Steel Bed

June 21, 2012, by Debra Lynn Dadd

Question from tracigw

Are steel beds less toxic overall than beds made of other materials (wood or foam-covered fabric)? It seems like the toxicity would come primarily from lacquer. I have no chemical sensitivities, but would like to create as chemical-free home environment as possible, as we have young children. Thank you! 

Debra's Answer

Steel beds are less toxic than wood and especially fabric-covered foam.

Wood is fine if you use a nontoxic finish on it.

Steel generally has a baked on finish that is not toxic after it is baked on.

The first bed I had when I was creating my first nontoxic bedroom was the steel frame of a roll-away cot, with a pile of folded washed cotton thermal blankets for the mattress. A bed doesn't have to be that extreme today because we now have natural mattresses, but a metal frame of any kind is a good choice.ontact may produce mild irritation and defatting with possible dermatitis.

Metal springs and bed frames do conduct electromagnetic radiation and many people (including myself) do not sleep on metal boxsprings for that reason. However, metal bed frames are not toxic in terms of chemical toxicity. EMFs are another issue.

Each individual is different and different things will affect them. How much EMFs you may be exposed to from this source can vary widely.