coverting the product material to a new product. It’s always a good idea to use an existing item through to the end of it’s useful life before sending it’s material back into the system.

Add Comment

Question from kt

Hi,

Does anyone know of a source of upholsterers that work with natural or organic stuffing and fabric? I have several old pieces I’d like to get redone, but not with the toxic materials normally available.

Thanks!

kt

Debra’s Answer

I was going to suggest trying one of the custom furniture makers on Debra’s List, however, shipping is expensive and you would need to ship your items there and back.

I’ve had good success with finding local upholsterers who will recover according to my specifications. First, I make sure there is no smoking in the workroom and no pesticide spraying (visit to make sure). Then I get the materials myself and provide them. Ask them for an estimate for “COG”, which is customer’s-own-goods.

About ten years ago I had a sofa and wing chair reupholstered. I chose a 100% linen fabric for one and 100% cotton for the other. Neither fabric had any finishes, but I prewashed both. And I got wool batting for the stuffing.

Both pieces turned out beautifully and still look like new.

I found this upholsterer by asking people I knew. I asked for someone who did good work. And I found just the right person.

Add Comment

Question from Mary

I have been reading you for years (bought your book, and read Natural Home mag). I stumbled on your web site today while searching unsuccessfully for info on these questions. Perhaps you would find them interesting enough to answer?

I have a wonderful old cast iron clawfoot tub bought from a salvage yard. Much of the original smooth porcelain finish is worn away, and it’s become quite stained. I can’t afford the commercial refinisher (besides, how “green” is that process?). There is a “porcelain restoration kit” I’ve seen at a hardware store and on web, but it looks really toxic, and the rebonding agent doesn’t look all that durable. Since I have a graywater system that recycles used water to my garden, I’m very picky about what goes down the drain. I’ve tried hydrogen peroxide to no avail. Any suggestions to nontoxically clean and/or refinish the surface?

Similarly, I rescued from a house remodel an old kitchen stove from the 40s, very cute. The top porcelain is quite stained from 60 years of cooking. Basic baking soda hasn’t touched the deep stains. Any nontoxic way to clean this, and keep it from re-staining?

Debra’s Answer

Good questions! Readers?

Add Comment

Yesterday I found a wonderful olive oil that tastes very much like butter. This is the natural flavor of the oil–there are no flavorings added of any kind. I made my scrambled eggs with it this morning and they tasted even better than with butter!

Though it’s not organically grown, I thought I’d let you know about it for all of you who love the taste of butter but would rather eat a plant-based oil.

It’s available in a store here in Florida called Cork and Olive. Currently their website isn’t set up for online ordering (www.corkandolive.com) and the chain of stores is only in Florida, but if you’d like to order some, you can email Regina at r.dodd@corkandolive.com. Tell her you read it in my blog and ask for Alia d’Morocco.

Question from Gina

I’m seeking a brand that’s durable, energy-efficient, and stainless steel, or other material that won’t off-gas. My ancient big stove recently died, and I don’t need another big stove.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Debra’s Answer

Reader! Any ideas!

Add Comment

Growing up the San Francisco Bay Area, which has a large Chinese community, I have always been very aware of the Chinese New Year in early spring. Based on an ancient agricultural calendar, the Chinese consider the year to begin when the first plants begin to sprout, rather than when the days begin to grow longer based on the sun.

Today is the Chinese New Year, so in celebration, here’s a tip from The Ideal Bite newsletter with some links on where to buy eco-friendly chopsticks: The Ideal Bite: Chopsticks

Question from Donnie

I have a small Holmes cool mist humidifier, and it has worked well for me. Unfortunately, my husband used a toxic antibacterial product in it, without my knowledge, and it made me very sick. I want to replace the filter in the humidifier, to see if that will make it more tolerable. However, all of the Holmes replacement filters now contain Microban, which I can not tolerate. That chemical gives me a migraine and makes my lungs hurt, and causes shortness of breath, among other nasty symptoms. Does anyone know of a source for replacement filters, without Microban, that can be used in Holmes humidifiers? I tried to go with using the humidifier, and my humidity dropped down the 8%.

Donnie

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Just Wondering

I was wondering if anyone had any comments or experience with using the Surround Ewe wool sleep system. It is owned and operated by a woman who has Kerry Hills Farm and she sells wool pillows, mattresses, mattress toppers, etc. They are organic wool products and organic cotton coverings. I wondered if anyone had bought any items and if they were happy with the products. Any comments appreciated. Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

I’m not familiar with this one. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Harmony

With more and more organic cotton products now available at lower prices in mass market stores, there have been some questions about how organic these cotton products are. It’s easy to make the asuumption that organic cotton is held to the same standards as organic food, but it’s not. As a textile designer working with organic cotton I want to tell you about the current state of organic cotton standards in the industry.

The green and white USDA organic label that we have all come to expect on our organic foods can’t be found on cotton. Why? The U.S. Department of Agriculture classifies cotton as fiber-not food-and therefore finds it outside its jurisdiction. This is especially perplexing when you consider that many processed foods contain cottonseed oil.

As a result, the labeling and regulation of organic cotton is a relative free-for-all. “Organic” cotton should be grown to the same standards as organic food (GMO-free, no pesticides, etc. Full details available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/NOP/standards.html#). Then certification by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) would be possible and could be expected for all cotton sold as “organic.”

However, unlike food, the processing of cotton doesn’t end at harvest time. Toxins and chemicals are often applied to cotton at every step of the manufacturing process. From the waxes used in the weaving to the chlorine bleach used for whitening and at numerous other points in the process, cotton is often subjected to toxins. (See http://www.harmonyart.com/organic-textiles/OrganicVSConventional.html for a detailed list of some of these steps.)

There are currently over 40 eco-fiber standards worldwide, each focusing on a different aspect of the process. Some test for toxic residue, some focus on the treatment of the people, some are concerned with energy and water use. Navigating these standards can be complex and confusing even for those on the inside of the organic fiber community. The processing of cotton is so variable and suspect that without a universal and recognizable standard that addresses the entire process there is much room for deceit. It is my hope that before too long the fiber world (like the food world) will have a universally accepted and identifiable organic seal which consumers can trust.

The good news is that the U.S. Organic Trade Association (OTA) recently passed a resolution recognizing the new Global Organic Textile Standard (global-standard.org) as the standard for organic fiber. With the OTA’s endorsement-on the heels of endorsements by Germany, Japan and the UK-I have great hope that the GOTS will emerge as the necessary universally accepted and recognized standard.

Debra’s Answer

Thanks, Harmony. We needed this explanation.

Add Comment

Question from Karen

Hi Debra,

We recently bought 6 banana leaf dining chairs(I think from China) that are just beautiful. However, when they were brought into the house the odor was overwhelming. We now have had them in the garage for 10 days and there doesn’t seem to be much change.

How long will it take to outgass? Should we try to seal them with a polyurethane type coating? Then would the polyurethane have to outgass, too? Would it wear off and we would be right back where we started?

I hope there is a solution. We love the chairs!

Thanks,

Karen

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have experience with banana leaf chairs, but I have some ideas.

First, I don’t know whether the odor is the natural odor of banana leaf, or if what you are smelling is some kind of finish that has been applied, or some kind of pesticide that may have been sprayed during shipping.

If you were to apply some kind of finish to block the odor, yes, that would need some drying time.

Heat often will accelerate the outgassing process.

I think I would try putting them out in the sun. The sun often works wonders.

I had an experience once where I bought a natural jute rug. It had an odor in the store, but I thought, it’s natural, I can get the odor out. Well, I did everything I could think of, including leaving it out in the sun and rain for six months, but the odor remained. I think it was just the natural odor of the jute.

Add Comment

Question from Arien

Dear Debra,

Thank you for sharing the amazing information on a variety of cookwares. After reading your My New Cookware section, I was very interested in the soapstone pots so I went on to greenfeet.com and bought two. However, I do have a simple question that I am sure you can answer because you have been cooking in them for a while now.

When the pots first came, there was a litte note inside the pots saying that NEVER to heat the pot when it’s empty, always make sure to have food or water in it. I am a bit confused by this message. Does that mean I cannot preheat the pot before I do my stir-frys or scramble eggs? How do you use yours? I cannot imagine putting cold oil in the cold pot and then put the food contents. I have always preheat my pots or pans to medium before I add oil. Can you please give me some advice on this? and can you tell me more on how to use these pots? I love cooking rice in cast iron pots but the rusting some times drives me nuts, I would love to cook in clay too but they are porus….

Thank you so much for your time and your great work!

Debra’s Answer

Well…I thought I had read all the instructions, but I didn’t see that little slip of paper, so I have been preheating my soapstone pots with no ill effect. Especially since one of the characteristics of these pots is that they are slow to heat, so I always preheat them before I put in the food.

One of the best things to use these pots for is scrambled eggs. They just taste better and have better texture than in metal skillets. I heat the pot, then add the butter, let it melt, then add the beaten eggs.

I also love to use my soapstone pots to make soups and stews, and they would be great for things like rice.

I just went and looked at the actual printed instructions brochure from the manufacturer and not only does it not say anything about not preheating, it says, “A pre-heated griddle or pan make even tabletop cooking possible, turning out sizzling steaks and seafood.”

So I have no idea why yours came with a slip of paper saying never heat without food. Call greenfeet and ask them and let us know.

Add Comment

Question from Jennifer Lance

I am so excited to have found a non-leaching, safe sippy cup made by Klean Kanteen, the stainless steel alternative to plastic.

Klean Kanteen makes the best stainless steel water bottles. They are odor free and do not taste like metal. We have tried other stainless steel bottles that smell horribly and are lined with epoxy. Plastic/polycarbonate bottles leach bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that mimics the hormone estrogen, and can cause chromosonal abnormalities.

Any Klean Kanteen bottle can be turned into a sippy cup by buying the adaptor and spouts. Of course the Klean Kanteen sippy cup costs more than plastic versions, but the cost is small when you consider the benefit to your child’s health. Besides, as my daughter said, now my son is the coolest kid in preschool with his shiny Klean Kanteen sippy cup.

The only drawback to the Klean Kanteen sippy cup is it is made in China. The company states it is “responsibly made in China”, but for a few of my friends boycotting Chinese products, this may be a tough decision.

I have pledged to boycott Chinese products due to their human rights violations (especially in regards to Tibet), however I have found it almost impossible to completely avoid Chinese products. Since signing the pledge to boycott Chinese products, I have become more aware of where the products I buy are made and have boycotted many Chinese products. Since the Klean Kanteen sippy cup offers the only alternative to plastic sippy cups I have found, I decided in favor of the safe, sippy cup.

Debra’s Answer

greenfeet.com sells the Kleen Kanteen sippy cup and also the sippy cup adapters. Just go to greenfeet.com and type “sippy cup” into the search box.

Add Comment

Question from yg

A while ago I purchased Lady J Fruit sweetend cookies. They were excellent. Now I can not find them . Are they under another label ? Is there a place that I could order them through the mail?

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know these cookies and couldn’t find them online. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Cary Goulston

If you are looking for a holistic dentist, you can contact the following associations to find a holistic/biological dentist in your area:

www.toxicteeth.org/

www.talkinternational.com

www.mercuryfreenow.com/freeservices/find_dentists.html

www.iaomt.org//findmember.cfm

www.holisticdental.org

Debra’s Answer

Thanks, Cary. Readers, this is from the office of my holistic dentist, Dr. Ray Behm, who I know personally and trust. I would follow this advice when choosing a holistic dentist.

Add Comment

Question from jeanne

Can you suggest a safe-for-the-environment product or method to remove moss from a rooftop? Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

I’ve effectively removed the green stuff that grows on outside walls with my steam cleaner, but have no experience removing moss from roofs. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Denise Arias

Does anyone have a trick for getting a porcelain sink white?

Denise

Debra’s Answer

Try Bon Ami, powdered oxygen bleach (i.e. OxyClean) or hydrogen peroxide.

Add Comment

Question from Francesca

I was inspired by your recent question regarding waffle irons. What about cookie sheets. All the ones that I can find are always non-stick. Is that what you should be avoiding? Where can you find a safe kind?

Debra’s Answer

Yes, you should be avoiding nonstick finish on cookie sheets.

I personally don’t use cookie sheets to bake cookies. I use what are called “sheet pans.” They are made from an aluminum-steel blend and have no non-stick finish. Where a cookie sheet has no sides, these pans have sides about one inch high, so they can do double duty and be used to bake cakes (they actually are cake pans, used by professional bakers), roast vegetables, and many other things. I put a silicone mat on the sheet pan to make it nonstick (nothing sticks to silicone). You can see a picture of my sheet pans at At Home With Debra: My New Cookware.

I have two 13×18-inch “half-sheet” pans and two 13X9-inch “quarter-sheet” pans. These are so-called because the sizes are fractions of the “full sheet” pan used in restaurants and bakeries (which are too large to fit in a home oven).

Read more on bakware and silcone baking mats at Q&A: Which Bakeware is Safe?.

Add Comment

Question from Linda Terzich

I want a sauna. Those poplar and glass far infrared units are ideal but at $2,800—yikes. So how to sweat and get far infrared?

Mercola has a do it yourself sauna post at http://www.mercola.com/2002/aug/14/sauna.htm. You can buy the lamps from the hardware store and affixing it (not to plywood) but maybe to pressboard right? And can use in a small bathroom or closet or he suggests two refrigerator boxes stapled together. I LOVE this idea! How inert would the boxes be? Again I’d have an oven thermometer in and make sure I don’t go above 110 degrees. And here again, boxes can have flaps cut in to regulate air flow/temperature.

You know how POOR most of us with MCS are ( I also have CFS). Make it yourself isn’t ideal but would be acheivable by everyone that isn’t on welfare.

If this is doable then everyone can have their own healing sauna.

Thank you,

Linda in Sarasota

Debra’s Answer

This sounds like a good idea to me. You could use whatever material you best tolerate to make the box.

Some cardboard boxes may contain formaldehyde, so find ones you tolerate. Sitting them out in the sun for a few days can help “detox” them.

Add Comment

Question from martina

Hello,

I would greatly appreciate if someone could answer my question on how to get borax and water to blend together as well as oil and water.

I make all my own all natural cleaning products for my home cleaning business which have been very successful. I would like to sell them now to my clients, but would like to make them look more eye appealling and that they do not have to shake the bottle all the time when using them.

I have tried soya lecithan but the granulars never breakup. Could you suggest some things to mix them together?

Thanks so kindly for your help.

Martina

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know the answer to this. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Drey

Hi, I just found your site and I hope you can answer my question. I’m looking for a place to live and just found a place I love, but after about 10 minutes started to get a horrible headache that lasted the rest of the evening. The owner of the house said she’d painted the inside back in October ’06. Can it be possible that I’m reacting to paint outgassing after 3 months?

Thanks!

Drey

Debra’s Answer

It depends on the type of paint used. If it was an oil-based paint, it’s quite likely, particularly since the three months have been in a cool season.

If it was a water-based paint, as most are nowadays, it is probably dry by now and you are reacting to something else.

If you really want this house, ask if you can leave the heat on for several days (with doors and windows closed). Then air the house out for several hours. If after this you are still reacting, then I’d pass.

It may be something other than the paint.

Add Comment

Question from Linda Terzich

Can you tell me of a good company for a hammock for a bed?

I’ve been reading up on these and the Mayan style (without the wood to make it flat on the ends) is what 10 million (to 100 million says another site) people sleep on in South America, Asia, Yukatan–said that many in Venezuela.

Anyways—I’ve got latex I can’t use, and the platform solid wood untreated maple with upgraded poplar slats (I reacted horribly to the poplar, put acrylic on it and still can’t get near it) …HEAVY SIGH.

What about a hammock? I see it can be hung from walls of cielings, and even can wash the cotton rope hammock.

Please could you do your detective work and help? I know I’m not the only one failing with a bed.

Debra’s Answer

I had no trouble finding cotton (and even hemp) hammocks without the wooden bars. Here are three websites to start with:

Search on “Mayan hammock,” “Brazilian hammock,” “Nicaraguan hammock,” and “hemp hammock” and you’ll find many more sites.

My only caution about this is that I have purchased foreign items in the past which sometimes have their own odors. And the cotton may be less processed than we are accustomed to. But you should go ahead and order and see how it is.

These are also washable. Just throw them in the washing machine and dryer.

Let us know if you order one and how you like it.

Add Comment

I know I’ve mentioned buying organic food at Costco in the past, but after an experience I had over the weekend, I just have to mention it again.

We’ve been having a cold snap here in Florida (I know you Northerners are going to laugh when I tell you it’s been getting down to 48 degrees!) and even though I usually make chicken stock from scratch, I decided to purchase some. Pacific Natural Foods Organic Free-Range Chicken Broth, is $4.46 for a one quart carton at my local Albertson’s supermarket. At my local independently owned natural food store it is $3.69. And at Costco I bought a box of 6-1 quart boxes for 9.95–that’s $1.66 a carton!

I bought 3 boxes of six cartons for $29.98. That’s 18 cartons. It would have cost me $66.42 at the natural food store and $80.28 at the supermarket! I saved $50.30! That, to me, is a HUGE difference!

Readers, I’d like to know your tips on how you save money buying organic food.

Question from nicole

My partner and I bought a new leather lounge suite recently. It was made in China and when it arrived it smelled very strongly of chemicals.

I’ve been away since the day after the couch arrived, and now it’s time to return to our unit but I’m very concerned about the chemical smell.

We have had the couch for over a month now, but the smells coming off it are too strong. I don’t know what to do as my partner wants to keep the couch, but I’m not comfortable living with it whilst pregnant. I can still smell it whenever I walk into the lounge room and have to avoid the room, which is not practical at all as we live in a small unit.

Any suggestions on what I can do about the offgassing? Should the lounge suite finish offgassing soon?

Debra’s Answer

Sounds like you need to remove the couch from your home. I’d suggest either just selling it or giving it away, or if there is someplace you can put it for about a year, you might see if it is outgasssed enough in the future to use. Particularly since you are pregnant, I would remove it right away.

Question from Amelie

Hi Debra,

Do you know anything about a fabric spray clothing retail stores are now using on linen clothing?

Recently, I purchased some linen clothing online. After they arrived, I noticed the clothing has a glossy sheen to them (more so than natural linen) and felt kind of slick.

I called the store and they told me that a fabric spray is used on linen to make it appear less wrinkled while hanging on stores shelves.

What do you think? Is the spray likely safe? Will it completely wash out of the fabric in one wash? Should I avoid linen clothes that have this?

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

When I was researching fabric finishes, I learned that there are two types: finishes intended to improve fabric performance for the consumer for the life of the fabric and finishes intended to make the garments look good on the hanger.

Those finishes intended to improve fabric performance are permanent; those intended to make garments look good for sales purposes are temporary.

One such temporary finish, called “sizing” is made from cornstarch, and washes right out. That’s why when a garment is new it seems to have a shape, which falls out when you wash it.

I don’t know about these new linen finishes specifically, but it sounds like it will wash out.

Add Comment

Question from Amelie

Dear Debra,

I have a question about fabric care labels. Before I decide to purchase a piece of clothing, I like to know that I can machine wash it and also that it will be safe to wear.

Based on information I read in your books (thanks!) and on your website, I try to buy natural fiber clothing and to avoid clothes that need to be dry cleaned.

However, some items I have questions about. Is there a reason to avoid purchasing items that say things like:

I’ve heard sometimes an item that says “do not dry clean” is an indicator that it’s been treated with chemicals that could react with dry cleaning chemicals.

Any tips?

Debra’s Answer

Personally, I’ve never encountered these labels. But a reader in the industry may be able to answer this question. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from cheryle

Debra, This is a great website and I appreciate what you are doing to help all of us be healthier and happier. Thank you. My question is about paint. I have used paint for years in artwork and I am now concerned over the message that acrylics contain cadimium. It tells you not to spray it, but my concern is I use this in painting childrens rooms with various children themes. After it is dry how dangerous is this to the children or adults? This is a big concern for artist and purchasing original art work. Thank you.

Cheryle Silanskis, Illinois

Debra’s Answer

Add Comment

Question from bev Rockey

What kind of waffle maker would you recomend? So many are teflon coated.

Debra’s Answer

Well, personally I don’t eat waffles (though I love them!) because I don’t eat grains. I haven’t seen a waffle maker in a long time that didn’t have a Teflon finish.

Readers? Do you know of any?

I’ve questioned for myself the necessity of eating foods that require special equipment just to make that one thing. How many resources would we save if nobody ate waffles? We could make pancakes in the same skillet used to make other foods…

Add Comment

Question from JT

hello,

i was looking for a new cutting board. up to now, i’ve been using john boos’ butcher block. but it cracked, and i’m in the market for a new one. however, prior to repurchasing a boos block, i was concerned re: the potential toxic glues and laminates used. should this be an issue to consider? in addition, they have their ‘mystery oil’ used for upkeep of the board vs. regular food grade mineral oil. i’m not sure if that’s okay, or if there’s as natural oil that you might recommend?

i’ve also looked into bamboo, and saw ‘totally bamboo’s’ site stating that they do not use toxic glues with their products. i’ve not had any experience with bamboo, and was curious if either you or your readers might have some feedback regarding this vs. maple butcher block.

the plastic synthetic boards, i assume are toxic.

what cutting boards (and oils) have you found to be the best performing and least toxic?

thank you kindly.

Debra’s Answer

I personally use maple, though I would consider a bamboo cutting board if I needed to purchase a new one. I’ve had mine for years, and actually have never put anything on them (see Q&A Wood Conditioner for Cutting Boards and Bowls for a lengthy discussion on this). They are still in excellent condition and I use them daily.

I’ve never found a cutting board to have toxic adhesives. They are required to be food safe.

The common 1/2′ thick plastic boards are made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). According to the International Plastics Task Force, mice fed HDPE powder as part of their diet “developed no changes in their general condition” in the short or long term.

Here are the types of cutting boards currently available:

Plastic — These come in hard and flexible plastic, and thick or thin. The harder the plastic, the less it offgasses. Sharp knives easily cut soft plastic, and can cut right through a soft thin plastic board. Hard plastic boards are very durable and easy to clean.

Tempered Glass — These are completely nontoxic, very durable, resistant to heat, and are the most sanitary and easy to clean. The disadvantage is they dull knife edges and make noise when you are chopping.

Add Comment

Question from Mira

I am pregnant and have been reading a lot about the danger of bisphenol A exposure to developing fetuses (e.g. recent San Fran attempt to ban this chemical from baby products). This chemical is found in polycarbonate plastic among other places. I am concerned because I grind my teeth and wear a polycarbonate mouth guard nightly. I worry that BPA may be leaching from my mouth guard and harming my unborn child. I have spoken with numerous dentists but none were that knowledgeable on the subject. I contacted dental labs but have not been able to find a “toxin-free” alternative material from which the guard can be made. I also have not been able to find any research about the risks of wearing mouth guards during pregnancy.

Unfortunately I need to wear my mouth guard or risk breaking my teeth. Do you have any insight or advice for me?I am pregnant and have been reading a lot about the danger of bisphenol A exposure to developing fetuses (e.g. recent San Fran attempt to ban this chemical from baby products). This chemical is found in polycarbonate plastic among other places. I am concerned because I grind my teeth and wear a polycarbonate mouth guard nightly. I worry that BPA may be leaching from my mouth guard and harming my unborn child. I have spoken with numerous dentists but none were that knowledgeable on the subject. I contacted dental labs but have not been able to find a “toxin-free” alternative material from which the guard can be made. I also have not been able to find any research about the risks of wearing mouth guards during pregnancy.

Unfortunately I need to wear my mouth guard or risk breaking my teeth. Do you have any insight or advice for me?

Debra’s Answer

It can be confusing to make decisions about exposures to toxic chemicals of all kinds because in a addition to how toxic something inherently might be, “the dose makes the poison,” meaning, how much you are exposed to and the frequency of exposure determines the toxicity in your body more than the inherent toxicity of the substance itself. Salt, for example, is essential to life, but can be deadly if too much is eaten at one sitting.

Bisphenol A is known to have negative health effects (read all about them at Our Stolen Future: Bisphenol A). According to Our Stolen Future, “Research over the past decade has established that BPA alters cellular function and disrupts developmental processes at exquisitely low levels, far beneath EPA’s current ‘reference dose’ for the compound, and at levels to which many people are exposed daily, in the US and other countries.”

Bisphenol A has been most highly publicized for it’s presence in clear and colored transparent polycarbonate plastic, because of the popularity of using this plastic for water bottles. Bisphenol A leaches from polycarbonate as the plastic ages. The rate of degradation depends on how the plastic is used. If exposed to acid or alkaline solutions, or heated, the rate of leaching increases. When you wash water bottles in a dishawasher and reuse them, for example, that process accelerates the leaching. Therefore, a new plastic water bottle would leach less bisphenol A into the water than one that has been reused many times.

It’s likely, though, that you are being exposed to bisphenol A from many other sources. It is also used to make the resin that lines metal food cans to prevent the metal from contact with food. Some estimates approximate that 80% of metal food cans are lined with bisphenol A resin, and it’s not on the label. Another reason to eat fresh food.

Bisphenol A is also used in the manufacture of epoxy resins and other plastics, including polysulfone, alkylphenolic, polyalylate, polyester-styrene, and some polyester resins. It is also used as a fungicide, antioxidant, and a flame retardant, in the making of rubber chemical, and to stabilize polyvinyl chloride.

Question from KJR

I love all your information about natural sweeteners. I wonder if you have come across Suzanne Somers’ Somersweet. It is made from predominantly oligofructose. Any thoughts?

Debra’s Answer

Oligofructose (also called Fructooligosaccharide, FOS) is a subgroup of inulin, a blend of fructose polymers found widely distributed in nature.

Inulin is not digested in the small intestine, so not metabolized to produce energy, thus they have a reduced caloric value. They do not lead to a rise in serum glucose or stimulate insulin secretion.

FOS is primarily sold as a proniotic enhancer, as it is an ideal substrate for beneficial intestinal bacteria and can stimulate its activity by several hundred percent.

It is derived from a plant source (usually chicory or a sucrose such as cane or beet sugar).

A couple of years ago I looked into using FOS as a a sweetener, so I bought a bottle of “100% pure FOS”. I gave up on it because it really is not very sweet and it would be expensive to use as a sweetener ($12 for 1/2 cup). So I strongly suspect that there is something else in SomerSweet. I wasn’t able to get the ingredients off her website and there was no phone number. So if you have the rest of the list of ingredients, please send them to me. I need to look at those too.

Add Comment

Question from KJR

Recently I was at a health food shop that sold various freshly-made muffins and cookies. Many of them were made with beet sugar. I assumed that these must be a natural sweetener that I missed among the many I use. But I don’t see it here or anywhere else as being anything except an alternative to refined white sugar. Why is the health food store using it?

Thanks for your time!

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know why they are using beet sugar. Here’s what I can tell you about it.

I haven’t included beet sugar on my list of natural sweeteners because I haven’t seen unrefined beet sugar commercially available to home cooks. I did once find some red beet crystals that are simply dehydrated juice of the red beet. Though it was very sweet, it also tasted like dried beets, and it was $25 for one cup, so I didn’t think that was practical.

Beet sugar is made from sugar beets. Sugar beets have been cultivated for thousands of years in one form or another as a vegetable. It was also thought to be a cure for nose and troat ailments and for constipation. But it was not used for sugar, as it’s concentration of sugar was not very high and it was difficult to extract.

Then in 1747, a German chemist, Andreus Marggraf, extacted the sugar from sugar beets using brandy and discovered the sugar in the beet was the same as the sugar in sugar cane. The first factory to make sugar from sugar beets was built in 1799 but it failed because the sugar content was too low.

During the Napolenonic Wars of the early 1800s, an English blockade prevented import of sugar cane to France. Napoleon tuned to sugar beets to satisfy the sweet tooth of his countrymen. He allocated land and money for the farming of sugar beets and the building of sugar mills and refineries. French agriculturists managed to raised the sugar from 7.5% to 17%. By 1814, small factories were operating in France, Belgian Germany, and Austria.

Beet sugar is considered to be of inferior quality to cane sugar. This is why “pure cane sugar” is used in advertising. Where cane sugar is available, it is preferred over beet.

Add Comment

Question from Maggie

Hi! I am considering buying a media stand from Crate&Barrel and they say it is made of solid wood, engineered wood and veneer. Can you please tell me what engineered wood is and what chemicals might be found in it and in the veneer? Thank you!

Debra’s Answer

First, “solid wood” is a piece of wood that has been cut all in one piece from a branch or trunk of a tree.

“Engineered wood” is a piece of wood that has been made from smaller pieces of wood glued together with adhesives. The pieces of wood can be wood strands, particles, fibers, or veneers or even whole small trees. Particleboard and plywood are both engineered woods.

Engineered wood products do have some environmental advantages. They are made from the same hardwoods and softwoods used to manufacture lumber, so sawmill scraps, wood with defects, and other wood waste can be used. (Engineered cellulosic products are also now made from other “waste” materials such as rye straw, wheat straw, hemp stalks, or sugar cane residue–these contain similar cellulosic material, but from vegetable fibers rather than wood.)

Though these products conserve resources by use the wood efficiently, they are more expensive to produce than solid lumber in terms of time, money, and energy.

There is also a concern about the toxicity of the adhesives used, which can release formaldehyde. The types of adhesives used are:

“Veneer” is a paper-thin layer of wood that is cut from a single log, by “peeling” the log from the outside in. It’s like if you took a carrot and peeled it with a vegetable peeler by going around and around the carrot, rather than lengthwise. This good-looking piece is glued on to engineered wood to make it look nice on the outside. For example, go to a home improvement store and ask for “furniture grade plywood”. You’ll see the layers of engineered wood, but on the outside, there is a very pretty layer that has a pretty wood grain. That’s the veneer.

Add Comment

Question from Aimee

I am enjoying your newsletter and your website with all of the valuable information. I really appreciate it.

I have a question regarding the synthetic fragrances that are in laundry detergents (as in Tide, etc) and in fabric softener sheets as well as in plugins like Glade and Wick and those awful ‘candles’ that turn liquid when burning….we are househunting and the last two houses that we really love are full of the smell from the above products. Is it possible to remove that smell? Both houses are vacant and both have carpeting in them. Do synthetic fragrances only get into fabrics such as carpet, or, do they also get into wood (as in wood cabinets and door frames, etc) and even into paint?

Thank you,

Aimee

Debra’s Answer

Lets see how others have handled this problem. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from sheila

I have very hard water that stains everything. Presently we use different toxic chemicals to clean the rust stains from our bathroom toilets and showers. Do you have any recommendations for cleaning the orange hard water stains from rust and maganese in our water.

Debra’s Answer

There used to be a page compiled by somebody named Loretta that has lots of ways to use baking soda, borax, soap, lemon juice, vinegar, and other natural substances to clean around the home. The website hosting that page no longer exists.

She suggests “Apply full-strength vinegar or lemon juice and let stand until spot disappears, rinse. Repeat if necessary.”

Readers, your suggestions?

Add Comment

Question from JP

I bought my conventional home 3+ years ago and I am slowly greening it as I can afford to replace things. My dad recently mentioned that when he house sits for me or visits, after a few days he notices that he starts to not feel well. He could not discribe any symptoms other than not feeling well. My dad normally has robust health, so this really got my attention. For me, I feel alright but certainly not great.

How do I begin to find the major sources of toxins in my home? My home is about 15 years old and uses propane for the furnace and hot water. I plan to get rid of the propane within the next year or so. Propane is a great concern for me, though I can not tell you why other than something about it doesn’t feel right. I keep my furnace maintained and I have a propane detector and a CO2 detector. I use natural cleaning products, eat orgainc whenever possible.

So where do I start?r
Thank you,

Jan

Debra’s Answer

Read my book Home Safe Home, which outlines all the major (and many minor) exposures to toxic chemicals in the home and tells how to eliminate them.

Also, the Toxics page of Debra’s Bookstore has many books by other authors that identify toxic chemicals and their health effects.

Add Comment

Question from KD

Hi Debra, I am about to deliver again… my second baby. Last time, I had some post-partum issues and this time I’d like to avoid the regular over the counter products like pre-moistened pads and so on as much as possible. They are medicated and full of parabens and stuff. Would you be able to point me in the right direction in terms of what I can get to deal with these post-partum issues?

Thank you very much in advance,

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have personal experience giving birth, but most of the websites on the Babies & Kids page of Debra’s List are run by mothers who have taken the natural path.

Try contacting them and asking your questions. They may have just the products you need for sale on their website.

Natural moms, your recommendations?

Add Comment

Question from Mary

I like to shop in used clothing stores. However, many of the clothes have left-over scents in the fabric from perfume, cologne, and deoderant. I recently discovered that if I soaked clothes in 20% vinegar, 80% water for at least three days, this removed the perfume in most cases. I wash the item in cold water after soaking and usually hang it to dry.

Add Comment

Question from Rima

My husband recently made shoji screens for our dining room. What we used for the “rice paper” was a synthetic product called “syn skin” that a local company that makes high-end shojis uses for all its screens. But when we received the product from TAP Plastics, it reeked of chemicals so badly, we had to leave it outside for at least a week before we were even willing to handle it. For future shoji projects, can you recommend a nontoxic rice paper, and where to get it? Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

www.rice-paper.com has natural rice paper from China as well as a lot of interesting information on the history and production of rice paper, and instructions for making your own (if you are so inclined). Acorn Planet has a lot more information about rice paper and sells a number of different types and grades made in China. They also carry various Asian art supplies. eshoji.com carries paper and hardware for making shoji screens. They carry the authentic mulberry paper used in Japan.

Add Comment

Question from alyssia

i have been researching juicers and i’m concerned about the plastics used in them. i considered a stainless steel manual juicer, but the affordable ones won’t handle all of the things i would like to be able to juice. i’ve narrowed it down to a champion juicer (the parts are made out of stainless steel and nylon) and an omega 8003/8005 juicer (the auger is made out of food grade melamine and i don’t know what the rest is made out of). do you think these would be healthy choices? i really don’t want to defeat the purpose of drinking fresh juices by using a juicer that is going to leach toxic substances.

thanks so much!

Debra’s Answer

Not all plastics leach. The plastics used in juicers are very hard and do not emit plasticizers. Either of these juicers would be fine.

However, the latest recommendations are not to juice, but to puree whole fruits and vegetables with water to make a drink that contains much more nutrition and also the fiber. The book Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko explains this in detail, along with recipes. While I don’t follow a strictly raw food diet, she makes some good points about why we all need to eat and drink more greens. I’ve been drinking a blended drink of cucumber, celery, and apple most mornings and definately have noticed a benefit.

In At Home With Debra : My Vitamins, I wrote about a Chinese doctor who treats cancer, heart disease and diabetes with simple, readily available foods. The healing part of these foods is the phytochemicals, which are contiained in the fibers of the foods. So you need to chew each bite 40 times (or put the foods into a very high-powered blender) to release the phytochemicals. He recommends a 2-horsepower blender (Vitamix) or preferably a 3-horsepower blender (Blend-Tec) to can masticate the skins, seeds, and stems, to make the phytochemicals readily absorbable. Home blenders typically have motors less than 1 horsepower, but it’s better to use these low-power blenders than nothing.

The containers on both blenders are polycarbonate, but these are very hard plastics and there is a minimal amount of contact time with the food. The benefits of the blended drinks far outweigh exposure to any toxic chemicals that may be present.

Add Comment

Question from wen

in the market to buy some new sheets (btw, thank you for the great info re: white sales!) i was thinking of either buying organic sheets (btw, are they all basically the same thing? just a preference issue? (i.e. ‘simply organic’ vs. ‘coyuchi’ etc?) or is there something to look for to determine better quality etc?

secondly, i have some old cotton sheets that i LOVE. they’re high thread count and worn down and very soft. however, they were not organic. would the formaldehyde or toxicity be worn down over time and now be somewhat insignificant? or is it something that does NOT diminish..hence, even old non-organic sheets should still be considered toxic?

thank you very much.

Debra’s Answer

Organic cotton sheets are like any other sheets–they do vary in quality depending on how and where they are manufactured. I personally don’t have enough experience with the different brands to make a recommendation, except to say that Coyuchi has a reputation for being very high quality.

Go ahead and use your non-organic cotton sheets! As I’ve said before, the main benefit to organic cotton is environmental. Tests have shown there are no pesticide residues in cotton fabric (see Q&A : Conventional vs organic cotton clothing and Q&A : Pesticide residues in fabrics). The best thing for the environment is to use something for it’s full useful life before discarding it and needing to replace it by taking more resources from the environment.

The only cotton sheets to be concerned about are those with no-iron or permanent press finishes. These contain formaldehyde. Untreated non-organic cotton sheets are not toxic.

I did have one instance where I bought a set of printed cotton sheets and after I opened the package found the printing was a plastic-y kind of ink like on some t-shirts. That smelled and I had to just pass them along to a thrift store.

Also, from a quality standpoint, I’ve noticed some of the lower-priced cotton sheets are printed only on one side, where the more expensive ones have the pattern through-and-through. This has happened a few times buying sheet sets, and I don’t discover this until I get them home. You get what you pay for…

[See Debra’s List : Beds & Bedding for organic cotton sheets]

Add Comment

Question from Fran M.

I want to find an electric skillet that has a stone, ceramic or stainless steel finish; or even cast iron. I also hope to find a breadmaker and food dehydrator with safe finishes. I have struck out on all three.

However, I may have found more alternatives to non-stick! Plus I also found a $20 wood trivet that fits around the large soapstone griddle from “Brazil on my Mind” – (which is cheapest from Greenfeet).

* Trivet for griddle: http://www.kitchenemporium.com/cgi-bin/kitchen/prod/29bmtv12.html

* Deni electric grill uses STONE! Flat, no oil can be used but may be able to stir veggies in butter in the 8 raclette pans? It’s $64 at

* Staub 10×8 all-enamelled cast iron rectangular pan with wood base! $89 http://www.chefsresource.com/12052.html looks awesome, easy care except: must avoid high heat

* Chantal 10-piece set with enamel frying pan – and glass covers – to dream on!! $340 + high heat OK (none of the pieces have nonstick finishes)

Debra’s Answer

Thanks, Fran, for sharing your finds!

Add Comment

Question from Jennifer

Hi Debra,I am curious about your opinion of fleece clothing. I am referring to the garden variety microfleece, not the greener, recycled six pack ring kind. Are there any health risks associated with it? How about children’s sleepwear that has NOT been treated with flame retardands? (I understand that polyester is inherently flame resistant and does not require chemical treatment to pass regulations). I have taken all of my children’s fleece pajamas out of circulation until I know for sure.

Thank you,

Jennifer Asadow

Debra’s Answer

I don’t recommend polyester at all. While very little research has been done on the health effects of synthetic fibers such as polyester, still they are plastics and outgas. Some types of polyester fabrics, such as woven polyester-cotton sheets, always have formaldehyde finishes.

In addition, polyester can be irritating to the skin and cause skin rashes, particularly on children’s delicate skin.

While polyester sleepwear is not the worst thing in the world, I’d provide cotton sleepwear for my children.

Add Comment

Question from Mary Anne

Hi Debra – Happy, Healthy New Year to you! I’ve been reading so much about the problems with using aluminum for cooking. I’ve figured out really good alternatives to aluminum foil for everything except baking in the oven (such as covering very large roasting pans and covering turkeys with foil tents). I tried parchment paper and it was a mess. I’m afraid to use a heavier paper (such as a cut-up brown paper bag) for fear of contaminants in the recycled & heavily chemically processed wood pulp. Do you or your readers have any alternatives? Thanks so much for your help!

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know what to suggest for this one. My roasting pan has it’s own lid. Readers?

If using foil to tent your turkey once or twice a year is your only exposure, and you need to do this, I would go ahead and use the aluminum foil. There are two kinds of toxic exposures: acute (such as drinking drain cleaner) where there is immediate harm, and chronic (such as exposure to pesticide residues in food) where there needs to be regular long-term exposure to cause harm. Aluminum is a chronic exposure, so what you do every day with aluminum exposure is more important than what you do occasionally.

I’ve learned over the years that different people have different viewpoints about exposure. Some decide to have as little as possible, others reduce exposure but to not attempt to eliminate exposures entirely. It’s your choice.

Add Comment

Question from miko

I am chemically sensitive and i am shopping for another car. i am very confused and overwhelmed by all the things to consider.

New cars will reek all the formaldehyde, plus whatever is put in by the manufacturer ( would you know the specifics?)

Used cars, usually if they have been well taken care of, will have a lot of armour all, would have beeen taken to the car wash several times to have the upholstery and floors cleaned, shampooed, and etc,and there goes more,more and more chemicals!

My old and out gassed car needs a brake, and I need to go on a long road trip to see my doctor in California. I am getting lost facing so many things to take into consideration!

PLEASE HELP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

thank you

Debra’s Answer

(updated 7/16/07)

Several readers have sent me links to a healthy car guide compiled by the Ecology Center in Ann Arbor Michigan. The guide is at www.healthycar.org.

It contains a report on the chemicals of concern in car interiors, AND it allows you to look up many vehicles where you can see what the measurements of chemicals are. They also give a rating for each vehicle for “level of concern” and list best and worst of the different classes of cars (my PT Cruiser was “low concern”). This is a great resource we’ve been needing for a long time.

Here are some articles written by others about this report:

* http://autos.aol.com/article/general/v2/_a/new-car-smell/20070709103709990001
(you’ll have to cut and paste this one, I can’t get the link to work, but it’s the right URL)
* http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17651756/

Another great website by the Ecology Center on this subject is Toxic at Any Speed: Chemicals in Cars & the Need for Safe Alternatives. It has a wealth of information on the toxicity of car interiors, including a report on finding PBDEs and phtalates in car interiors, Auto Company Chemicals Policies, Other Toxins Inside Vehicles, a chart of PBDEs phtalates found in cars ranked by manufacturer, and about a dozen links to other articles on the subject.

Add Comment

Question from bev Rockey

I received one for Christmas. I was told they are made of Soy and Pariffin and the wick is organic wood. Are the safe ?

Debra’s Answer

I hadn’t heard of this product before, so I looked it up. It was easy to find by typing “wood wick candle” into a search engine.

The idea behind this candle is that it has a thin piece of wood for the wick instead of fiber, so it makes a crackling sound like a burning fire in a fireplace.

But the candles themselves are still paraffin with artificial fragrance. And from what I can tell from the ads, they look to be highly scented.

I’d stick with the natural candles I’ve listed at Debra’s List: Interior Decorating: Candles.

Add Comment

Question from Cathi

I was wondering if you could perhaps point me in the right direction. I have been looking into buying a tempurpedic bed, but would rather buy a natural bed along those same lines. From what I can tell, the Talalay latex bed might be the best bet.

When I have been to Tempurpedic stores, I have been told that their mattresses hold the heat from your body. I would rather not have that. Do you know if latex beds are similar to that?

I know that you air out your mattresses, and have to watch that they do not get moist. Are the latex beds like that?

Also, did you used to live in Clearwater, Florida? I don’t know what a latex bed feels like. Do you know of any stores that have them in this area, where I can test one out?

Lastly, I know that you love your bed, but if you could choose any latex bed with any wool additions and sheets, could you relay that to me?

As I said, I am trying to sift through all the beds, and your expertise is invaluable to me.

Debra’s Answer

These are all good questions, and I am going to ask my readers to respond, because I don’t have a latex bed.

I do live in Clearwater, Florida, and I don’t know of a store here that sells latex mattresses.

I don’t have a latex bed personally because I find that there is an odor that is not agreeable to my body. I do have latex strips on my wood slats, and I had to air these out for about six weeks before I could bring them in my bedroom. It’s just the natural smell of the latex itself.

I have laid on several different latex mattresses and they are very soft and luxurious.

So, readers, please post your comments on how you like your latex beds, what they feel like, do they hold heat, do you have to watch for moisture, and any other advice you can give Cathi about choosing a latex bed.

Add Comment

Question from William

Hello, I have recently turned some black walnut goblets, but Im stuck on a natural way of sealing them for use, I would like to use them for My own made wines and such so the seal would need to be acohol resistant as well.

Thanks

William

Debra’s Answer

I suggest you take a look at Q&A: Wood Conditioner for Cutting Boards and Bowls for some ideas. Readers, any suggestions?

Add Comment

Question from wt

hello,

I’ve been cooking with date sugar of late, and love it. however, it is very expensive, and difficult to find. does anyone have a good source for date sugar online? i’m currently paying about $9 per pound at whole foods.

Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

Best price I could find is $3.60 lb when you buy 25 lb (organic) at NaturalGrocers.com.

If you want to buy it by the pound, it’s $4.49 lb for 1 lb at Adirondack Nutrition.

Add Comment

I’m taking a break to spend time with friends and family. Will be back at work on January 2.

You are welcome to submit comments and questions and I will review and post them when I return.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Question from bev Rockey

I am really trying to do away with all my Teflon coated cooking pans. How harmful is the George Foreman Grill? I love mine.

Debra’s Answer

Personally, I don’t use any pot, pan, or appliance with a Teflon or other no-stick finish. There are different grades of Teflon, but it’s all still Teflon.

We all have to make decisions about what we are willing to use and what we aren’t willing to use. It’s a personal decision, based on health, budget, and various personal factors.

It took me a long time to give up my favorite shade of red lipstick. But ultimately, I’m happy I did.

Add Comment

Question from CynthiaK

Hello,

We are thinking of buying a 1920 house that has fiberglass insulation haphazardly placed throughout the attic. My husband wants to have the the new air conditioning ducts installed there. I am afraid that the workers will track it through the house or worse yet, get it into the air ducts while assembling it.

Should I be concerned that the house and the air ducks could become contaminated and how high is the probability that it would get contaminated? Should we consider removing all the old insulation before installing the duct system? I can’t imagine that they would get it all out or possibly disperse more of the fibers in the living space while doing it.

I suggested to my husband that maybe we should just get a ductless system for upstairs and install the duck work in the basement for the first floor. The only problem with this is that it maybe cost prohibited and I won’t be able to have the air filtration system going through there either.

The attic door (walk in) is located in the second floor guest bedroom. The first floor will be our primary living and sleeping area.

I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and it is imperative that I have a healthy environment. Can you offer us some suggestions?

Debra’s Answer

I’m going to ask some experts to comment on this. Meanwhile, readers, what is your experience?

Add Comment

Question from HAH

Hello….help,

Searching for a Natural Vitamin D3 (Cholcaliferol),encapsulated in Veggie Capsules or in Bovine Gelatin Capsules or if possible in Tablet form.

Not the synthetic version (Ergocalciferol)!

Really need your help!

Thanks,

HAH

Debra’s Answer

Readers? Anyone know where to get this?

Add Comment

Question from stacy

I always worry that the polycarbonate plastic is leaching into the hot food that I put into the food processor. Does anybody know if there are any food processors made of glass?

Thanks.

Stacy

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know of one. Readers?

I’d recommend using a high-speed blender to puree hot foods rather than a food processor. I’ve heard that chefs actually prefer a blender for puree. Or get an “immersion blender” that you can use right in the pot.

Add Comment

Question from baf

We are having a difficult time finding safe windows for our house. We put new windows in my sons bedroom and we are no longer able to go near that room. I called Jeldwin and asked for the material saftey sheet and sure enough they were vaccum sealed to the core with insecticide fungicide and 4 proprietary solvents.Our temporary Solution is sealing the window with aluminum foil.This leaves the room very dark and still with aslight odor although with an air filter the room it is habitable for short periods of time. We need to find windows that do not contain chemicals or materials that outgas and make us sick.

Debra’s Answer

I dont’ know of any windows that don’t have toxic chemicals in the finish.

Readers, please let us know about windows you have used sucessfully. I personally haven’t purchased new windows–I always buy salvage windows.

And let this be a reminder to ask for and read the MSDS before you buy.

Add Comment

Question from Dalia

We just moved to our first home and the previous owner left the barbecue in dare need of some cleaning…any natural way to do it??? Thank you Dalia

Debra’s Answer

Readers? What have you used?

Add Comment

Question from Dorothy

You said that roasted coffee beans contain pesticides, but I’m not finding anything that verifies that. I’m finding plenty that suggests the coffee fields and outer plants are full of pesticides but, as I understand it, the bean itself is then soaked, fermented, dried, and roasted. Although it’s clear that the pesticides are harmful to the workers and environment, I’m not finding harm via pesticides from drinking it. Do you know any studies? I’ve looked at a number of sites with no luck. Thanks for your help.

Debra’s Answer

This from Natural Resources Defense Council should answer your question:

http://www.nrdc.org/health/farming/ccc/chap4.asp

“In 1983, the Natural Resources Defense Council retained the services of an outside contract laboratory to conduct independent testing on imported coffee beans.[41] The analysis revealed multiple pesticide residues on all samples when green coffee beans were tested using detection methods many times more precise than the FDA procedures (see Table 6). The roasting process reduced detectable levels of pesticide residues on the bean samples; however, the test of one sample of the Brazilian coffee beans retained the original level of DDD (the toxic metabolite of DDT) that had been detected on the beans before roasting.[42] It should be noted that while DDT is rarely used on coffee today, other chemicals are used to combat insect pests, weeds, and diseases.”

Note it says “reduced” not “eliminated” but still the levels are very high compared to food because so much pesticide is used.

I don’t have any documents that show an association between drinking coffee with pesticide residues and human harm, but the environmental impact of these pesticides is great in terms of pollution and also cause illness and death in farm workers.

Add Comment

Question from FRAN

Debra, I have received help from your site countless times; but was confused when i searched for nontoxic cookware.

I plan to throw out a Visions pan that is cranberry and seems to have a black Teflon coating, but I noticed that you recommended Visions. I finally confirmed that this is a Teflon coating at least according to a description on Ebay. Could you clear this up for readers?

I am holding on to the pan because in case it might be a substance bonded to the silica and etc. – and it is a beautiful piece.

Debra’s Answer

Some Visions cookware pieces DO have Teflon. I only recommend the pieces WITHOUT Teflon. The Teflon is easy to spot. It’s a black coating. The pieces without Teflon have just the glass bottom that is the same as the sides.

Add Comment

Question from josylo

What would you suggest to control domestic spiders for a house in the woods. There is too much inside ! I don’t want to use the commercial treatments proposed. Any suggestions ?

Debra’s Answer

I’ve lived out in the woods and decided myself to just live with the spiders. For the most part they are considered to be beneficial insects because they feed on other insects, thereby themselves being natural pest controls. So I just let them wander the walls of my house and do thier natural thing.

At first, I didn’t want “creepy-crawlies” in my house, but then I realized they are part of the ecosystem. They never bothered me or bit me and I just came to view them as part of life that I was sharing my home with and appreciated them for helping control other insects.

Spiders prefer, actually, to live outdoors, but come inside homes in early fall when cooler temperatures force them to seek shelter.

You can discourage spiders from coming in your house with good housekeeping, both inside and out. Keep stored items in boxes and bags shelves and clean up and dispose of clutter and trash. Repair screens and maintain the weather-stripping around doors and windows, so it is more difficult to get in the house. Once spiders are inside, spiders and their webs can be eliminated by using a broom or vacuum cleaner.

In certain areas of the country there are specific types of spiders that are poisonous. Contact your local science or natural history museum to learn about poisonous spiders in your area and learn to recognize them so you can avoid them. These DO bite humans.

Readers? Any suggestions on what worked for you?

Add Comment

Question from Lisa Nyden

Dear Debra and Readers,

I recently purchaced an all purpose cleaning product called “Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day” I just have to say that I LOVE it. I chose the Geranium scent it is so nice and very refreshing. I was pleasantly surprised. It is made with safe ingredients and not tested on animals. I recommend it for anyone

Try it!

Debra’s Answer

I took a look at Mrs. Meyers for Debra’s List, and decided not to include them, because they do contain synthetic ingredients and there are plenty of all-natural and even organic cleaners (all the information I’m about to give you is on their website under “About Our Company”).

Mrs. Meyers uses “naturally derived ingredients whenever possible from corn, sugar cane, coconut and palm.” However, when they “cannot find a plant-derived ingredient that performs to our rigorous standards, [they] use ingredients from the world of safe synthetics.”

Their fragrances contain “natural essential oils and other non-natural ingredients.” Some companies, including Mrs. Meyers say they need to use these non-natural ingredients “to ensure safety, consistent performance and quality” however, other companies seem to be able to ensure these by using only natural essential oils. These are not suitable for people with allergies to fragrances or MCS.

Some good things about Mrs. Meyers:
* no ammonia, chlorine or phosphates, sodium lauryl sulfate, organic solvents (glycol ethers, butyl ethers) phthalates, mineral oil, animal-derived ingredients (except beeswax), or synthetic anti-bacterial or antiseptic ingredients
* recyclable packaging
* biodegradable
* concentrated
* not tested on animals

So Mrs. Meyers is better than a lot of what you will find on the shelf next to it in the supermarket, but not natural enough for me personally.

Add Comment

Question from Michelle

Debra,

My doctor recommends I clean our baby’s cool humidifier with bleach and hot water. I do not use bleach for anything else because it is so toxic. Do you have any recommendations on how I can clean the humidifier and remove any mold in a less toxic way?

Michelle Clark

Debra’s Answer

My recommendation would be to use hydrogen peroxide instead, which will kill bacteria, but I don’t have personal experience with this. Readers? Your suggestions?

Add Comment

Question from Nikki

I’ve been working on turning our apartment “green.”

Background: Our bathroom doesn’t have a window and the exhaust fan the manager had put in doesn’t work as well as the old one. Two showers are taken on a daily basis.

I’d like to get a hemp or cotton shower curtain. Which curtain type dries faster? Is one more resistant to mildew than the other? Will either curtain type completely dry overnight?

Thanks for your advice!

Nikki

Debra’s Answer

A hemp shower curtain will dry faster, however, it will still mold.

I’ve used cotton shower curtains in the past, and they seemed to mold to the point of having the mold eat holes in the curtain, rendering it unusable in 3-4 months. I finally just installed glass shower doors, which cost less than $100 at Home Depot and Lowe’s. And they are pretty easy to install if you are handy around the house.

If you don’t want to install glass doors, go with the hemp and pretreat it as described in Q&A: Controlling Mold on Shower Curtains.

Add Comment

Question from SB

What is the best cookware for someone with mild sensitivities? Also is carbon steel cookware safer to use than regular stainless steel cookware. Lastly what is the best (in terms of safest) brand or type of stainless steel cookware out there?

Debra’s Answer

The best cookware for someone with mild sensitivities…Probably Pyrex and Visions are most inert, but if your sensitivities are mild, you can probably use any cookware.

For an overview of cookware, type “cookware” into my website search engine. There are a lot of Q&As on this subject.

Now, to answer your questions about stainless steel and carbon steel.

Carbon steel is used to make woks and I’ve also seen carbon steel skillets in restaurant supply stories. It is kind of greyish black. Made simply of iron with 0.1 to 1.2 percent carbon and even less manganese, carbon steel can be recycled and often contains about 25 percent recycled content whether it is so labeled or not.

Most pots and pans, cooking utensils, and flatware are made from stainless steel, which has a special ability to resist corrosion. The most extensively used type of stainless steel for household items is made from 71.95 percent iron, 18 percent chromium, 8 percent nickel, and 0.05 percent carbon. Stainless steel products can not be recycled and do not contain recycled material.

Stainless steel is generally considered the best choice for cooking because it is sanitary, nonporous, and the metals are highly stable. But stainless steel leaches nickel and chromium into food, which may be harmful to health, and environmentally, the mining and manufacture of steel is a highly technological, energy-intensive and polluting process. So it’s not one of my favorites, considering there are more healthful and environmentally-advantageous options available.

Add Comment

Question from Van

Hi Debra,

I would like to get the most natural and safest carpets out there. Everything I’ve read seems to suggest that Earthweave amd Nature’s Carpet are the best natural wool rugs. The problem lies in there cost- too expensive. Are there cheaper alternatives? For example, Ikea and others carry natural wool area rugs but I can’t seem to find out if the carpet backings are treated with adhesives or if the carpets are treated with moth-proofing agents or other chemicals. Sisal or jute seem to be good alternatives as well, but again are these fibers tyically treated with chemicals?

Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

You are correct, The most natural carpets are Earth Weave and Nature’s Carpet. And they are expensive. But there are some other carpet resources as well, with lower prices. Take a look at Natürlich Natural Home for more wool carpeting, and The Carpet and Rug Institute Green Label Carpets for “low emitting” synthetic carpets that may meet your needs.

You can find links to all these at Debra’s List: Interior Decorating: Flooring.

It is very difficult to tell if natural fiber area rugs are treated with chemicals. Since they aren’t labled, it’s just kind of “buy and try.” I bought a 100% wool area rug for $39 from Lowe’s a few years back that’s covering up an unused heater vent in the floor–no odor at all. On the other hand, many years ago I bought a jute rug at Macy’s that had an odor I thought I could remove and was never able to. Try to sniff out odors on rugs in the stores and make sure you can return it if you get it home and find there is a strong odor.

Add Comment

Question from Donna

Hi Debra

I’ve been wanting to ask you this for a while:

Crest White Strips, and/or other teeth whitening agents. Do you know anything about them? Are they safe? Can’t really tell by ingredients as I remember, but didn’t know if you had the inside scoop. I am most concerned as I do have an autoimmune illness that I have under control very well for the past twenty years and don’t want to do anything stupid to mess things up.

I appreciate any advice from you and your readers.

Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

The ingredients listed on the box of Crest White Strips are water, glycerin, hydrogen peroxide, carbomer 956, sodium hydroxide and sodium saccharin. These aren’t particularly toxic in the amounts used. For example, sodium hydroxide is lye, which will burn right through your skin if you put a wet lye crystal on wet skin, but it is very diluted in this formula. Sodium saccharin used to be thought to cause cancer, but has since been found to be safe. Glycerin can be made from petrochemicals or vegetables. In this case, it’s probably petrochemical.

Crest Whitestrips are thin, flexible strips coated with a tooth whitening gel, whose active ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, which is the same substance dentists use to whiten teeth. The reason you would use the strips instead of just putting hydrogen peroxide on your teeth is that the hydrogen peroxide needs to be held against the tooth for a period of time. The strips are designed to conform to the shape of your teeth, keeping the whitening gel on your teeth for 30 minutes at a time.

I don’t find this product to be particularly toxic to the degree that I would recommend against it for an average person. That said, if the glycerin is made from petrochemicals, it might be something you might not want to risk with your autoimmune condition.

Readers, what are your recommendations for natural ways to keep teeth white?

Add Comment

Question from dg

Thank you for the sugar-free recipes, especially the Holiday Fruitcake. However, I did not find instructions for making my own candied fruit for this cake. Please tell me how to do this or help me find it on your website. Thank you for all the wonderful work you are doing. You are a “Godsend”.

Debra’s Answer

The recipe for making candied fruits is at Candied Citrus Peel. I found it by typing “candied” into my onsite search engine–access through the big purple SEARCH button on every page of all my websites–but there is also a link to it right where the ingredient is given in the recipe. You can use it to candy any fruits actually.

The recipe calls for using whole, brown, evaporated cane juice, so the color isn’t bright and sparkling like it is when you use white sugar. And evaporated cane syrup doesn’t crystallize or get hard and sticky like white sugar. But in a cake or pie, this candied citrus peel is lively and zesty and a great counterpoint to the sweeter fruits.

You could also use honey to candy fruits and it will behave more like white sugar.

Add Comment

Question from Evie P.

Anyone lived through bedbugs and used eco means of getting rid of those little bastardos? We’re living on vinyl covers surrounded by chemicals and I’m still covered with bites. I tried vaseline on the legs (not so eco but better than the permicide) and I’m vacuuming. I am going to steam some things but hear that that doesn’t work so well anyway.

At this point I am ready to apply DDT directly to my body — but I am hoping there are some eco folks out there who have beat the bedbugs.

We live in NYC so putting everything in the sun is not an option.

And we do family bed, so there is a toddler in bed with us. We also have a dog.

Debra’s Answer

Readers? Any suggestions?

Add Comment

Question from wt

hello,

i have been looking for a down or down alternative comforter for my two pre-teen boys (this alone, tells you…it’s gonna be thrashed in 3-6 months! so i don’t want to spend too much money on it. considering it somewhat disposable. 😉

i, myself, love the wool bedding products from Shepherd’s Dream, but i don’t want to invest that much money for something so short term for the boys. hence, i’m looking primarily at down alternative comforters.

are down alternative products considered “acceptable”? or are they BAD in terms of toxins etc. is there one ‘brand/type’ that is better than the others? or are they all bascially the same things with different names?

thank you very much.

Debra’s Answer

“Down alternative” is a tricky term because it can mean “an alternative to down,” such as cotton or wool or anything else that isn’t down, or it can mean a synthetic alternative to down. I think you are asking about the latter. Looking at websites, however, I see all these natural and synthetic choices listed on a “Down Alternatives” page.

The synthetic down alternatives are all made from 100% spun polyester. If the description on a comforter just says “down alternative” and nothing else, it’s polyester. They come in different brand names and have slight difference, but they are all basically polyester (I already reviewed one–PrimaLoft–in another question).

Whether or not polyester outgasses and how much it outgasses plasticizers is unknown. It’s not high on the list of toxic exposures in comparison to say, pesticides or water pollutants, but it has enough toxicity that I don’t recommend it. Plastics are also known to generally weaken the energy field of the body (one researcher found synthetic fibers can cause impotence), so it’s probably not the best thing to sleep under. And, of course, there are the environmental effects. Polyester is made from nonrenewable crude oil that often creates pollutants in mining and manufacture. The finished product is also not biodegradable and will sit in a landfill for centuries. So while this product may be convenient to humans, it’s not in the best interest of life overall.

Lyocell is a down alternative that is probably a better choice if you don’t want to spend the money on natural fill. It is a natural cellulose fabric, like rayon, which is made by processing natural cellulose from birchwood trees with various chemicals. It is considered by some to be an “ecologically friendly fabric”. Lyocell is more absorbent than cotton and more comfortable than polyester, as it wicks moisture away from the body and quickly evaporates it into the air (wool does this too) resulting in a more comfortable sleep.

Add Comment

Question from chris

It is my understanding that energy-saving fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, which concerns me. Are they safe to use? Or safer than regular bulbs? Do all bulbs contain mercury?

Debra’s Answer

LampRecycle.org says all fluorescent and most high intensity discharge lamps (these include mercury vapor, metal halide (also HQI), high-pressure sodium, low-pressure sodium and xenon short-arc lamps). We don’t use high intensity discharge lamps at home, as they are designed to provide high levels of light over large areas, especially when energy efficiency and/or light intensity is desired (such as gymnasiums, large public areas, warehouses, roadways, parking lots, etc).

So fluorescent lamps are the only lamps we need to be concerned about as homeowners, in terms of mercury.

Here’s a link to everything you need to know about choosing and disposing of fluorescent lamps: The Lowdown on Mercury in Fluorescent Lamps.

Add Comment

Question from Christine

We have a wall-to-wall carpet in our house that was installed about 10 years ago (we’ve been living here 3). We want to replace it, and have realized how bad wall-to-wall carpeting is. The other half of the floor is pergo. I don’t want to replace the pergo, and therefore it seems it makes most sense to replace the carpeting with more pergo and use non-toxic area rugs. My question is, is the pergo really bad? It has to be better than the wall-to-wall carpet, right? I just think it would look weird if I put a different wood-flooring on half of the house.

The other thing is, I am planning to pregnant soon, so I wanted to do this first. Should I wait a while (how long) after having the new pergo installed to have minimal toxins?

Thanks so much for your help.

Debra’s Answer

I don’t recommend Pergo flooring because I got their MSDS sheet and it says it outgasses formaldehyde. That said, I understand your design dilemma.

In response to another question about laminate floors, I contacted AFM Enterprises to see which of their sealants would be appropriate to use on a laminate floor. They said, “Safecoat Polyureseal BP over a sanded lamninate has been successfully done. Poly Bp is a good emissions controller.” I wanted to make sure that the sealant would stick to that laminate finish. Make sure to sand the laminate flooring first, taking care to contain the dust, which would be full of plastic particles. This may work on Pergo. I’d get a piece and try it before installing a whole floorful.

If you are going to do this, definately do it before your pregnancy. How long to wait? I don’t know how long it takes for Pergo to outgass, but regardless, you can speed up the process by applying heat. Just close the doors and windows and heat up the room, and much of the residual formaldehyde will just burn off. Heat it longer (like several days) to get more of the formaldehyde trapped in the wood to outgass.

Add Comment

Question from Cindy Dwyer

I live in the Miami area and am trying to locate a place where I can buy a shadow-box or similar style fence for my yard that is constructed of sustainably harvested wood and/or certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Although Home Depot has a corporate policy to support this concept, no one in the Home Depot stores knows anything about it. I have also called a local lumber company but they don’t offer this type of fence material. I’m willing to pay more for a product that I KNOW is made from sustainably harvested wood, but have become frustrated trying to locate a company that sells it. Can anyone help? Thank you very much.

Debra’s Answer

The Forest Stewardship Council website has a page to help consumers locate FSC-certified products, but they only list manufacturers and say you have to ask your local retailers yourself.

So, readers, how are you finding FSC-certified products in your local areas? Are you having any success finding them?

Add Comment

Question from Ian Kennedy

hello. I am trying to install my new shower. My wife is 3 months pregnant and is deeply concerned with the life threatening warnings on the shower pan liner adhesives. Keeping her away for the day and airing the house out is not good enough so I am now looking for a low or non toxic shower pan liner adhesive. Does any such thing exist? Thanks!

Ian

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know of one. We couldn’t find one when we installed our shower pan recently. My husband thinks that there isn’t one because the shower pan liner is PVC and needs to be glued with a PVC glue.

For those of you who don’t know what a shower pan liner is, it is a sheet of very think plastic that goes under the tiles to create a waterproof barrier. By the time it is surrounded with mortar and tile, no fumes escape.

If keeping her away for a day is not good enough, maybe she needs to stay away for two or three days.

I don’t know of any alternative, but maybe someone else does. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Michelle

I would like to know a safe way to get baby accident stains off clothes if they happen to leak? I am wondering about how one goes about removing stains off both white fabric and fabric with colour. I have tried hydrogen paroxide but it didn’t seem to do the trick. Do you advocate cloth diapers and if so I’d be interested in the cleaning of them?

Debra’s Answer

Not being a mother myself, I’m going to turn this question over to women with experience. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Wesley Wettengel

My wife and I always buy organic milk and want to make sure what we are buying is not only best for us but also best for the cows, farmers, and the earth. We usually buy either Horizon or Organic Valley but our local store (Kroger’s) has their own brand called Naturally Preferred. Can you provide any additional info on these three brands that might make one better than the others?

Debra’s Answer

First, I’m always inclined to purchase the most local food products that are available. When I lived in California, I used to buy all my milk and cream from Straus Family Creamery, It’s a picturesque dairy farm overlooking Tomales Bay, with a clean breeze right off the Pacific Ocean. I visited the farm. I met the family and the cows. I understood their dedication to organic agriculture and what they were doing. They were part of the rural community in which I lived. All their milk and cream came in glass bottles, and I could get “cream-top” milk and shake it up myself.

We don’t have anything like that here in Florida. We have our choice of the national brands Horizon or Organic Valley.

I’ve always been partial to Organic Valley myself. I just think the milk tastes better. I used to have both brands listed on Debra’s List, but I took down Horizon because the Organic Consumers Association called for a boycott (type “organic consumers association horizon” in your favorite search engine for more info on this).

Another thing I like about Organic Valley is that it is the only organic brand to be solely owned and operated by organic farmers. As farmer-owners, they pay themselves a stable, equitable and sustainable price for their milk. Some of their common practices include humane treatment of animals (access to the outdoors, fresh air, pure water, sunshine and exercise), rotational grazing, pasturing animals, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

One thing to keep in mind about store brands is that the stores are doing what is called “private label,” which means that another manufacturer is putting the store brand on their own product. The store doesn’t actually produce the product. So, for example, the store brand coffee might actually be a top brand, but it is sold at a lower price because it doesn’t have the brand name. Your Naturally Preferred milk might come from local organic dairies, but it’s just as possible that it comes from Horizon. I would contact Kroger’s and find out where the milk comes from and anything you can about the growing practices.

Add Comment

A few weeks ago I posted a comment on the question Cleaning Mildew about hydrogen peroxide. I said:

Last week, a reader wrote asking, “Is there really phenol in hydrogen peroxide bought in drugstores? Ever since I read your article in Natural Home magazine about vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, I’ve bought lots of big bottles of drugstore hydrogen peroxide and used it (and vinegar) all over the house. I even used it on everything except my papers and clothes to wipe the mold spores off. (I hope you think that was a good idea!) But now I’m concerned that I should not be using that kind?”

I thought I should do more research on hydrogen peroxide, since I and others have been recommending it as a natural alternative to more toxic chemicals. For years I thought the drugstore type was 100% hydrogen peroxide because I had no reason to think it wasn’t. And I didn’t know until we started using it in our chlorine-free pool that other concentrations even existed.

(click on COMMENTS to read the answer…)

Add Comment

I come from a family where the giving and receiving of gifts was a big part of Christmas. But as I have become more aware of the environment and what is really important in life, my ideas about what makes a gift great have changed.

I’ve put some of my thoughts in an article at ABOUT: Gift-Giving, but I’d like to hear from all of you. What are your suggestions for gifts that do good beyond the tangible gift itself? What is your favorite green gift you’ve given? And your favorite green gift you’ve received? Do you give gifts at all?

Add Comment

Question from sandra

I have new “Blue Pearl” granite counters. I am desperate to find an organic way to clean and sanitize granite because I have a parrot. Parrots can die immediately or become very ill due to exposure to fumes common in many ordinary household chemicals. Bleach, ammonia, solvents, Teflon, spray air fresheners, Febreeze, incense and burning candles are just a few of the common things that can cause instant death for a parrot.

My problem is that granite counters apparently can be damaged by acids, so a citrus based cleaner won’t work either. Parrot owners often use a vinegar and water solution is for cleansing and sanitizing, but I’m not sure if this is safe for granite.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks,

Sandra

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have granite countertops, so need some help with this one. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from DHines

Do you know which bakeware, such as muffin pans and cake pans are the safest to use? Also where do you buy these pans? I previously was using non-stick but the coating starting peeling off so I threw it away. I was worried about the safety of silicon and every pan I saw at Walmart and Meijer were non-stick. I now know non-stick is harmful. Do they still sell pans that are metal but don’t have teflon?

Thanks. I read your newsletters and am very grateful for your helpful information.

Debra’s Answer

You’re right to not use bakeware with no-stick finishes. You can still find aluminum/steel bakeware without nonstick finishes. Professional bakeware does not have no-stick finish, and can be purchased at better cookware stores such as Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table. These stores also sell bakeware WITH no-stick finishes, so read product descriptions carefully. Kitchen Fantasy has shiny stainless steel bakeware without no-stick finish.

Pyrex bakeware can be used for many items. It is completely nontoxic and made from abundant natural minerals. They have cake pans, pie pans and various casseole dishes, but no muffin tins or baking sheets.

Cast iron bakeware is also a good choice. They do have specialty baking pans, such as muffin pans, biscuit pans, and cornstick pans.

More about bakeware at:

* AT HOME WITH DEBRA: My New Cookware
* Q&A: Is Silicone Cookware Safe?
* Q&A: Offgassing from Silicon Bakeware
* Silicone baking mats vs parchment paper
* Is Tin Bakeware Safe?

Add Comment

Question from Susana

I just got a wicker basket I’m planing to use it for potatoes and onions, and I would like to know if there is any way that it can be cleaned , to get rid of the dirt from the store and besides you know after a lot of people puting their hands on it is there any way that we can disinfect it?:D

Thank you very much.

Debra’s Answer

Both vinegar and tea tree oil act as disinfectants. Hot water and steam will also kill some bacteria. I’ve never cleaned a wicker basket, but I would probably hold it over a steaming pot of water, or wipe it down with a very hot damp cloth.

Readers? Any ideas?

Add Comment

Question from Susana

Hi

I have a living room set the material is like velvet, light ivory color, when the guys from the furniture company moved my set to the inside of the house, thay stained te furniture leaving grime spots on the sofa and love seat arms. Since the color of the furniture is very light you can really see the dirty spots. Please can you tell me what can I use to get rid of the spots without damaging my brand new furniture?:( I will really appeciate you help

Thank you very much.

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have any experience cleaning velvet. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from SVE

Dear Debra,

Just found this website with information about fabric dyes: http://terressentials.com/dplanet.html

Since I’m chemically sensitive, I found it interesting to read. Could you please clarify the subject of textile dyes – petrochemical, low-impact, Foxfibre, natural, organic, vegetable, etc.? It would be difficult to find enough all-organic clothing and most are quite expensive.

Debra’s Answer

First let me say that I read the article at this link and I agree with most of what she is saying. It would be great to live in a world as pure as Diane would like. I certainly do my best to find the purest fibers available and put them on Debra’s List. I would love it if everyone could wear clothing made from fibers grown organically and dyed with beautiful natural dyes.

I admire and appreciate Diane’s constant vigilance for the purest products available and certainly support the move in that direction, but while we are moving there, we all still need to wear clothes. Diane seems to want everyone to take a quantum leap into perfect sustainability–I’m a little more practical in acknowledging the need for transition, both on the manufacturing end and in the marketplace. And so I’m willing to look at and offer more choices.

The vast vast vast majority of dyes used on natural fiber textiles are synthetic dyes made from petrochemicals. Like any other petrochemical product, the mining of petrochemicals, their refining and waste pollute our land, air, and water with toxic chemicals, which eventually end up in our bodies. I personally don’t find it toxic to my own body to wear fibers with synthetic dyes, but I know people who do react. I don’t consider synthetic dyes to be high on the toxicity list for direct contact in clothing, but we do need to remember that their manufacture is causing environmental pollution, which eventually does come around to us.

Low-impact dyes are made from petrochemicals. They are not natural, but claim to have less of an impact on the environment. Why do they dye organically-grown fibers with synthetic dyes? In a way, it doesn’t make sense to put these synthetic dyes on organically grown fibers after they have been so careful with the fibers. But here’s the thing. Consumers want colors. And if these dyes are applied, the organic fiber clothing will sell more, thereby supporting the growth of the organic fiber industry.

Foxfibe is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. It is cotton grown in it’s various natural colors. That cotton grew in colors other than white was discovered in 1982, While trying to breed insect resistance into cotton plants, Sally Fox noticed that occasionally a cotton plant produced a green or brown cotton, just as occasionally a flock of sheep has a few black lambs. The colors deepen with age rather than fade, as dyed fabrics do. Most of the natural-colored cotton is organically grown. There is now a spectrum of greens and browns available and the colors can also be modified according to how they are washed. I have a sweater that was knitted by hand from Foxfibre and I cherish it. It is my favorite sweater–large and warm and soft. It uses brown and white cotton to make a tweed, with a plain brown collar and cuffs.

Natural and vegetable dyes are made from plants. Some plants leave a stain on fabrics, like beet juice, for example. For millenia, the only dyes were dyes from plants and also from some animals and insects. Red was from a beetle. They produce very beautiful colors. You can get naturally dyed fabrics from artisans and also many imported rugs have vegetable dyes (such as these Tibetan Rugs). But they require so much plant material to make the dye, that we probably couldn’t grow enough to clothe all the people of the world today, nor would most be able to afford the cost. Also, even though the dyestuff is natural and may be organically grown, most colors require toxic mordants to fix the color to the fabric. So it isn’t really nontoxic either.

Add Comment

Question from Denise

It’s cold here in Chicago and I want to buy a wool blanket for my daughter’s bed. But she is so sensitive, I want to make sure it’s pure. What do you recommend?

Debra’s Answer

I recommend that you order one online from a website that is dedicated to natural bedding. If you purchase a wool blanket from a regular retail store, it may have chemical mothproofing on it and that may not be on the label.

Here are some choices from websites on Debra’s List:

The Natural Sleep Store — natural-color blankets made from certified organic wool, “processed using the most sustainable methods commercially available.”

Dax Stores — Pure virgin Merino wool blankets from Australia. “These wonderful natural wool blankets are very soft and do not feel itchy like inferior grade wool blankets.”

Shepherd’s Dream — natural color woven wool blanket.

Readers? Your suggestions for wool blankets?

Add Comment

Question from ib

I purchased a cotton sofa with foam batting wrapped in down; is this safe? If not will a cotton slip cover prevent the off gassing. I looked up afm safe choice capret lock out, but it says it’s only for carpets. I emailed them to find out if this product can be used on my sofa. I haven’t heard a response yet.

Your web site is a life saver.

Thank you

Debra’s Answer

AFM SafeChoice Lock Out is the correect AFM product to apply to upholstery fabric, even thoough it says it is for carpets. I asked AFM myself and this is what they told me.

The sofa you describe…it’s important to keep in mind that there are four general catagories of products:
1. completely or mostly organic, recycled, or otherwise earthwise.
2. 100% natural, being made of renewable materials, but not organically grown.
3. part natural and part synthetic (this could range from a small percentage natural to a small percentage synthetic.
4. completly synthetic, made from petrochemicals.

For myself, I choose only products in catagories #1 and #2, or from #3 and #4 only if they are nontoxic.

Is your foam batting made from petrochemicals or latex? And if latex, it it 100% natural or partially synthetic?

Either way, if it is off gassing, a cotton slipcover will NOT block off gassing. You need a barrier to block the molecules that are off gassing and they will pass right through the holes between the weave of the cotton (I know it looks tight to our eyes, but a molecule can float right through with ease.

If you need something to block, I would go with the Lock Out. Everyone else, remember my best recommendation would be a 100% natural sofa (see Debra’s List :: Interior Decorating :: Furniture).

Add Comment

Question from Lynn

Hi Debra,

What is the difference between petroleum distillates, and petrochemicals? Is one more toxic than the other?

Lynn, Michigan

Debra’s Answer

Petrochemicals are any chemicals made from coal tar or crude oil.

Petroleum distillates are petrochemicals that have been distilled in a refinery and then usually processed further and purified in some manner. There are many different types with completely opposite characteristics and uses.

Distillation is the basic process used to separate and purify the components of crude oil. Crude oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with impurities like sulfur, nitrogen and small amounts of metal. During distillation, the oil is heated in a large closed vesse called a still. The lighter components boil off first and rise to a higher point inside a tower above the still. The heavier components boil off at higher temperatures and condense back into liquids more quickly. These products are captured on trays at each level and pass out of the tower. The lighter and more volatile products are used in gasoline or as solvents, the next heavier might be used as diesel or stove oil and the next as lubricants, and so on.

Though all petrochemical products start as a distillate of petroleum, not all petrochemical products fall into the classification of “petroleum distillates.” Specifically, petroleum distillates include mineral spirits, kerosene, white spirits, naphtha, and Stoddard solvent. These products may contain trace amounts of benzene and other aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene and xylene which have similar toxic effects.

Any product that contains a petroleum distillate in its formula must be labeled with the phrase “contains petroleum distillates” regardless of the actual distillate used. This is so doctors and emergency medical personnel will know how best to treat those who might accidentally drink the product. If a product contains petroleum distillates, the medical personnel may elect not to induce vomiting.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission:

Add Comment

Question from kt

Hi,

I’m looking for non-toxic, high quality rug grippers for throw rugs that I take up and wash and also larger wool rugs. I know that there are some nasty chemicals in a lot of grippers sold out there. Anyone know a good source for non-toxic ones – and what they are made of?

Thanks,

kt

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Leah

We recently visited Chicago and went to the IKEA store there. Based on what I have read about this company, the store seemed like a dream. The prices were incredibly low and they had tons of furniture amd things to choose from. This is what I read on

“IKEA : This furniture and housewares chain boasts an environmental policy that prohibits the use of PVC, formaldehyde-based glues, brominated flame retardants, and other toxins, and supports the use of environmentally friendly, sustainable and recycled materials”

When I looked at IKEA’s website several months ago, I couldn’t find this information and I am wondering if ALL their products fall under this environmental policy. For example, the sell all kinds of mattresses. How do they not use flame retardents with conventional mattresses? Any idea? We are mainly looking for bunkbeds for our children and have considered purchasing at least the frame from Ikea since their prices are so low. Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

This is a good question. I actually love IKEA for their style and low prices. You can get things like cotton curtains and real wood desk accessories very inexpensively, but as to whether or not the wood is sustainably harvested or the glue doesn’t contain formaldehyde, well, it’s not labeled to indicate that.

I’ve read IKEA’s environmental policy too, in several places, but haven’t listed them on Debra’s List because when I visited the website, I didn’t find the policy there.

Also, when visiting the store and online, I found there were many products that I felt didn’t meet this policy, and no indication of which products did.

I think they need better labeling.

You asked specifically about flame retardants. The policy doesn’t say “no flame retardants”. It says “no brominated flame retardants”. They are using flame retardants, just not brominated ones.

I just looked at one of their mattresses. Under “product description” it says:

Add Comment

This morning I received an email from someone with MCS with a gift for everyone with MCS. She said her MCS often reminded her of her favorite childhood story “The Princess and the Pea”. And that sensitive young lady turned out to be a princess!

It just reminded me that inside, we are all princesses and princes, regardless of what our bodies are doing.

Here’s the story if you want to read it again…

“The Princess and the Pea”

Question from Dalia Frydman

Now that Oxigen bleaches are all over the place (even 99c stores have them…) I wonder which ones are really effective because the prices really vary…Dalia

Debra’s Answer

I contacted Natural Choices Home Safe Products, a small company who created their own oxygen bleach based products, and asked them to respond to your question. Click on COMMENTS to read their excellent answer.

Add Comment

Question from Mary Anne

Hi Debra – this is Mary Anne Stern in Los Angeles (the person who sent you the organic manicure/pedicure recipes). THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the help you give to us persons with MCS (I have fibromyalgia also). Anyway –

Can we pretty please get your “take” on the value or advantages (if there are any) to steam cleaners? I started looking into them and quickly got overwhelmed. There’s everything out there from $19.95 hand-held models that are supposed to sanitize your countertops clear up to models that are $2,000+ with a dozen or more attachments.

The advertising promises to do everything from sanitize your home surfaces to cleaning your rugs and drapes to mucking out the tracks in your doors and windows to killing dust mites in matresses; and of course all effortlessly, if you believe the ads. I keep wondering about the old adage about something that seems to good to be true . . .

Because of my medical conditions, I already make my own household cleaners with baking soda, H2O2, vinegar, castille soap etc etc etc. Would a steam cleaner do a better job? Thanks again so much! Mary Anne in Los Angeles

Debra’s Answer

Hi Mary Anne. I’d be happy to give you my thoughts.

I bought a steam cleaner a couple of years ago. It was about $150, so it’s the “middle of the road” model.

I think the idea is fabulous. The hot steam really does clean things without elbow grease. One thing we cleaned was a lot of green stuff that was growing on the north side of the walls of our house in the forest. It came right off.

But, to be honest, I hardly ever use it. I think the reason is that it isn’t “quick and easy.” It sits in my closet and I only think of it if I have a big cleaning job. But this is me. I don’t vacuum either (Larry does the vacuuming). Hauling noisy machines around isn’t something I enjoy. I’d rather sweep with my handmade broom with the nature spirit face carved in the handle than vacuum.

Also, you need to add water to make the steam, and when the water runs out you have to stop cleaning, add more water, and wait for it to heat up again.

I also don’t have a lot of attention on sanitizing my house. There’s only just Larry and me anyway and we’re exchanging germs all the time.

Add Comment

Question from Susan H.

Debra,

Thanks for the great information on your blog!

We are planning to remodel parts of our bathroom, such as using porcelain tile on the floors and inside the shower. We are trying to find out which bathtubs are the least toxic. The old acrylic tub that we’ve had for 15 years looks awful, and I would like to know if cast iron or porcelain on steel are the best bets. Thank you!

Debra’s Answer

Both cast iron and porcelain on steel are fine choices. Just get a new one or make sure one you choose at a salvage yard was made after 1984. Prior to that year, lead was used in the manufacture of these tubs, which can leach into the water and in to our bodies. Those manufactured after 1984 are fine.

Add Comment

Question from Merilee Eggleston

Here’s a strange question: Any idea why I might react strongly to organic cotton but not to conventional cotton? This is true of all the organic cotton I have tried over the years, from the least expensive to the purest of the pure (SuiteSleep)–clothing, sheets, mattress and pillow covers, you name it. The only conventional cotton I react to is percale sheets; clothing and conventional cotton knit sheets seem fine, as do poly-cotton percale sheets (!).

I’m completely mystified. Ideas?

Debra’s Answer

I’m mystified too. Readers? Any ideas?

Add Comment

Question from Deanna

Hi!

I was wondering if you, or anyone out there has heard of this or has used it, and if so, what kind of results did you get with it?

I am including the web site where I purchased this (see below) because it has lots of information that seemed in line with all the other info I found on other sites. They all said the same thing: it was a natural product, it kills all kinds of pests, is safe for humans & pets, can even be used as a cleanser for internal parasites in humans.

I purchased the food grade DE & also the DE with pyrethins to use on my dog for fleas. I sprinkled the food grade on all the carpeting in my entire house, working it into the nap & left it there for over a week. I also dusted my dog with the DE with pyrethrins. It is supposed to kill the “pests” by drying them up from the inside.

In theory, this all sounds great, but in all honesty, the fleas on my dog (who, by the way, has never had fleas before) got much worse. After about 3-4 days of his constant scratching & agony, I broke down & purchased the old stand-by poison in the vial that is absorbed into his bloodstream.

The powder is extremely fine & dusty & I spent an entire week cleaning dust off of every surface in my house after this. I believe the part about drying the pests up because it really dried my hands & also my dog’s skin.

Debra’s Answer

I personally used to use DE to control fleas on my cat. It did work for that purpose, without pyrethrins, because, as you said, it dries up the flea bodies.

I no longer use it because someone wrote to me and said the dust caused lung problems in cats. How true that is, I don’t know, but, as you said, it is a very fine powder and that made sense to me.

I’d like to hear the experience and thoughts of others regarding DE. It is a natural, nontoxic product. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Robin

debra And All,

I’ve been through all the sites mentioned in the “window coverings” section of Debra’s list, and am still wrestling with this problem.

I want to buy a curtain for a sliding door situated on the bottom level of my house. This room gets very cold in the winter, and I’d like to buy a curtain which will provide some insulation.

www.countrycurtains.com has just such a curtain, but the insulation is in the form of acrylic foam backing on a cotton and polyester curtain. No one in this house has MCS, but I am trying to keep sustainability and toxicity in mind when making new purchases.

I am trying to decide whether to just buy this curtain and lighten the eco-footprint of the house in other ways, or whether to search for another product.

Do you have any product suggestions? This room is not fancy, so design isn’t much of a concern.

Debra’s Answer

When I lived in California, we used to just hang wool blankets over the windows on really cold days.

I wouldn’t use a curtain with an acrylic foam backing personally, but this is one of those trade-off things. It’s not the most toxic material, and it will save energy. Wouldn’t advise it for MCS.

If it were me, I would go in the direction of putting a wool liner or qulited cotton liner in the curtain for insulation, or choosing a very heavy fabric, like a tapestry fabric.

But let’s see what others have done. Readers?

Add Comment

Question from Maureen Anderson

I have been using Talalay Latex pillows for a few months and am considering purchasing a natural latex mattress. I have MCS and worry about developing a latex sensitivity, which can be very serious if one needs surgery. What I find on the internet indicates that it is the protein in natural rubber that is the culprit. Would these pillows and mattresses not be dangerous, especially to someone as sensitive and allergy-prone as I am?

Debra’s Answer

I’m going to let others answer this question. I know a lot of people with MCS sleep on latex mattresses with no problems, but I personally would not. Readers, what advice have you?

Add Comment