Question from Tanya

I am using a Canon MX870 inkjet printer and I seem to be reacting to the ink . According to the MSDS the ingredients are:

Glycerin

Glycol

Water

Heterocyclic compound

Lacatam

Debra’s Answer

Glycol can mean many things.

If you are having a problem using an inkjet printer, use an air filter or add ventilation or put the printer in a closet or other room, if you really need to print.

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Question from Violet56

Can bedbugs live in a second hand computer screen? My son works for the city. He would like to replace our ancient computer screen, with a more recent model (used/second hand one). He is able to bring home, to recycle, a nicer computer screen – as each day the city picks up items (furniture, computers, etc.), which are discarded, by the citizens of this suburb, and they are then picked up by recycling companies. He has seen perfectly good computer screens. I am paranoid that there may be bedbugs in the computer screen!!! Is this possible? Thank you!!

Debra’s Answer

I did a bit of searching, but couldn’t find anything specific about computer screens. There have been cautions about bedbugs in laptop computers. Also apparently you can kill bedbugs by heating the item to 120 degrees.

If it’s really important to you to have this computer screen, you could put it in a plastic bag for a few days before bringing it in your house and see if any bedbugs emerge.

I’m not a bedbug expert, but that makes sense to me.

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Question from Gigi

I am hoping that I can find Non-toxic wooden Floor Vents, Light switches and electrical outlets that are prefinished Brazilian Cherry and hopefully not too expensive.

Otherwise, we need non-toxic non-treated unfinished wood products that we can stain and finish ourselves.

Anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from Gigi

I need two sets of basesboards.

One set will need to be painted white and the other set will need to be stained and finished to look like Brazilian Cherry.

We have been successful so in finding wood products that are formaldehyde-free wood and we hope that we can do the same for baseboards

We found some wood baseboards at Lowes and Home Depot that are pre-primed. Is anyone familiar with them and would they recommend using them?

Also can anyone recommend a place to get non-treated baseboards that we could stain and finish ourselves without having to break the bank?

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from guspvt

Hi Debra!

I bought a nebulizer for my son and the cups that I have to put the sodium chloride solution in are made of “non-toxic PVC” (as stated in the box). Is there any type of “non-toxic” PVC? Is this statement for real? For me all types of PVC (if there’s more than one) are toxic! Also, the hose that conects the equipment to to part that goes to the nose is also made of plastic (but I don’t know what type, as it doesn’t say on the box) and it smells a lot like plastic. Am I safe with that nebulizer? Do you know any nebulizer that is safe (or at least PVC free)?

Thanks!

Gustavo

Debra’s Answer

I’ve never heard of a “nontoxic PVC.”

If it smells a lot like plastic, it’s offgassing plastic.

I wouldn’t use this to create a mist that will be inhaled.

Readers, anyone know of a safe nebulizer?

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Question from HEG

We just had the internet provider come to reroute our internet cables away from our bed, and as a result they installed a new cable around the far side of the room to connect the cable connection to the modem (to avoid needing a wireless modem). The cable smells fairly strongly of plastic – most likely PVC. Anyone know how long it will offgas/smell for, and if there is anything we can do, other than running our air purifier in the room?

Debra’s Answer

Don’t know myself. Readers?

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Question from LINDAANN

I would like to try and roll my own beeswax candles, and i was wondering if you could recommend an online shop to purchase 100% pure beeswax sheets. There are a few sites that sell these sheets, but how can i know if they are really pure beeswax. Any help or advise as to what to look for would be great. Thanks

Debra’s Answer

I have a whole page of links to websites that sell beeswax candles at Debra’s List: Interior Decorating: Candles. I haven’t gotten around to bringing that page to the new server yet, so some of these sites may no longer be there, but all of them are for actual beekeepers who make and sell their candles. Some of them sell beeswax sheets. That would be the most reliable way, to be able to get the sheets directly from a beekeeper, but having purchased many sheets and rolled many beeswax candles, I have no reason to believe they are not 100% beeswax as stated on the label.

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Question from Mary Marston

I bought an office chair online. When I unpacked it I discovered the seat and back are memory foam. The man said it would have an odor but it would disappear in a few hours. It has been a week. It doesn’t smell as strong as it did, so I am making progress.

I haven’t decided whether to keep it or pack it up and return in. Since it is not large like a bed and I will not be sleeping on it it seems possible that I could keep it. However, it would eventuallly be in the living room, and this is a small apartment, so if the fumes are toxic, I will get a lot of exposure.

How many months might it take before it is safe to be around? Once the odor is gone, does that mean it is safe? I can store it until then in a spare room, although it will be an inconvenience. Or shall I just bite the bullet and return it?

Debra’s Answer

I would return it.

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