Question from HEG

Do you or any of your readers have a rough estimate for how long laminate floors will off-gas and negatively impact indoor air quality? Weeks, months, a year, many years? We have 6-year-old laminate that we only want to replace if it is still negatively affecting our health.

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from karl

Debra,

Do you or any of your readers know about a Reverse Osmosis Filter with a glass tank? I’d like to buy a RO filter but I don’t feel OK with the water that was filtered to be stored in a plastic or stainless steel tank, as I know leaching could (and probably would) occur as the water would be there for a considerable amount of time.

Debra’s Answer

I agree with you, which is one of the reasons why I don’t recommend RO. But don’t know of one with a glass tank.

We all have such good ideas, maybe WE need to design a water filter!

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Question from Violet56

My elderly Whirlpool top loading washing machine was recently checked, as I have noticed some H2O on the floor. The repairman says it is the drain which is blocked, and I need to call a plumber. There is a hose that connects from the washing machine to the metal drain pipe (which has an elbow), where the water from the machine is backing up. I am hoping that before I call a plumber there might be a way for me to try and unclog the drain pipe myself.

I was thinking of a strong and hopefully “green” product to cut through the lint, fabric threads, soap scum and assorted “gunk” that may be collected in the drain pipe over the many years. Can anyone recommend a very strong product that might do the job…?…to replace the “drano” type of products which have been suggested to try – I would be very grateful to hear any experiences and advice, thank you! 🙂

Debra’s Answer

Ah, Home Safe Home to the rescue!

Page 98 recommends a long, flexible metal snake that will push the clog away (that’s what a plumber will use but you can buy them at hardware stores), or a device that creates water pressure with water from your garden hose that will also push the clog away, even if it is far down the pipe.

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Question from wfan66

I dont want to make my own wood furniture cleaner instead I would like to know which products are the best I can buy from any stores like whole foods, amazon,etc CAN IT BE USED ON ANY WOOD SURFACE? thanks alot df

Debra’s Answer

Readers, what products do you recommend?

I personally do have wood furniture, but I don’t ever clean it with anything, I just dust it.

One of the issues about cleaning wood furniture is that wood has many different finishes. The finish on my desk, for example, is Flecto Diamond Finish, a water-based polyurethane finish that dries nontoxic. I can just wipe it with a damp sponge if I need to, but mostly just dust.

Another table has a plant-based finish by Auro, which gets sticky if you put water on it.

So your first question needs to be: what kind of finish does your wood furniture have?

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Question from Annette Tweedel

Hi Debra, Are there any non-toxic typewriter ribbons out there? Because my husband has an old UnderWood typewriter and the ribbon needs replacing. Thank you very much for the help.

Debra’s Answer

It’s been so long since I used a typewriter I don’t know about the current availability of typewriter ribbons. As for toxicity, a ribbon for an old typewriter for an Underwood (I wrote my first book in 1982 on an old Underwood) would be among the most toxic because the ribbon is exposed to air so it needs solvents to keep the ink wet.

Readers, any typewriter ribbon experience?

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Question from Hate the HE washers and detergents-have ruined clothes

The first HE machine I bought had black mold after 6 months and l/3 of my clothes are ruined with that. The company took it back (only because a class-action suit may be in the works). The second one has a rubber-gasket which off-gasses aome kind of chemicals into the water and after two months of trying to get rid of the problem (its antimicrobial), the big box store said they’d take it back. Problem: after a lot of online research over several weeks all teh top loaders seem to be of poor quality. Of course, the HE washers mold, the detergent has oil in it which builds up and meets with the lint=mildew and mold. What I did not expect was an attack from the gasket and I’m worried about any plastic parts at all doing the same thing because companies are using such cheap plastic these days (haven’t you notice the smell?) So, help asap, what machine should I buy?

Debra’s Answer

Readers, what is your experience?

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I saw this article in a health newsletter that arrived in my email inbox. It had some good tips but was not completely toxic-free. So here’s my rewritten nontoxic version.

Summer is about sweating. Sweat is a good thing, it cools your body down on a hot day, to maintain consistent body temperature.

Perspiration itself is practically odorless, made up mostly of water and salt. When it mixes with the bacteria that live on your skin, however it turns into body odor.

Keeping body odor under control starts with following some basic rules of hygiene:

1. Bathe at least once a day – more often if needed. Showering or taking a bath reduces the amount of bacteria on your skin and also washes sweat down the drain.


2. DON’T use an antibacterial soap. Though antibacterial soaps will kill the bacteria that causes body odor, most antibacterial “deodorant” soaps contain triclosan, a pesticide that can cause liver damage when absorbed through your skin. Just plain, unscented soap works well enough. And you don’t even need to apply soap to your entire body–armpits, upper thighs, and feet are the areas that generate most body odor.


3. Dry your body carefully. Pay particular attention to the area between your toes and to armpits, upper thighs and genitals. When your skin is dry, it’s harder for bacteria to breed.


4. Shave your underarms regularly. This will help keep bacteria from building up there.


5. If needed, use a baking soda to reduce underarm odor. Yes, plain baking soda. I have recommended baking soda to a number of people who have suffered for many years with unconquerable body odor, and they say it’s the only thing that has worked for them. Just take a bit of dry baking soda on your fingertips and pat it under your arms after you’ve dried off from your shower. Your skin should be slightly damp, but not wet. If the baking soda feels too abrasive to you, you can mix it with cornstarch or white clay.


6. Wear clothes made with natural fibers. Cotton, linen, silk, and wool all allow your skin breathe.


7. Wash your clothes often — especially clothes that you sweat in. In summer, when you’re more likely to perspire, change your clothes frequently.


8. Keep your feet dry. Wear socks made of moisture-absorbing materials like cotton and wool and change them often. To allow your feet to breathe, choose sandals and shoes made of leather. Better yet, go barefoot when you can.


9. Watch what you eat. Sometimes eating spicy or fatty foods can lead to body odor.

If your body smells really bad continuously, it might be a sign of illness or toxic overload. It makes sense to me that the body in its natural state would smell good, as do other things in nature, and that a bad odor would be a symptom of something wrong with a body. Check with your health professional if bad body odor persists.

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