Question from Susan H.

Debra,

Thanks for the great information on your blog!

We are planning to remodel parts of our bathroom, such as using porcelain tile on the floors and inside the shower. We are trying to find out which bathtubs are the least toxic. The old acrylic tub that we’ve had for 15 years looks awful, and I would like to know if cast iron or porcelain on steel are the best bets. Thank you!

Debra’s Answer

Both cast iron and porcelain on steel are fine choices. Just get a new one or make sure one you choose at a salvage yard was made after 1984. Prior to that year, lead was used in the manufacture of these tubs, which can leach into the water and in to our bodies. Those manufactured after 1984 are fine.

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Question from Merilee Eggleston

Here’s a strange question: Any idea why I might react strongly to organic cotton but not to conventional cotton? This is true of all the organic cotton I have tried over the years, from the least expensive to the purest of the pure (SuiteSleep)–clothing, sheets, mattress and pillow covers, you name it. The only conventional cotton I react to is percale sheets; clothing and conventional cotton knit sheets seem fine, as do poly-cotton percale sheets (!).

I’m completely mystified. Ideas?

Debra’s Answer

I’m mystified too. Readers? Any ideas?

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Question from Deanna

Hi!

I was wondering if you, or anyone out there has heard of this or has used it, and if so, what kind of results did you get with it?

I am including the web site where I purchased this (see below) because it has lots of information that seemed in line with all the other info I found on other sites. They all said the same thing: it was a natural product, it kills all kinds of pests, is safe for humans & pets, can even be used as a cleanser for internal parasites in humans.

I purchased the food grade DE & also the DE with pyrethins to use on my dog for fleas. I sprinkled the food grade on all the carpeting in my entire house, working it into the nap & left it there for over a week. I also dusted my dog with the DE with pyrethrins. It is supposed to kill the “pests” by drying them up from the inside.

In theory, this all sounds great, but in all honesty, the fleas on my dog (who, by the way, has never had fleas before) got much worse. After about 3-4 days of his constant scratching & agony, I broke down & purchased the old stand-by poison in the vial that is absorbed into his bloodstream.

The powder is extremely fine & dusty & I spent an entire week cleaning dust off of every surface in my house after this. I believe the part about drying the pests up because it really dried my hands & also my dog’s skin.

Debra’s Answer

I personally used to use DE to control fleas on my cat. It did work for that purpose, without pyrethrins, because, as you said, it dries up the flea bodies.

I no longer use it because someone wrote to me and said the dust caused lung problems in cats. How true that is, I don’t know, but, as you said, it is a very fine powder and that made sense to me.

I’d like to hear the experience and thoughts of others regarding DE. It is a natural, nontoxic product. Readers?

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Question from Robin

debra And All,

I’ve been through all the sites mentioned in the “window coverings” section of Debra’s list, and am still wrestling with this problem.

I want to buy a curtain for a sliding door situated on the bottom level of my house. This room gets very cold in the winter, and I’d like to buy a curtain which will provide some insulation.

www.countrycurtains.com has just such a curtain, but the insulation is in the form of acrylic foam backing on a cotton and polyester curtain. No one in this house has MCS, but I am trying to keep sustainability and toxicity in mind when making new purchases.

I am trying to decide whether to just buy this curtain and lighten the eco-footprint of the house in other ways, or whether to search for another product.

Do you have any product suggestions? This room is not fancy, so design isn’t much of a concern.

Debra’s Answer

When I lived in California, we used to just hang wool blankets over the windows on really cold days.

I wouldn’t use a curtain with an acrylic foam backing personally, but this is one of those trade-off things. It’s not the most toxic material, and it will save energy. Wouldn’t advise it for MCS.

If it were me, I would go in the direction of putting a wool liner or qulited cotton liner in the curtain for insulation, or choosing a very heavy fabric, like a tapestry fabric.

But let’s see what others have done. Readers?

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Question from Amy

I got careless and let the underside of my big expensive cutting board get wet, and stay wet without checking it. Today I found a black mold spot 2″ x 4″. I don’t know what to do. I tried peroxide (one treatment) and ultraviolet lamp (grow-light-one treatment), and sandpaper to remove the spot (no effect). Is there a way to kill the spores and remove the black spot and still be able to use that side for cutting food, or do I have to just kill the spores and give up on that side? Please help.

Debra’s Answer

I’ve never removed a mold spot from a cutting board. Readers, any experience with this?

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Question from D. W.

Hello Debra,

Love your website.

We are about to start building a home, can you recommend a book or resource to try and build it as ‘green friendly’ or non-toxic as possible?

Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

Actually, I can recommend lots of resources. The Building page on Debra’s Bookstore lists many books on green building, and the Directories section of the Building page on Debra’s List has websites that list green building products and how to choose them.

The most consumer-friendly site for green building ideas and a good place to start is GreenHomeGuide.

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Question from Helen

We inherited several old wool blankets that have been stored for many years. They are nice blankets and we would like to use them, but they have a musty smell. Is there a healthy way to have them professionally cleaned? Otherwise, all I can think of is to wash them by hand, a complicated project because of their size. I am grateful for any suggestions.

Debra’s Answer

We actually wash our wool blankets in the washing machine with our regular laundry soap. That may not be the “recommended” way, but that’s what we do. It does make the blankets shrink a bit, but that’s OK with us.

Readers, how do you clean your wool blankets?

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Question from Maureen Anderson

I have been using Talalay Latex pillows for a few months and am considering purchasing a natural latex mattress. I have MCS and worry about developing a latex sensitivity, which can be very serious if one needs surgery. What I find on the internet indicates that it is the protein in natural rubber that is the culprit. Would these pillows and mattresses not be dangerous, especially to someone as sensitive and allergy-prone as I am?

Debra’s Answer

I’m going to let others answer this question. I know a lot of people with MCS sleep on latex mattresses with no problems, but I personally would not. Readers, what advice have you?

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Question from Leah

Is there any type of floor underlayment for wood or cork floors that is low or non-toxic? I have looked at cork underlayment, but it is expensive. Did you use any type of underlayment with your wood floors Debra? Thanks!

Have you had any experience with SOUND SOLUTIONS floor underlayment? We are considering this to go under new hardwood flooring. The packaging does not offer too much information but does say it is safe and is also a vapor barrier. We are concerned about what to put down first and feel that the traditional tar paper leaves a lot to be desired.

Having suffered from environmental illness, we appreciate the work you do frequently refer to your original book even though many things in there are outdated. THANKS!

Debra’s Answer

For those who are not familiar with “underlayment,” it is a material placed under flooring, primarily for sound control and to act as a thermal insulation barrier. I haven’t used it under any of the wood floors I have laid.

Readers, any suggestions?

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Question from Becca

Hello,

There are some soft neoprene lunch boxes that lie flat (making them easy to store) for sale in our neighborhood and I’m not sure about wether they are “safe” or not to use for my children’s school lunch. They are in bright colors and I’m not sure about the dyes used on them. With all of the recent news about toxic lead in lunch boxes I want to make sure my kids lunches are safely stored for school time.

Can I safely use neoprene lunch boxes for my children? Do you know anything about neoprene or what it is? If it’s not safe, then are there other nontoxic options?

I really want to keep my little guys lunch food safe from toxic contamination. Please advise. Thank you so much.

Debra’s Answer

Neoprene was the first mass-produced synthetic rubber, made from petrochemicals. It’s chemical name is Styrene (as in Styrofoam) Butadiene Chloroprane Rubber Blend. It was developed and is manufactured by DuPont. It is used for a wide variety of applications, including wetsuits and hoses. It is considered to be “chemically inert”. The MSDS does list hydrocarbons under “hazardous decomposition products” but says only “not applicable” under health hazards data, so apparently there are no health hazards.

* more on neoprene…

* Neoprene MSDS

Personally, I probably wouldn’t use these lunchboxes for my kids, when there are other options available I know for sure to be safe. There are plain and decorated metal lunchboxes at lunchboxes.com

and see Lunch Bags on Debra’s List for cotton lunch bags.