Question from PT

I want to have cushion encasements made for my sofa out of organic cotton barrier cloth. Do you know if this will be effective to keep the toxic chemicals from escaping, ie., flame retardants? Is there a specific pore size or would all cotton barrier fabric be effective? Also, I want to encase my memory foam mattress in the Magnolia organic cotton barrier mattress cover, www.magnoliaorganics.com. Would this also be effective to keep toxins from escaping? I was originally going to use polyethelene sheeting but was not sure how this would work since cushions & matresses need air to circulate in and out of the cushions when someone sits down & gets up. I would much prefer the fabric if it would work.

Thank you,

PT

Debra’s Answer

This is a very good question!

Barrier cloth has been around for years and has been used by many people with MCS to “block chemical fumes.”

I personally, however, have been reluctant to recommend it for this purpose because it didn’t seem to me to really be a barrier.

Barrier cloth is a tightly woven fabric that has very small spaces between the threads. The spaces between the threads vary from 4-6 microns depending on the thickness of the threads and how tightly they are pulled together. The thread count is generally 240 threads per inch or more, but it’s not the thread count that is important, it’s the micron size of the space between them.

A “micron” is an abbreviated term for “micrometer”, or a millionth of a meter (1/1,000,000 meters). This is about .00004 inches. Typically dust is in the range of 3-100 microns, so that would easily be blocked by barrier cloth, but pesticides at 0.001 microns would go right through.

To thoroughly answer your question, I called www.janices.com, who has been selling barrier cloth to people with MCS for more than 20 years. And I asked “What do you say about your barrier cloth to make an accurate statement about it’s ability to block toxic chemicals?”

Question from Holistic Spa

A product line is going to be used at the spa I will be working for and I have grave concerns regarding it, even though the line is touted to be safe, green and so forth.

Many of the products have 100% essential oils, but several in key products are a combination of essential oils and “skin safe fragrance oils”

As a trained aromatherapist, I was taught that anything you combine with essential oils needs to be very pure as the essential oils penetrate into the body when applied and carry the carrier oils (or other ingredients) into the body as well.

My understanding is that there are no “skin safe fragrance oils” since as fragrances they are not regulated as to purity nor of a natural source.

I will be working with these products on a daily basis, have MCS and don’t want to become ill, nor contribute to the illness of others.

Do you feel my concerns are valid?

Debra’s Answer

Yes, I feel your concerns are valid.

“Skin safe fragrance oils” are apparently fragrance oils that can be applied to the skin undiluted (many cannot).

“Fragrance oils” are aromatic chemicals in highly concentrated form. I got this off a website that sells fragrance oils. They say we can order MSDS sheets from Customer Service, like any other toxic chemical.

I see there are a couple of organizations whose purpose is to “ensure the safety of fragrance materials”: the International Fragrance Association and Research Institute for Fragrance Materials ( the most comprehensive, worldwide source of toxicology data, literature and general information on fragrance and flavor raw materials.)

So from your description, I would think that they are using real plant-based essential oils mixed with various petrochemical fragrance oils. And since essential oils penetrate into the body when applied, I would think they would carry the petrochemical fragrance oils along with them.

I would use different products.

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Question from Erika

I am planning to install all natural wool carpet in our bedrooms but I’m unsure of the carpet pad choices to go with.

I’m considering a frothed polyurethane cushion such as Healthier Choice. I like the springiness, low VOCs and no Penta Bromide additive, B.H.T., or 4-P.C. but does contain an antimicrobial which I’m unsure about.

Then there’s sponge rubber by Sponge Cushion Inc.

Alternatively and most cost effective, there’s synthetic felted pads consisting of either post-consumer or industrial (carpet manufacturing) recycled content. I’m wary of possible VOC or dust concerns and although fire retardants are not added, I wonder about possible residual fire retardants in the blend (http://www.shawhospitalitygroup.com/downloads/EcoFiber-TouchOverview.pdf or ).

I have not been able to source any other natural cotton or felt pads. I know there’s always wool padding but it’s the most pricey (I’m already spending a fortune on the carpet) and I do have some fears about moths possibly settling down into the pad. Your thoughts on this are much appreciated!

Debra’s Answer

This is part of why I don’t recommend carpets at all, and haven’t had a carpet for more than thirty years.

This is more than I can evaluate in a blog question, but if you would like to call me for a consultation , we can look at each of these products together and I can help you evaluate which one best meets your needs.

Readers, any suggestions for carpet pads?

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Question from Orsoly

Hi Debra, Is Nitrocellulose finish safe on wooden playpens? Thank you!

Debra’s Answer

Nitrocellulose lacquer is aquick-drying solvent-based lacquer that contains nitrocellulose, a resin obtained from the nitration of cotton and other cellulostic materials. These lacquers are used on wooden products, primarily furniture, and on musical instruments and other objects. The nitrocellulose and other resins and plasticizers are dissolved in the solvent, and each coat of lacquer dissolves some of the previous coat. Nitrocellulose lacquers produce a hard yet flexible, durable finish that can be polished to a high sheen. The downside of these lacquers is the hazardous nature of the solvent, which is flammable and toxic, and the hazards of nitrocellulose in the manufacturing process. Lacquer grade of soluble nitrocellulose is closely related to the more highly nitrated form which is used to make explosives. Nitrocellulose lacquer becomes relatively non-toxic after approximately a month since at this point, the lacquer has evaporated most of the solvents used in its production.

I can tell you that I have owned and played various instruments with nitrocellulose finish and it was not a problem once dried.

Some solvents I found on MSDS include methylbenzene, methyl isobutyl ketone, ethylene glycol monometyl ether, mutyl acetat, butyl benzyl phthalate, toluene, xylene, methyl alcohol, ethyl acetate…just many toxic chemicals, but they all are very volatile and evaporate, leaving a hard nontoxic finish.

Question from Patti

Hi, I bought many cardboard storage boxes, the decorated kind you get at Home Goods, TJ Maxx, etc. to store photos and things like that. I’ll use them in my bedroom and they don’t smell when closed, but they smell terrible opened up. They told me it was the glue that they put the boxes together with.I’d thought it was pesticides. I love the boxes, I need the boxes very much. Is this possible to air this out and get rid of the smell or toxicity, or do I have to return them? I do have MCS. Thanks!!! Patti!

Debra’s Answer

Yes, you can air this out. I use these boxes too, but before I do, I take them outside, open them up, and give them a good airing in the sun. For a day or two. Until I can’t smell them any more.

I think what we are smelling is the glue.

Question from Lana

Dear Debra, I came across this line of baking pans made in the US called USA Pan. It says it has natural silicone non-stick coating, PTFE and PFOA free. Would this be a good choice since silicone is considered safe so far. Bed Bath and Beyond caries this line.

Thank you so much.

Lana

Debra’s Answer

I called USA Pan and all they would tell me was what you said. I asked if it was 100% silicone and the woman said she believed they were (she wasn’t in customer service). I asked if it was like a silicone baking mat and she said yes.

These sound interesting. I’m going to go to Bed Bath & Beyond and take a look at them.

Has anyone tried these? Apparently they have been around for a while because the woman who answered the phone has been using them for years and loves them. She is constantly giving them as gifts. I know I would love a muffin pan with a silicone finish.

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Question from Anne

Dear Debra and readers!

Recently a friend sent me information of “yumdrops” water flavoring drops that are supposed to be natural. They look wonderful, but if you dig hard enough to check the ingredients, they containpropylene glycol. How safe is this for those of us with MCS and candida? The site advertising it implies the drops are “natural” but this ingredient is both a degreaser and anti-freeze, food-safe or no! I can’t find anything that addresses it as a food ingredient (except in fortified milk). Is it likely to be a problem?

Debra’s Answer

You’re right, propylene glycol is both a degreaser and anti-freeze, so what’s it doing in a “natural” product?

Well, here’s an interesting piece from Tom’s of Maine about propylene glycol as a “natural” ingredient: Tom’s of Maine: Propylene glycol

It says “Propylene glycol is a derivative of natural gas. It is commonly used in a variety of consumer products and food products, including deodorants, pharmaceuticals, moisturizing lotions, and fat-free ice cream and sour cream products.”

OK. Since when is an ingredient derived from natural gas a natural ingredient. Natural gas is a fossil fuel. It is a mixture of gases that formed from the fossil remains of ancient plants and animals buried deep in the earth (the same stuff crude oil and petroleum and gasoline is made from). To say that a manmade ingredient made from natural gas is natural is like saying a manmade ingredient made from crude oil is natural.

Since the beginning of natural products, a natural product is one made from plants, animals, and minerals, not fossil fuels. There is no legal definition for this, but it’s been the standard practice. Apparently no more.

They go on to say “Propylene glycol is considered a safe and appropriate ingredient not just for cosmetic products, but also for ingested products like food and pharmaceuticals. It is on the US Food and Drug Administration’s list of ingredients which are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) and is recognized by the World Health Organization as safe for use.” And then they address the antifreeze argument.

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Question from Irina

Hello Debra, I am worried about my baby’s changing pad. It’s a Cooshee pad made from closed-cell PVC foam, manufacturer claims it is free of phthalates and lead. I’ve had mine for about a year. Thank you in advance! Irina

Debra’s Answer

It may be free from phthalates and lead but it still is PVC.

You can get an organic cotton changing pad from Naturepedic.

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