Does Polyester Clothing Offgas?
I was wondering if Polyester and other Petroleum based clothing give off VOCs? & if they do give off VOCs how long would it take to outgass them?
Food-Grade EVA Wrap in Mats
Just wondering if you have any opinions about "food grade EVA" found in the wrap-in-mats. I bought one for my son for his lunch bag and am now wondering about the inner lining of EVA touching his food. I'm considering purchasing another (for snacks) but am a bit put off by the lining. I'd love to know what you think about it and if you think it is "safe" to use.
Non-Aluminum Ice Cream Maker
Anyone know of an ice cream / sorbet maker that does not use an aluminum (or plastic) dish for making the ice cream? I have not been able to find one made of stainless steel.
Is Kaboom Cleaner Non-Toxic?
I normally use non-toxic products to clean my home, I bought Kaboom shower cleaner over the weekend since I was completely out and didn't want to make a trip to Target to get Method shower cleaner (which I really like...) What is your take on Kaboom products? They say the cleaner will not release toxic fumes, but is the product itself non-toxic?
Odor of Wool Pillows and Mattress
A couple of weeks ago, I bought a natural latex mattress with wool batting, and wool pillows. They have been airing out since I got them, because they smell like little sheeps. The smell is pretty intense, especially for the pillows. I did many reasearch in the Internet and could not find any customers complaints about bad smell of wool pillows.
Information on PUL Fabric
PUL is short for Polyurethane Laminate, which is an aromatic polyether polyurethane film/sheet. It is used for bibs, diaper covers, and other baby products because of it's excellent resistance to water and fungus. This is a plastic, made from petrochemicals. It is made from a nonrenewable resource and is not biodegradable. I'd opt for bibs and diaper covers made from natural ingredients.
Homemade Alternative to Scotchguard
My husband and are are going to reupholster our dining room chairs, and since we have 2 kids under the age of 4, we'd like to pretreat the fabric to make it more stain repellent. I don't like the idea of a chemical fabric protector like Scotchguard, so I'm wondering about the alternatives since I won't be able to just take the covers off and wash them!
Stinky New Wool Rug - What Gives?
Recently found your site and thought I'd solicit your advice. I purchased an all wool rug from Company C in December, 2006. After the first 6 weeks or so, I noticed a strong "weird" odor coming from the rug. I thought it was just the new wool rug smell. Well, was I wrong! The smell continued to grow stronger to the point I thought I was crazy. I finally contacted the company and asked some questions. Apparently, the rug was made in India, but it is all wool. The customer service rep instructed me to let the rug sit outside in the sun back side up for a whole day if possible to finish "curing" it. What the heck? Is there anything I can do to make the smell go away?
Leather Couch Offgassing
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.
Down vs. Down Alternative: Which is Better?
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 Neoprene Lunch Boxes Safe
There are some soft neoprene lunch boxes that lie flat (making them easy to store) for sale in our neighborhood and I'm not sure about wether they are "safe" or not to use for my children's school lunch. They are in bright colors and I'm not sure about the dyes used on them.
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.
Particleboard or Pressboard—Will They Fully Off-Gas?
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 particleboard or pressboard. 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.
Getting the Smell Out of a New Refrigerator
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.
New Flannel Sheets Smell Like Gasoline After Washing
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 again. When I took them out of the washer I noticed a very strong chemical smell, almost like gasoline. Is this possible? Would I be better off purchasing old second hand cotton sheets for my children to sleep on?
Green Bathtubs
I am looking for an airjet tub that would be safe. One company [name deleted] said that their urethane tubs are the only green product around. My HVAC guy says that 100% acrylic tubs are inert. However, as far as I can see, the acrylic tubs have a fiberglass and resin shell which is where the problem mostly lies. Any info?
Nontoxic Outdoor Grill
The burning of all fuels produce combustion by-products and smoke, which make food taste delicious, but are harmful to breathe. So regardless of which type of barbecue you choose, try not to breathe a lot of smoke. There are basically two types of grills: gas and charcoal.
Sealing Toxic Particleboard Furniture
I have a crazy situation. I put a $500.00 deposit down on some furniture I love, but found out it's wood veneer over fiber-board. I've been agonizing for a week whether to have it delivered or if I should lose my deposit, or at least some of it. My chiropractor muscle-tested me weak on formaldahyde, so it wouldn't be a great thing, but it was on sale for a really good price, it looks great, it's what I need, but I don't want to get sick and I don't want to feel hypocritical.
Silicone Baking Mats Vs. Parchment Paper
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 eliminate the need to grease baking pans--allowing, for example, repeated batches of cookies to be baked without regreasing the pans--and it can also be folded to make moisture-proof packages in which foods can cooked or steamed.