Super Search

Water | Swimming Pools

Silestone countertops

Question from Kate

Is anyone worried about the antimicrobial product in silestone countertops? I’ve explored Papercrete, kieri (sp?) wood, concrete and am now looking at silestone. Anyone have any yeas or nays about it? Thanks, Kate

Debra’s Answer

The antimicrobial agent used in Silestone is Microban. They don’t say on their website exactly what the antibacterial agent is, but they comment that it “has a long history of safe use” and that it is “built-in during the manufacturing process and will not wash off or wear away,” which leads me to believe it may be silver, a traditional microbial agent.

In response to the question, “Has anyone ever gotten sick from using products with Microban antimicrobial protection?” they answer:

I’m not concerned about it offgassing.

Add Comment

Space heaters

Question from Nina M.

I’m looking for advice about which space heaters, if any, don’t outgas when you first use them or outgas for long? Also, has anyone had any trouble with a Delonghi radiator heater outgassing?

Do you know which space heaters are the most energy efficient?

Thanks very much,

Nina

Debra’s Answer

We had this space heater question before at Space Heater Recommendations (remember to use the SEARCH button at the top of the right hand column to search this blog). So you can read my answer there about outgassing and the DeLonghi radiator. If you have a space heater you are happy with, please write in and tell us about it, as it’s getting to be that time of year where heat is needed.

Regarding energy efficiency, electricity-powered space heaters are not considered very efficient in terms of heating a whole room or home, in comparison to other methods of heating, however, if all you want to do is warm your feet or just one room, using space heaters can save money over heating the whole house if all you want to heat is a spot.

I couldn’t find a compiled list of the energy efficiency of brands of space heaters (though if someone knows of one, click on POST YOUR COMMENT below and I’ll approve it) but Missouri Department of Natural Resources: Residential Energy Efficiency has some suggestions on comparing space heaters for energy costs.

Meta-Efficient has a page about the most efficient ways to heat your home with a few space heaters (including a wall heater that looks a bit like a burning fireplace…

Econo-heat Electric Panel Heater is very efficient (2-3 cents an hour to run) and costs less than $100. They say it has a bit of an odor when you first turn it on, but it dissipates within 24 hours. I have no experience with this product, but it looks interesting and is comparatively inexpensive to run.

I can’t pass up this opportunity to remind everyone that you can save a lot on your heating bills by warming your body instead of the air around you. It takes a lot more energy to warm the air in a room than it does to warm your body. Many body warmers need no energy at all!

Add Comment

Shampoo with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Question from svw

Whats your opinion on the AFM Safechoice Shampoo for a person with MCS since it does contain Sodium Laureth Sulfate and MEA? Thanks Sandy

Debra’s Answer

The challenge for people with MCS is to find products that are both nontoxic and unscented. And the difficulty is compounded by the fact that each individual has their own sensitivities, so what’s perfect for one person with MCS may not be right for another.

Here’s a comment on the safety of SLS from Annie Berthold-Bond, my long-time friend and author of Home Enlightenment. I agree with her assessment.

If you have MCS and have used this shampoo, tell us how you like it.

Add Comment

Melaleuca

One of my most frequently asked questions is “Do you know about Melaleuca products and what do you think of them?”

This is a broad question because the Melalueca company sells several different catagories of products: dietary supplements, cleaning products, and bodycare products.

When I am evaluating companies and websites, I look for specific information on the products. Either the website gives general information about ingredients and standards (such as, for example, a website selling many styles of jewelry made from the same limited number of materials), or they list ingredients of specific products. For some products, such as cleaning products, copies of MSDS sheets are included on the website.

The Melaleuca website has neither materials descriptions, ingredients lists, or MSDS sheets, so I can’t evaluate the products from the informaition made available on the website. As far as I can tell, these products would probably fall into the “natural” catagory on Debra’s List, but I emphasize probably because I have no ingredients lists or MSDS sheets to look at.

A few years ago I was provided with ingredients lists for the cleaning products available at that time. Those lists indicated that those products contained some petrochemical ingredients that are on the list of ingredients I don’t recommend. I no longer have those lists and couldn’t begin to tell you what those ingredients were.

If anyone has or can obtain ingredients lists for the current products, I am happy to look at them and give my opinion.

It’s important to keep in mind that in the marketplace there are not “good” products and “bad” products, but a whole spectrum of products that range from horribly toxic to the most pure of the pure. And there is a corresponding spectrum of consumers that fit with these various products. What I am looking for are the those products that are outstanding in their healthfulness and environmental sustainability. But there are many other products, while they may not be the purest, are much better than the worst toxic products from the supermarket. The question here really is where do Melaleuca products fit in the spectrum?

I’ve had many conversations with manufacturers of products. One thing that comes up over and over is “Yes, we could make a product that is greener, but we have to make a product that is affordable and for which there is a market.” So every product is a balance between what is possible and what will sell, and also what can be produced. A smaller company can make, for example, handmade batches of soap with organic ingredients containing herbs biodynamically grown in the field next to the barn where they make the soap. A company like Melaleuca, because of the volume they do, just can’t provide that type of product. So they produce what they can produce at the price that their customer will pay.

I can say with confidence that Melaleuca products are better than toxic supermarket products, but beyond that, I need ingredient lists and Material Safety Data Sheets.

Add Comment

How bad are blonde highlights?

Question from J. Kelly

Hi,

I do own your book, Home Safe Home, and I did read the part on hair coloring. But here is my dilema:

My teenage daughter desperately wants to add highlights to her hair. She is one of those girls who wants to be fancy all the time, and wants nail polish, lip glosses, and things of those nature. I am constantly telling her how awful these things are and subsequently don’t allow her to use any toxic things. ( I have found some non-toxic lip colors).

I know she misses out on using “fun” things and I would like to let her ‘just once’ try the highlights. I know they are bad, but would it be the end of the world, (or her life) to allow one application of highlights on her hair? And is there one that would be somewhat safer than any others? I guess I’m just wondering if doing that one time is too horrible or would she be ok?

I used to use the box kinds with the caps that you pull hair through (back when I didn’t know anything about toxic things) and I thought maybe the cap would keep the bleachy chemicals off of her scalp somewhat. I obvioulsy don’t want to do anything that will harm her in the long (or short)run. I was just hoping maybe there is something that isn’t too harmful?

Thanks for your time.

Debra’s Answer

It’s OK with me for you to let your daughter get highlights in her hair. Now don’t be shocked, but I get highlights in my hair occasionally.

So I asked my hairdresser what to recommend, since whatever she used on my hair had no odor.

She said, “First, most people don’t realize that when you get highlights the coloring product doesn’t touch the scalp at all, so none of it is absorbed through the skin like regular hair dye. I use Farouk products for highlights. These are well known and used in many salons.”

She said it is ammonia-free. I couldn’t find out the ingredients, but I can tell you the highlights I got had no odor and didn’t touch my scalp at all. I had no reaction and was very happy with the end result.

Would love to hear from others about successes with highlighting or hair colors. Readers?

Add Comment

Healthiest Flooring?

Question from Sammie

Debra, this is my first visit to your website and I am impressed!

We are confused as to the best type of flooring that is healthier — carpet, wood, or laminate?

We have a large single living area that is paneled with a browish Ash wood with hints of golden highlights and I have found it difficult to select a wooden floor that really blends well with the lliving area walls. We also have a concrete foundation and the dining area is white ceramic tile that would back up to the wooden flooring.

Health-wise, what type and brand of carpet is best?

Also, what brands of wooden flooring are healthiest? I’d appreciate it if you would mention some brand names of any healthier No-VOC or Low-VOC flooring.

Are there any particular brands of wooden or laminate flooring, or ceramic tile that qualify?

Debra’s Answer

Of all the types of flooring, ceramic tile is by far the healthiest. It is absolutely inert and easy to clean. Here in Florida, many houses have ceramic tile throughout because it also stays cool. You can find ceramic tile at every home improvement store and at specialty tile shops. But that’s not appropriate for all homes in every climate.

Next healthiest is hardwood flooring, IF it has a low-VOC finish. For more on wood flooring, see Types of Wood Flooring. There are many resources for low- and no-VOC flooring listed on Debra’s List. Just use the big purple SEARCH button on any page and type in “flooring” and you will get this list of flooring results which also includes other blog posts on flooring.

In general, laminate flooring is NOT healthy, as it uses adhesives that release VOCs. However, I just added one brand of laminate flooring that is certified low-VOC to Debra’s List–Wilsonart Flooring.

I don’t recommend carpet for a lot of reasons–toxicity of the carpet itself, but also toxicity of carpet shampoo, and the fact that they harbor dust, mold, and insects. But there are some natural and low-VOC carpets, which I have listed at Carpet on the Interior Decorating page of Debra’s List.

Sorry, I can’t answer questions about paint colors! How a color looks on your walls entirely depends on the light in the room. I recommend getting paint color swatches and taping them on the walls until you find the color you like. Also, you can now buy little test containers of paint colors that will give you a good patch of actual paint of that color on the wall.

Add Comment

Making My Own Wool Insulation

Question from Jessica

I’m wondering if you know how to make my own wool insulation? I have access to a lot of free wool and a small living structure to insulate. I know the basics of processing wool but don’t know how to make the actual insulation batts.

Debra’s Answer

When I insulated my kitchen in California with wool, I just got some wool and stuffed it in the wall between the studs. I didn’t make batts. It worked fine.

Anyone else have experience with this?

Add Comment

Particle/Press Board: Will it fully out gas and become safe?

Question from wt

hi,

we’re remodeling my house, and my husband put some “sound board” on the studs under the dry wall to help with sound reduction. this “sound board” smells HORRIFFIC! it seems very similar to particle/press board. we’re hoping that placing the dry wall over it, would essentially seal it, so the smell/toxicity cannot come out. however, not sure if that theory will work. or, are considering getting rid of the sound board all together.

if, in fact, this sound board is similar in composition to press board/particle board….do these types of materials EVENTUALLY FULLY OUTGAS? or is this something that does not, and needs to be ‘sealed’ with some sort of sealant?

knowing the answer to that question, would help us to determine how to proceed with this project.

and real quick, on the topic of press board: if i have a press board dresser from ikea…will this eventually outgas? (I’ve had these drawers for about 3-4 years..and my it still stinks!) my clothes left in it, wreak of the formaldehyde (ick!). since i wear primarily 100% cotton, are my natural fabrics absorbing the formaldehyde from the drawers??!! :O

would appreciate your thoughts..

Debra’s Answer

First, “particleboard” and “pressboard” are two different things.

Particleboard is made of wood shavings held together with a formaldehyde-based resin that outgasses. You can see the wood shavings throughout the board on both the flat side and the cut side and it has an odor–strong when new.

Pressboard is made from smaller wood fibers that are held together by a process using pressure and steam. It is a thin, brown board, with one smooth side and one textured side. It comes in a solid sheet and perforated with holes to make “peg board”. Pressboard is completely odor-free and I consider it to be a nontoxic product.

It sounds like what you have installed is particleboard, or a similar product.

Formaldehyde offgasses from particleboard until there is no more formaldehyde to offgas. It is very intense when the particleboard is new and decreases over time. I read that the half life of formaldehyde in particleboard is three to six years, but can still contribute to indoor air pollution 12 to 24 years after installation (Spectrum–Newsletter of the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation, Vol 26, No. 1). This seems reasonable to me. How long any given installation takes to full outgas depends on the conditions. More heat will make it outgas faster.

There is a product which can be applied to particleboard to block fumes, made by AFM Enterprises. I used this product many years ago with success, when I purchased a table that I thought was solid wood, which actually contained one piece of particleboard about 1′ x 3′ one inch thick. I applied the vapor barrier finish and was able to use the table with no problem.

Getting the Smell Out of a New Refrigerator

Question from Debi

How can you get the smell out of a new refrigerator? I have never had a new fridge before so was not aware it would smell so bad!

I washed it out with soapy water and then have put a bowl of baking soda on each shelf…4 days later, it still smells. It smells like it is more of the vinyl around the edge of the fridge keeping it airtight versus actually inside the fridge but then again I can’t get in there and close the door to see if it smells.

I remember a few years ago we had put a bottle of nail polish in the butter bin in our fridge door and when we went to use the butter it tasted like nail polish. I am afraid to put fod in there because I don’t want it to taste like the plastic smell we are smelling.

Any suggestions?

Debra’s Answer

This IS a problem with new refrigerators, as they are full of outgassing plastic. And the outgassing plastic WILL get into your food.

My general advice is to purchase a used refrigerator, as the plastic does outgas over time, but last summer I myself purchased a new refrigerator because i just fell in love with the design.

It’s what’s called a “trio” because it has two refrigerator doors that open on top from the center, and one freezer door on the bottom. Inside there are glass shelves and easy-to-reach-and-open see-through bins for produce. It is just a joy to use. Several companies make them. The brand I bought was Kenmore at Sears (I’d give you a link, but it was too long).

I was concerned that the interior would have an odor, but the model on the floor didn’t have an odor. So I took a chance, and the one that was delivered to me didn’t have an odor either. Perhaps this was just a fluke, I can’t guarantee it, but this was my experience.

As for your problem, I would have suggested baking soda. Does anyone else have a suggestion that has worked. Readers?

Add Comment

How safe is Clorox Bleach?

Question from Laura

I’ve used Clorox Bleach steadily for years. It’s the only thing that seems to ‘clean’. The products sold in stores ( i.e. Clorox Softscrub, etc.) used to mask the bleach smell that have bleach in them, don’t do the job as well as just bleach alone. I usually blend a few drops of bleach on a rag with Polmolive dish soap to do my kitchen counters then rinse afterwards. The smell IS strong but goes away after a few minutes.

Is using Bleach unhealthy on the lungs? I really like the stuff and don’t want to stop using it but if it’s toxic then I’ll have to find other options.

Thanks for any info on this.

Sincerely,

Laura

Debra’s Answer

Product labels on chlorine bleach warn only of the danger when accidentally ingested, however, the inhaled fumes also pose a hazard. Toxicology books report that chlorine is “toxic as a [skin] irritant and by inhalation.”

The Material Safety Data Sheet for Chlorox Bleach states:

Many people do have adverse reactions to chlorine. The chlorine in bleach is the same stuff people often want to remove from drinking water.

Personally, I don’t use chlorine bleach or any products containing chlorine, and I remove it from my water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. That would be my recommendation for you, too.

Add Comment

Translator

Visitor site map

 

“EnviroKlenz"

“Happsy"

ARE TOXIC PRODUCTS HIDDEN IN YOUR HOME?

Toxic Products Don’t Always Have Warning Labels. Find Out About 3 Hidden Toxic Products That You Can Remove From Your Home Right Now.