Question from Dianna

Hello. I am moving to Colorado, and I am looking for warm hiking boots that are non-toxic. Any suggestions?

Debra’s Answer

It’s been a long time since I’ve worn hiking boots. Used to wear them all the time when I lived out in a forest in California.

If I remember correctly, I didn’t particularly have a problem with them. I had a pair that were all leather with rubber soles.

Some of the toxic elements of a hiking boot could be tanning chemicals used on leather, synthetic materials, waterproofing…

Readers, any brands you like? I just have no recent experience with this living in Florida where I wear sandals 364 days of the year.

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Question from joan

My daughter just purchased The Amazing Whip-It cleaner and wanted to know if it was safe to use. It claims to be “natural”.

Debra’s Answer

All I can do is evaluate the information they give, I don’t have any inside information other than what is presented.

I looked at their MSDS sheet, which would list the hazardous ingredients it contains that are required to be reported by law (if any) and there were none.

I called the company and they told me that it is 100% natural, the ingredients being eucalyptus oil, citrus oil, coconut oil, corn and salt, so yes, it IS natural and biodegradable. My only reservation about this for some of you is that I know some people are sensitive to eucalyptus oil and some sensitive to corn, so I wouldn’t recommend it if that’s you.

It’s an all-purpose cleaner that targets tough stains on clothing, carpet, vinyl, and hard surfaces as well as for use in automotive, marine, restaurants, offices & much more.

I just ordered some to try as I get a lot of food stains on my clothes. Will let you know how well it works.

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Question from hellokitty

Hi Debra! Thank you for the wealth of knowledge you are providing. I am trying to create a safe home for my family and your site and book have been of great value.

I want to have the Mexican tile and solid wood floor of my house sanded and polished. Is this a toxic process? I am mostly concerned about the dust particles. I will choose non toxic products for the polish/seal but I don’t know what to do about the dust particles after the sanding.

My wife has MCS and I we small children and pets. What would you recommend? Thank you!

D.K

Debra’s Answer

That amount of dust is a a dust hazard, not necessarily toxic, but a hazard from the amount of particles in the air.

I’m assuming you are going to have the sanding done by a professional. I’ve never had my floors sanded, but I imagine they should have some method of controlling the dust they are creating. That would be a question I would ask before agreeing to have them do the work.

There should be no residual dust from the job, but I would give the house and every surface a good vacuuming after the sanding is done. They should do that anyway, because they don’t want to have any excess dust around when they are applying the new finish.

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Question from Margaret

I recently bought a new portable washing machine by Haier that has a polypropylene tub. It has an EXTREMELY strong new odor. Over the past 2 weeks I have tried various things trying to remove the smell: Using a 500 W Halogen Construction Lamp to speed up the outgassing (for about 25+ hours), also, applying a baking soda paste and spraying with vinegar, then running the washer with a few cups each of vinegar and baking soda, etc. Do you think these measures will work in time? Or do you have any other ideas for how to speed up the process? Other products to suggest maybe? Many, Many Thanks! Margaret

Debra’s Answer

Hmmmm…polypropylene doesn’t usually have much of an odor, so I’m not sure what you are smelling.

Readers, any suggestions?

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Question from Bonnie

Centipedes are invading my older home. What can I use? They seem to be multipling every year. Three years ago when I inherited the home I saw several. We were doing some remodeling so we figured they just left after that. No so. Last year quite a few and they are coming up stairs. Ick, Ick, Ick. Someone said spray the basement but with what? It is such an old home there is no way to caulk every spot they might come in. I need help. I killed one in my bedroom last night.

Debra’s Answer

Well, first keep in mind that centipedes are a highly beneficial insect, eating lots of fleas, ants, flies, silverfish, roaches, ticks and other pests. One site I was researching on said, “Forget about using insecticides against them, they ARE insecticides! Get rid of your centipedes and you will almost certainly increase the number of TRUE indoor pests in your home.”

If you don’t want them in the house, just catching them by putting a drinking glass on top and slide a 3×5 card underneath, so you can pick it up and take it out to the garden, where it really belongs. Centipedes can live as long as five or ten years—eating pests all the while.

If you must kill them, use diatomaceous earth, an abrasive powder made from the fossils of diatoms (tiny sea creatures). It works by cutting open the exoskeleton of crawling insects. With their exoskeletons damaged, the bugs dehydrate and die, usually within 48 hours. It works on slugs, earwigs, millipedes, centipedes, silverfish, cockroaches and ants. You can use it safely both indoors and outdoors. Just sprinkle the powder where pests are likely to crawl, live, or hide.

But if you can appreciate the the benefit of their presence in your ecosystem, and simply take them back to their home when they stray into yours, that is the best option.

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Question from Debbie

Has anyone used Mastic Low to High Velocity Air Duct Sealant by RCD Corp to seal air ducts in attic? The MSDS says it has a pleasant odor and is not a hazardous chemical as defined by OSHA.

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from Murray

Hi Debra.

Can pesticide vapor move across/through drywall between units in a conjoined block of units? How? (I guess obviously via cracks, pipes, etc.?). However, what about moving across the porous gypsum component of the drywall product? Everything I’ve found strongly suggests that this can occur.

This opens up a big can of worms re poisoning from insecticide “bombs” and repeated domestic pesticide sprayings, does it not? I’d like to use your answer in a major Essay I’m writing as we speak, if that’s OK?

Kind regards, Murray Thompson

Debra’s Answer

This is a question I can’t give an absolute answer for because all buildings are different.

Yes, if there were cracks, pipes, electric outlets, etc that had a direct connection between the two units, pesticides and other toxics could certainly find their way from unit to unit. However, I’m not sure what the likelihood is of those spaces being there between units. I would think that buildings would be constructed to be individually sealed.

That said, I believe that buildings can have air exchange between units through the ventilation system. But again, may or may not. This needs to be checked on an individual basis.

Now, as to your question about pesticides or other volatile chemicals can get through drywall, the answer appears to be no.

On the GreenBuildingAdvisor.com website it says:

What have you seen that suggests there can be air movement through drywall? Yes, it is porous in that water can move through it so theoretically air could move through it too, but as indicated above, it is considered an air barrier in building circles.

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Question from deniseo

I have made my house as wireless as possible to avoid EMF exposure. I am looking for information about using Ipod’s and ereaders. Can wi-fi be disabled in these devices and is that adequate to eliminate exposure. I don’t have the ability to purchase and then measure with a meter. Any comments and thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know enough about how these devices work to answer this question.

Readers, any thoughts?

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That’s the conclusion of John Seffrin, chief executive of the American Cancer Society.

Smoking kills more than half of all smokers, mostly from cancer.

Smoking will be the biggest public health disaster in the history of the world.

Smoking is still the most important cause of cancer… If you smoke a few cigarettes a day, it will be the most dangerous thing you do.

The Independent: Smoking will ‘kill up to a billion people worldwide this century’

In another story about smoking, experts say that the harm caused by smoking can be passed down from generation to generation, with a smoker’s grandchildren also likely to be affected. What happens is that smoking during pregnancy can “switch on” bad genes, which are then passed on.

Daily Mail Online: Women who smoke during pregnancy could put their future grandchildren at risk by switching on faulty genes

Cigarette smoke is one of our most toxic exposures. If you smoke, quit. Avoid second-hand smoke.

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Question from Lana

What is your stance on California’s Proposition 37, The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act? Do you agree that GMO’s should be clearly labeled on food product packages?

http://www.carighttoknow.org

Thank you!

Debra’s Answer

Of course I agree that GMOs should be clearly labeled on food product packages.

But I think this isn’t enough. GMOs should be banned altogether, as should industrially processed food. The ONLY food that should be sold is fresh organic whole unprocessed foods, to be minimally prepared at home.

I also think that toxic chemicals in products should be clearly labeled on product packaging of all kinds, and better, yet, they shouldn’t be in products at all.

If I lived in California, I would vote in favor of labeling. So all of you reading this who live in California, please go vote for me.

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