Latex-Free Footwear
A reader asks if there are any footwear brands that are free of latex.
Nontoxic Drywall Mud
I need a nontoxic drywall mud, quick! Someone had told me the Kerabond would be a good choice, but after mixing a little I realized that it's a sandy grout, ONLY for use with tiles. (By the way, it's totally safe for me! Now I want to do a tile project!) Anyway, some workmen used Murco here a few years ago, but I had a bad experience with that. Any suggestions? This time I'm doing the mudding myself (it's just covering a few seams.)
Safe Storage for Baby Clothes
I am packing away baby clothes for a possible one in the far future :) Right now the clothes are in the house in cardboard boxes but they are soon moving into the garage. I'm afraid of smells and whatever else might get into the boxes (moths, mold, etc.)if they are not sealed. I'm trying to stay away from toxic plastic. Are there non-toxic storage containers out there big enough for storing clothes or are there non-toxic trash bags I should wrap the clothes in and then put in the cardboard boxes?
Nontoxic Wood Filler
I'm chemically sensitive and searching all over the web for a Safe (safer : ) wood putty for interior windowsills.. primarily where the old wood sill meets the relatively new metal storm windows...so I guess they are both outside (as far as moisture etc and inside as far as VOC and other irritant concerns..
PTFC Coating on Cookware?
Does anyone have any information on PTFC coatings on cookware? Recently I was at Williams Sonoma and saw their new "Gold Touch" line of cookware, which is advertised as having a non-stick ceramic coating. When I saw this I contacted the company to find out if it was a nano-ceramic coating, because I'm concerned about nano-particles and want to limit my exposure to these. They wrote back and said it was not a nano-ceramic coating but a PTFC coating.
Dishware Labeled “Prop 65 Compliant for Lead and Cadmium”
I purchased dinnerware and didn't realized until I came home that a each of the dinnerware had a sticker on it saying PROP 65 COMPLIANT FOR LEAD & CADMIUM. What does it mean?
Unscented Trash Bags
We have a large kitchen trash can that we had been keeping in the kitchen. It uses 33 gallon trash bags. I don't remember the name of them because they are outside now. '' You see, used to, I was able to handle the trash bags, but months ago they started smelling like fabric softener sheets. We moved the trash can to the front of the house, but inside the house and our daughter said she did not want the smell in her room, since her room is right next to the room the trash can was put in. So the trash can was put on the front porch outside. Can you recommend a 33 gallon trash bag that is unscented?
Do Mirrors (Old or New) Have Toxic Materials?
As I was taking apart a wood frame on a very old mirror, it occurred to me that the mirror might have toxic materials (such as lead, heavy metals etc) on the back of it. How about new mirrors? Any thoughts or info would be appreciated.
Are There Any Nontoxic Shoes?
Has anyone noticed that so many shoes today smell really toxic? For example, Merrell makes really comfy shoes but they smell so toxic and awful my eyes start to sting. Other shoes that are made of leather don't smell good when you first get them but one senses they will outgas and are not as toxic. It's hard to find comfortable shoes and sandals that are made of high quality healthy leathers and glues. Does anyone agree?
Water Filter—Is Calcite Safe?
Still trying to educate myself on a water filter for my family! One of the contaminants in my water are nitrates. I just discovered this as I was looking through my city water report. In an instant, I switched from being a carbon block advocate, to loving the idea of reverse osmosis (I have always written reverse osmosis off, after reading that it removes essential minerals from the water, and leaves it with a low ph.
Non-Toxic Window Blinds
Some time ago I'd submitted a question to 3 Day Blinds about their wood blinds. They said that the finish on their wood blinds was non-toxic and low VOC. We decided to go ahead and have a home consult. We talked about all their options. The Consultant informed us that their Faux Wood Blinds were made of a polymer with no VOC, and no off-gassing. It isn't a covered MDF or anything similar; it's a more solid plastic type material. He showed us a sample and I examined/sniffed it :-).
Tile Glue Smell in New Shower
My husband installed a tile shower in my bathroom in mid September of 2011, and I can still smell the tile adhesive he used. He's a contractor and he used premixed tile adhesive. He didn't realize it would continue to put off a chemical odor after four months (he himself could hardly smell the chemicals and I wasn't there when he was getting ready to use the glue). I smell the adhesive smell through the grout lines and I don't know what to do.
Washing Machine Offgassing
Three months ago we bought a new washing machine. I noticed an awful "plasticky" smell inside the machine, and figured it needed to outgas. I've tried leaving the door of the washing machine open as much as possible when not in use to air out the machine.
Mowing Grass After Spraying
Our neighbor had Orkin come to fog, not spray, for mosquitos with Talstar Professional. Now with me having MCS, my husband has MCS as well and so does our daughter, my question is, how soon can we get out and mow the grass and do some weedeatting around the house and yard and do this without having reactoins since they fogged for mosquitos next door?
Polyester Versus Polyethylene
Hi Debra, You have mentioned that polyethylene plastic provides a good vapor barrier. I am confused. On the internet it says that polyester is the name the textile industry uses for polyethylene or PET. In that case, polyester fiberfill should have the same saftey as polyethylene plastic cover, no? also, does polyethylene not contain phthalates and antimony?
1950’s Fire King Milk Glass Dishware - Is it Lead Free?
I've always liked milkglass, and saw some on Etsy from the 1950's (I think, given the stamp and what google says about the date stamp).
From all what I can learn through google, there was arscenic in milk glass back in the 1800's, and then they stopped that and used lead for awhile instead to acheive the same milky look, up to the early 1900's.
Hardwood Flooring Reeks
have a question of my own this time. We recently bought a new home, tore out the carpet, and replaced it with engineered hardwoods (a week ago) that had to be glued down because part of our split-level is on a concrete slab. This company has installed hardwoods for us on three other occasions without issue. But this time, the floors smell AWFUL.
Can Pine Sol be Toxic if Used on Dishes?
My mother-in-laws maid uses pinesol full strength on cabinets, floors, etc. The other day I caught her cleaning out coffee pots and washing dishes with the same dish rag she was wiping countertops.
Help, Are These Countertops Going to Kill Us?
After just moving in to a new apartment, the managers came to the door to announce that 'the guys were here to spray the countertops'. They had told me about these guys spraying over existing formica, that that was the preferred 'new' method by corporate to cover the damaged counters instead of replacing them.