Question from jojomamma

Thank you so much for all your time and energy you give! You have been such a help to me!

I am in search of toy storage and a bed frame for my boy. Being on a budget, I have looked at used furniture, but have had no luck yet.

My question is: If a piece does not smell bad, should that give me the green light to bring it in my home? Does that mean it has “offgassed” & is old enough to now be safe?

I wish I could just go to Ikea or Target & convieniently pick something up! It seems that everything “safe” is so expensive.

Debra’s Answer

If you don’t smell anything, it’s probably fine.

If you get it home and discover it has an odor, put it outdoors in the sun for a few days.

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Question from kohalaart

Aloha.

My husband didn’t believe me in my reasoning to buy an organic mattress & bought a sweda which is mainly memory foam.

My 1st question- is there a inexpensive way to cover the mattress so it dosn’t affect me? I put an old feather comforter on top of it, then organic sheets & a organic duvet and it helped a bit last night. Would getting used old wool blankets or a heavier down comforter be the answer or is there a cheap place for organic wool &/or mattress covers?

The second question is regarding how to treat the house. The previous owner loved glade plug-ins, & room perfumes, I got feeling very ill when I walked in (my husband bought the house w/out me) I’ve used baking soda on the carpets, vacumed the next day, had them cleaned by a “green” co. but they are synthetic and I think are still affecting me.

I don’t know if the toxins from the perfumes are in the wall paint too? We have lived here for 3 wks. and in that time my chemical sensitivities are now really bad, I feel pain in my chest, palpetations, shortness of breath. We are getting Cali-bamoo flooring in the downstairs, but even the non toxic flooring seems to be setting me off? There is also a tv cabinet we bought which is laminated wood, being in the same room sets me off…any ideas on how to get it to outgas faster? I have it in a room w/ an ozone generator now. I know it’s a long list of “problems” I really want to get better fast along with the house.

Debra’s Answer

First, your mattress. Just putting regular cloth on your mattress won’t block chemicals because they are very fine vapors that go between the threads. There is a cotton fabric called “barrier cloth” that is very tightly woven. You can get them from American Environmental Health Foundation. I have never used one, and I don’t recommend them as a substitute for a natural mattress, but they may help. They also do not surround the entire mattress (bottom is open, as with a regular mattress pad).

A sheet of polyethylene plastic would be more effective, in my opinion, and less expensive. Be sure to wrap the entire mattress and tape it closed.

For your house, you probably need a bake-out. Remove all people, pets and plants from your house, close all windows and doors, and turn up the heat as high as it will go. Let is bake for 24 hours. Then air the house out, close it up again and see how you feel. Repeat the process until you feel well in the house.

And your husband needs to get with the program. You need his cooperation.

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Question from Pram

I am wondering what “stuff” is in cardboard boxes; I did a site search but could not find out much; also I could not access all the questions in any topic, maybe I’ll learn!

I have a food pantry in an outbuilding where I store bulk food and my jars of home canned food. There were many flattened stored brown paper bags and many cardboard boxes as many jars were stored in them. Now that it’s gotten warm, the smell in there is so horrible – a sicky sweet noxious smell that I can taste – overwhelmed me so much that I spent quite some time in there removing every box and bag (there are still a few I need to get rid of). It took my a while because it meant taking out jars and putting directly on the shelves, so I was in there at least a half an hour.

That was about 3 days ago and ever since then I have felt nausea, increased ringing in hears, a bit of dizziness, exhaustion, and a bit of impaired breathing. I am chemically sensitive ever since a heavy oversdose of pesticide about 16 years ago (not my choice, a neighbor’s action).

So now I am trying to figure out what is in cardboard boxes, or could it be something that was sprayed on some of them. Any info appreciated. I am now looking around my house for any cardboard boxes or paper bags so I can get rid of them.

Debra’s Answer

The answer is at HOW PRODUCTS ARE MADE: Corrugated Cardboard.

This is a pretty interesting site:

When you are wanting to know how any product is manufactured, this is site is a good place to start.

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Question from anneh

We are on a well and due to its low ph we have to add a conditoner to it (calcium). I thought to be safe I better buy bottled water and have been purchasing bottled water that comes in blue plastic 3Gallon jugs. Now I see the #7 on the jugs and research tells me its not a good thing. I found what looks like a good option by Santevia, you put your water through their filter system but their plastic jug is #5 which is supposedly safe. Any idea which way to go? Thanks anneh

Debra’s Answer

If these are your two choices, I would go with the bottle labeled #5, as that is low-toxicity polypropylene. #7 is polycarbonate, which contains BPA unless labeled “BPA-free.”

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Question from happyarlenee2005

I have a renter who smokes (outside) and do not want him to wash his clothes in my washer, it leaves a smell afterwards. Is there a way that something natural could take care of this so I could allow him to wash clothes in my washer? Also help for dryer please.

Debra’s Answer

Don’t know the answer to this one. Readers?

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Question from kerinreed

I have now switched all my old plastic water bottles for metal, etc. but this makes me wonder about all my plastic storage containers. I use Tupperware, Rubbermaid, Glad, and anything I can find with a lid to store my leftovers, pack a lunch, freeze short-term. I also keep my empty plastics on a shelf in my garage when they are not in use. I can’t think any of this is safe when it is not safe to freeze or heat a water bottle. What cn be used for storage and transportation of food?

Debra’s Answer

Different types of plastic containers are made from different plastics. And these plastics are different from the plastic used to make plastic water bottles.

Personally, I use a lot of glass. I also use those Glad containers. They are made from polypropylene plastic, which has minimal toxicity. I never put hot food in them, only cold. But I prefer glass.

If you are nervous about transporting glass, tie cotton bandanas around the jars or bottles. This cushions the glass and helps to keep it from breaking.

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Question from TerryAnn

Hello Debra

Having a heck of a time trying to find pureed pumpkin that is not in cans, and completely unable to locate real pumpkins during most parts of the year, to make my own puree. Any suggestions? It seems pureed pumpkin in jars is simply not made. I have been using an organic brand, but it comes in a can and worry about BPA.

By the way, when you make your own puree, how do you go about it?

Thank you.

Terry

Debra’s Answer

I’ve never seen pureed pumpkin sold in glass jars.

Fresh pumpkins are a seasonal food, you would not be able to find it most of the year.

During October and November, when pumpkins are plentiful, you can make all the pumpkin puree you want and can (in glass jars) it or freeze it for use throughout the year. However, I would encourage you to enjoy it seasonally, in tune with when nature produces it.

To make pumpkin puree, use smaller “pie” pumpkins, rather than the larger pumpkins that are more suitable for jack-o-lanterns. Do not make a jack-o-lantern and then cook the pumpkin for pie.

Cut a whole pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds. I use a soup spoon for this. The seeds are held in with some stringy stuff, you need to scrape out all the strings and seeds. Wash the strings from the seeds and save the seeds for roasting. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast them until golden brown. My husband and I like to eat them hot with butter and natural salt.

Take your pumpkin halves and place them cut side down in a large baking dish. Add 1/2″ of water to pan to help keep the pumpkin flesh moist. Bake at 450º until you can pierce the skin with a fork (about 45 minutes to an hour).

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Question from Annette Tweedel

Hi Debra, Last year in May we bought a Haier air conditoiner for our daughter’s room, Model #ESA3109-L. My husband ran it out on the porch for a few days only during the day to get the smell out of it. And after a few days of doing that it was fine.

This year we bought a Haier air conditioner, Model #ESA410J-L, for our den. Well, my husband has been running it out on the porch for almost a week now. But, last Monday evening he put the air conditoiner in the window and ran it, but in a matter of a few minutes my tongue starting feeling funny. My tongue turned out feeling raw from running the air conditioner.

So my husband had to end up taking the air conditoner out of the window and it is still running out on the porch. I tried checking on the internet to see what might be on the inside of the air conditioner as to why it effects me, but I am not sure of what to look for. This is aggravating, because it is hot.

Is there a way I can find out what is on the inside of the air conditoiner?And if so, how do I go about it? What do I look for? Thank you so much for your help!

Debra’s Answer

There may be plastics in the air conditioner you are reacting to, or other chemicals. Contact the manufacturer and ask what materials are used in this particular model.

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