Question from ME

I need to replace the caulk around my bathroom and kitchen sinks and am trying to find the least toxic choice. Any experience with or thoughts about AFM Safecoat caulking compound?

www.afmsafecoat.com/downloads/
xvjtbc7130%20Caulking%20Compund%20msds.pdf

Debra’s Answer

I personally have no experience with this product. Readers?

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Question from Ms. S.

I am looking for green cleaning products for my preschool. After hours and days of research, I think I’m more confused than ever. Do you have any recommendations of green commercial products. I am leaning toward a product called HydrOxiPro? I found it on a website called www.cleaningPro.com. I originally thought that as long as I choose a green seal product I would be good, but from what I have read there are different degrees of green. I was sorta suprised that some green seal approvd products have Petrochemicals(If I understand correctly, watered down is O.K.?). I just want to provide the best environment for my students, and want to make the best informed choice. Any advice would be great. 🙂

Thanks

Debra’s Answer

You bring up several important points here.

First, there are several commercial cleaning product lines on the Cleaning page of Debra’s List.

Yes, there are different degrees of green. So if you are choosing a product that is certified to meet a standard, you need to know what that standard is. As you found out, not all “green” standards are natural.

I coudn’t find HydrOxiPro on the website URL you gave, so I can’t comment on it.

Readers, do you have experience with cleaning products in this setting?

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Question from RN

I only dress my baby in 100% cotton clothing, and can’t afford organic cotton. I’ve read on your website that cotton clothing can be considered as safe as organic clothing as far as pesticides go. However, I’m concerned about this year’s news that children’s clothing imported from China had many times the safe levels of formaldehyde. Can I assume that the formaldehyde was used on non-cotton clothing or poly/cotton blends only, and that all 100% cotton clothes are safe?

Thank you. I love your site!

Debra’s Answer

As far as I can determine, anything coming from China could be a wild card in terms of what is in it, unless you can contact the manufacturer and find out how careful they are about manufacturing. I think I should say that there seem to be wild variables about what you might get from China, but don’t assume everything from China is bad.

Regarding formaldehyde, the standard practice is that formaldehyde is used on cotton if it is permanent press, and on all polyester/cotton woven fabrics. They may add formaldehyde on 100% cotton for some reason unbeknownst to me, but if it is not a permanent press resin finish, it should wash right out as it is very volatile.

I read an article on this at WorldNetDaily: Poison PJs from China, but it didn’t mention if the garments were permanent press or not. It sounded like garments labeled “100% cotton” were found to be contaminated.

I would be wary of products from China unless you can contact the manufacturer and find out about their safety. I don’t want to make assumptions about all products manufactured in China based on bad practices of a few.

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Question from Ethel

I’ve read your blogs on Organic Clothing and am still a little confused.

I am looking into baby clothing and accessories.I am seeing plenty of items made in China labeled organic in Toys-r-Us and TJ-Maxx. Are these trustworthy although they were made in China? I don’t see any certification on the items.

Also just to be clear buying 100% cotton and washing the items a few times is a safe second correct?

I’d like mention I appreciate all the advice I receive from you and all your readers!

Thanks Everyone!

I am wondering if you recommend organic clothing for infants/toddlers. I do buy my children mostly organic clothing, or at least try to dress them in 100% cotton. I shop at Hanna Andersson, although a lot of their clothing is not organic and is made in China. How important is organic clothing for children? What about adults?

I was looking for organic dancewear (I coudn’t find much of that) and I stumbled onto this:

www.faeriesdance.com

I would really appreciate your input about the place.

Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

Again, non-organic cotton fabric has been lab tested in Germany and found not to contain pesticide residues. Still it is best to choose organic cotton when it is available and you can afford it because growing non-organic cotton puts pesticides into the environment, where we are exposed to them.

If a non-organic cotton item does not have a permanent press finish, you can wash it a few times and any temporary sizing finishes will come out.

Anything labeled “organic” should have a certification indicated on the label.

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Question from L.A.

My shower head has soft rubbery plastic where the water comes out. I don’t know the correct terms, but it’s the face of the shower head including the little holes where the jets of water come out.

I use a good shower filter but wonder whether the water could be picking up any chemicals from the shower head’s plastic after going through the filter.

I like this shower head but would it be safer to replace it with a chromed brass one?

Debra’s Answer

I’m not worried about this. The water is moving by so fast that any amount of plastic that would get into it would be negligible.

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Question from L.A.

All the natural beds and sofas sound wonderful, but all contain things that would be a problem for me. I have never noticed having a reaction of any type to synthetics like foam or polyester etc., but I’m trying to reduce toxic chemicals in my environment.

Wool makes me very itchy so I avoid it, and even if covered and not in contact with my skin, my area is prone to little bugs that gravitate to wool and silk (my building sprays – unfortunately – but even that doesn’t stop those little critters, and the thought of lots of bugs crawling in my bed is too unpleasant). I have developed a latex allergy. I have had bad reactions after eating soy for a very long time, and even reading newspaper made with soy inks seems to make my eyes burn badly, even though most fumes don’t bother me, so I’m leery of natural foams containing soy. I think I get skin reactions to organic cotton, though I’m fine with most smooth or flannel cottons as long as they don’t have stiff, itchy sizings.

I sleep on a 100% cotton futon (probably has fire retardant – I bought it used so don’t know), but it developed deep indentations where my body is so due to chronic back problems I have to put a (polyester fill) pillow lengthwise under my back, which defeats my trying to avoid breathing chemicals.

I don’t have a sofa and need one. Someone offered me a nice one that’s about ten years old or so and has hardly been used, but it contains urethane and I’m trying to keep chemicals out of my environement.

I am allergic to almost everything natural, unfortunately. Countless food allergies, and lifelong severe pollen allergies to trees, flowers, etc. Am I doomed to using synthetics, and if that’s the best option can I seal them off so I don’t poison myself with chemicals even though I don’t have any reactions while using them that I’m aware of? With a bad back (I’ve managed to avoid surgery on both back of neck and lower back), I really need to sit and lie on soft materials.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

I understand your dilemma. It’s important to keep in mind the difference between a reaction and a toxic exposure. Toxic exposures cause damage to the body, reactions are unpleasant, but the material isn’t toxic and is not damaging the body. In the long run it is better to be around nontoxic materials even if they cause reactions, as eventually your body will heal. You need to make your own decision. I know it’s a difficult one.

Debra’s Answer

I understand your dilemma. It’s important to keep in mind the difference between a reaction and a toxic exposure. Toxic exposures cause damage to the body, reactions are unpleasant, but the material isn’t toxic and is not damaging the body. In the long run it is better to be around nontoxic materials even if they cause reactions, as eventually your body will heal. You need to make your own decision. I know it’s a difficult one.

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Question from Marie

Here’s a wierd one. Has anyone had the problem of new clothes getting holes in them with Dr. Bronner’s soap?? We were using it (only a capful per load) for months and every so often a hole or two, up to dime size, appeared in a shirt or pants. I have a large stack of items waiting for repair! Many are unusable (ex: a hole right in front of a solid dress shirt). It could be that many are from a discount store (poorer quality?, but includes defective/unsold name brands). No rough places in washer/dryer or on clothes. We’ve tried to think of every possibility. It’s my mom’s washer and all her items are fine (she uses different soap).

I’ve switched soaps, bought new clothes, and haven’t had a problem.

Though I occasionally use a mixture of half Dr. Bronner’s and half water for stain removal (it is the best – even on dried blood!) These treated items have not gotten holes.

Debra’s Answer

I haven’t heard of this before.

Readers?

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Question from Mary

Hi Debra,

We recently purchased a video monitor for our baby. I really didn’t think much of it until my husband said that it emits infrared light shined on our baby so that it can see in dark/low light conditions. Is there any danger/risk to infrared light on our baby?

Debra’s Answer

Actually, infrared light has health BENEFITS. Search on “infrared light health effects” to find articles on this subject.

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Question from Sadie

I use my dishwasher about once a week with natural products to clean, but not a rinse aid. The Ecover dishsoap tablets I recently bought recommend using one. I was wondering if I can use vinegar or if it would damage it. Any suggestions? I see Ecover makes one.

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have any personal experience with this, as I don’t have a dishwasher (actually, I do..his name is Larry).

Readers?

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Question from YH

How do you know if a textile is permanent press or rayon? They seem similar to me. Does rayon emit formaldehyde?

Debra’s Answer

Permanent press is a finish and rayon is a fabric.

Rayon is made from natural cellulose and chemicals. It usually doesn’t have a formaldehyde finish. It is noted on the fabric content tag sewn into the garment.

That a fabric has a permanent press finish is usually stated on the label of cotton fabrics. However, all polyester/cotton blend fabrics have this finish and it is not on the label.

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