Question from ptomcik

Hello Debra,

Do you think that if I encased sofa cushions with the same material used to encase mattresses to make them dust mite proof it would prevent the flame retardants from escaping? One website has a cotton material with a pore size of 4.91 microns and a polyester covering with a pore size of 2.8 microns. I’m not sure I understand if it is the actual flame retardent chemical that is liberated from foam and then combines with dust or if it combines with dust in the foam and then is liberated.

Thank you,

PT, Pittsburgh

Debra’s Answer

This is a pretty technical question.

First, there are many different flame retardants used. You would need to find out which flame retardant is on your sofa.

And then you would need to know the particle size of that specific flame retardant (here’s a chart of particle/micron sizes of various common materials: Particle Sizing Chart.

Different flame retardants have different particle sizes. Two I was able to find quickly are Antimony Pentoxide (0.03 microns) and Antimony Trioxide (0.25-3.0 Micron). In searching for these, I found that flame retardants are formulated and sold in various particle sizes–the same flame retardant can be purchased in different particle sizes, so even if you knew the flame retardant, you probably couldn’t find out the particle size.

So let’s say that your sofa has Antimony Trioxide (0.25-3.0 Micron). Your cotton material with a pore size of 4.91 microns and a polyester covering with a pore size of 2.8 microns. That means that there is a “hole” that is 4.91 microns in size, or 2.8 microns. So anything smaller than that pore size would go through, like a 10-inch basketball could go through a 24-inch hoop.

A molecule of 0.25-3.0 Micron could go through the cotton pore of 4.91 no problem, so that wouldn’t be a barrier.

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Question from rebrue

Hello All!

Does anyone have a suggestion for how to truly add highlights (in my case, blonde) to one’s hair in a safe, non-toxic manner? I thought I had found the one, genuinely “organic” hair colorist in my area, but I could tell the other day that she had added some ammonia to the concoction. I am way too sensitive and compromised with my health to tolerate this. And yet I want and need to cover the little grays that are starting to sprout plus the blond highlights do seem to look good.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

Rebecca in sunny CA……

Debra’s Answer

I get my hair highlighted in a salon and there is no odor.

My hairdresser used All-Nutrient Organic Hair Color.

I’ve been very happy with the results.

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Question from RedondoSun

I bought a ‘natural’ crib sized futon and had it shipped for our baby daughter to sleep on. I wasn’t able to obtain a doctor’s note in order to purchase an all organic one, so I just went ahead and ordered the one with a layer of boric acid in it. Once we got it, I wasn’t so sure it was safe. I bought a mattress wrap for it, but it has been sitting in our closet. I opted to just use the spring mattress from our oldest daughter and kept the wrap on that. Sorry to draw this out, but my ultimate question is, Is there a way to ‘wear out’ the boric acid within the futon? Does it dissipate over time or would you recommend I just get rid of it? I have found so much great information on here and refer your site and newsletters to all my friends and family. Thank you for making this wonderful information available to us!

Debra’s Answer

I’m not aware that boric acid wears out over time. If you’re feeling uncertain about using it, just get rid of it.

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Question from Susan NYC

Hello Debra, I’m trying to figure out the best possible hair coloring to use–actually I need to cover gray:) I’m very sensitive to chemicals and have other allergies, as well as sensitive skin. I’m wondering what would be the mildest option for me. I have reddish-brown hair naturally. Thank you for all you do! Susan

Debra’s Answer

Readers, your suggestions?

I haven’t used any of the natural hair dyes, so can’t vouch for their mildness.

I get my hair hightlighted at an organic salon with All-Nutrient Organic Hair Color and I am very happy with the results.

Here are some other posts from this blog about hair color:

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Question from Miemiemuis

I am looking for safe pest control and am considering a product from EcoSMART. Would you be so kind as to look at the MSDS and let me know what you think of the safety of the ingredients in this product:

Thank you!

Debra’s Answer

This product is made with rosemary essential oil as the active ingredient, plus mineral oil and something called “inert essential oils blend”. I’m not exactly sure what “inert essential oils blend” is and couldn’t find a definition anywhere (you should ask them what it is), but it looks like some blend of oils as a carrier oil for essential oils, not a blend of essential oils, because both mineral oil and inert essential oils blend say they compose 10-70 percent of the product. Now the rosemary oil is 10 percent. They don’t say what the other 10 percent is. So I’m missing data. You need to ask them these questions.

Concentrated essential oils, though natural, can have their own health effects. The MSDS says this product can cause skin irritation, eye/nasal irritation, dizziness, headache, or nausea.

This is not an entirely safe product, but it may be a less-toxic solution depending on what you are using it for.

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Question from nontoxicmom

Hi Debra,

I’ve got hardwood floors throughout my house and wanted to know if using Bona hardwood floor cleaner is safe in your opinion?

I’ve had other hardwood floors in other houses where I used vinegar and water and it dries out the wood and causes it to split. Generally hardwood floor nanufacturers don’t recommend using water on wood floors regardless, but I really like clean floors.

How can I get my floors clean safely and effectively?

Thank you!!

Lisa’s Answer (updated September, 2020)

EWG gives it a C+.  I would not recommend it.

Question from thedavisfamily

Hi Debra, Thanks for creating this Q & A. It has been a lifesaver for YEARS!!

I 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. There is a very, very strong chemical odor (at first I thought it was the varnish they used on the steps to match the floors (I had NO idea they’d be doing that, as I just assumed they’d use the same wood as on the floors…came home to find otherwise), but the smell is in every room the floors were laid and glued (three bedrooms and a basement family room).

I have a 3-year-old son, so we stayed at my parents’ for a week to let the floors air out with fans and open windows. It is very humid here (Maryland) and in the 90s every day right now. But it just smells so terrible.

The floor people used DriTech adhesive (he told me it was water based and a greener choice than most.I am stupid for not insisting on something completely safe).

Would the glue still smell a week in, or do you think it is the finish on the floors?

Debra’s Answer

So this is a good lesson, once again, that you need to specify every material and watch what they are doing because most people don’t understand about toxics at all.

My best guess is what you are smelling is the adhesive used to glue the flooring to the floor. Engineered flooring is made up of layers of wood stacked and glued under heat and pressure. The heat helps the glue outgas. I’ve smelled samples of engineered flooring and they just smelled like wood. If the flooring is prefinished, the finish is baked on, so mostly outgassed.

The DriTech adhesive is solvent-free and VOC-free but still made of plastics. It’s “low-odor” so you may be smelling that.

I would suggest ventilating the house as much as possible and running fans in the area.  A good air purifier can also help.

“BPA-Free” is a popular buzzword these days, but a new study shows it’s more hype than help.

Scientists conducted lab tests on more than 20 top-brand baby bottles and more than 450 plastic food and beverage-packages and found virtually all leached chemicals that acted like the hormone estrogen, even though many were free of BPA. These chemicals—called endocrine disruptors—falsely tell the body’s cells that the hormone estrogen is around, potentially causing all sorts of troubling developmental and reproductive consequences.

Baby bottles, plastic bags, plastic wrap, clamshell food containers, stand-up pouches…just about all plastic food and beverage containers were found to contain chemicals that have estrogenic effects.

Researchers bought hundreds of plastic food and beverage containers at Target, Wal-Mart, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and other major retailers. More than 90 percent of the products leached estrogenic chemicals before they were even put through stresses

The paper noted that some of the chemicals that are used to replace BPA have been shown to have even more estrogenic activity than BPA does.

Discovery: Even BPA-Free Plastic Not Always Safe

Environmental Health Perspectives: Most Plastic Products Release Estrogenic Chemicals: A Potential Health Problem That Can Be Solved