Safety of Rubbing Alcohol for Pest Control

Question from jmarlene Dear Debra, I found your site tonight searching for safety of rubbing alcohol. Living in a townhouse complex, confronted suddenly with roaches. They began to enter from behind a bathroom mirror. Have lived here for 15 years and have not had a problem until now. I have tried vinegar, bay leaves, neem […]

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October 7, 2006

Content of Metals

Here is a very interesting page that contains information on the content of various metals: Metals Information — About Metals and Platings. It tells, for example, what alloys are used to make various types of gold, sterling silver, brass, surgical stainless steel and other metals used in jewelry-making. It addresses allergies to these metals. It […]

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Anodized Cookware in the Dishwasher

Question from Cathy I just found out you’re not supposed to put anodized cookware in the dishwasher. We don’t do it it often but occasionally if my husband is cleaning up (rarely happens) the pans will go in the dishwasher. I can’t see any evidence of damage to the surface of these pans but want […]

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October 3, 2006

New Flannel Sheets Smell Like Gasoline After Washing

Question from Erin I recently purchased new flannel sheets for my children’s beds. My son has been sleeping (I washed it first) on it for the past two weeks and his asthma has been terrible. I was thinking it was from the outside air. However, I took their sheets off this morning and washed them […]

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Nontoxic Luggage?

Question from Cheryl I really need a new suitcase for my trips back east to visit family. I need something with some shape to it because I live out of the suitcase the whole trip as I visit various family members. I borrowed a popular commercial one for a recent trip and found that my […]

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September 24, 2006

Non-Toxic Mascara Recommendation?

Question from wt hello, i’m looking for a non-toxic mascara that WON’T MAKE MY LASHES DROOP. my lashes are relatively thin, and anything heavy will cause them to droop in a heartbeat. is there such a forumula? would appreciate a recommendation. thank you! Debra’s Answer My lashes are thick, so I’ve never experienced this. Readers…?

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September 19, 2006

Dishwashing soap

Question from S.L. On your website under the section “At Home With Debra . . . How I Really Live” you say that you use an unscented liquid soap that you got as a bonus to clean your dishes and countertops. I’m wondering if you’ve run out of that original supply and if so, what […]

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September 17, 2006

Need Help With Kitchen Reno!

Question from V. L. I find myself overwhelmed with choices for an eco kitchen reno. It seems that either solid wood cabinetry or cabinet boxes made of strawboard with solid wood fronts are the only eco options. I’ve tried re-covering used cabinets from the paper, but they are always in really bad shape. Further, are […]

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September 4, 2006

Safety of Rubbing Alcohol

Question from D. M. I came across a recipe for a homemade shower cleaner using equal parts water, vinegar, rubbing alcohol and a couple drops of liquid dish detergent. Is rubbing alcohol a non toxic ingredient to use for cleaning? Thanks for your reply and I am looking forward to receiving your e-newsletter as I’m […]

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August 28, 2006

Nontoxic Lice Shampoo

This product was sent to me by a reader. Lice R Gone ¨ is an enzyme based product that “has such low toxicity it is essentially harmless to people, pets, wildlife and crops…is completely biodegradable upon application…has no residual contamination…and is quick acting and totally effective against head lice and their nits.” It contains Purified […]

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June 28, 2005

Air Duct Cleaning

Question from S. J. [This entry was transferred from the Q&A that was created before this blog existed. There are two questions and one answer.] The company that services my a/c unit told me that our ducts weren’t sealed properly and it caused dust and mold in the attic to get into the ducts. The […]

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March 16, 2005

Household Lubricant

Question from S. L. Greetings! And thank you so much for your valuable service. Any tips for a non-toxic, odor free or at least low odor lubricant for household uses such as oiling door hinges and windows? Food oils go rancid and we would like to avoid petrochemicals if possible. Looking forward to your response. […]

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Inexpensive Water Filters

Question from S. M. I read your tip about avoiding water stored in plastic containers. We’ve been using a Brita pitcher as an inexpensive solution for the water we drink at home. The problem is that the Brita pitchers are plastic. Is there an alternative that is comparable in cost? Debra’s Answer I think the […]

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What Pillow Do You Sleep On?

Question from S. M. We are curious – what pillows do you sleep on? Debra’s Answer Organic wool pillows from Shepherd’s Dream. I have slept on cotton and feather/down pillows, but when I tried wool, I fell in love with them. :- We have the standard size bed pillows and also the wool neck rolls. […]

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Floor Wax Stripper

Question from S. P. I own a small janitorial company. My mother and my wife both experience symptoms of chemical sensitivity and over the past year I have been converting to all green products. I enjoyed your book on the non-toxic home and office. I liked the fact that instead of dwelling on negatives until […]

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Silicone baking mats vs parchment paper

Question from S. T. Why do you recommend silicone baking mats? Isn’t cooking parchment safer? Debra’s Answer Cooking parchment also called parchment paper, kitchen parchment, greaseproof paper and cooking paper is a sheet of paper impregnated with silicone, which makes the paper grease- and moisture-resistant as well as relatively heat-resistant. It is commonly used to […]

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Natural Black-out Curtains

Question from T. A. We need black-out curtains for our baby’s room, but I can’t find all natural material. All have some polyester, or vinyl, in them. Debra’s Answer Readers ~ I tried to find all-cotton black-out curtains or even black-out fabric, to no avail. All contained polyester. When I couldn’t find an all-natural solution […]

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Is there formaldehyde in gelatin capsules?

Question from T. S. I have recently heard that the capsules used to package vitamins and herbs are not good for you. Is this true? if so, what is a good alternative to getting the benefits of the these nutrients if not in pill form. It seems difficult when most of us have neither the […]

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Safe tile grout and backerboard

Question from B. C. Thanks to all your tips, my wife is really feeling much better with her MCS. In fact, we’re now carefully considering putting a tile floor where the carpet used to be in the bathroom adjacent to her bedroom. Using your recommendations we have found safe tile adhesives and grout sealers but […]

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Nontoxic garden hose

Question from R. G. I was wondering if you know of a safe nontoxic garden hose, one that doesn’t leach any toxic chemicals or plasticizers into the water? Debra’s Answer All garden hoses are made from either polyvinyl chloride “PVC” or “vinyl”, rubber, or a combination of the two. Vinyl hoses are the least expensive […]

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