Question from lori

I would like to purchase a framed cork board for students room. Can anyone tell me which are non toxic and don’t smell. They all seem to be made in china.

Debra’s Answer

I have a couple that I purchased at Stapes. No odor on mine.

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Question from lori

I need to add an exterior door to side of house. I am extremely chemically sensitive and need advice on alternative products that will be need and how to proceed. A cut must be made on the outside stucco to the interior of a bedroom for the door.

Also, I must do this on a budget and need to rent the room out due to the economy.

Will a solid wood door or steel door be less toxic?

I don’t want to create a new problem for myself.

Thanks so much.

Debra’s Answer

A steel door would be less toxic. We have a steel door for our front door here in Florida because it is so humid that wood doors rot quickly. Wood doors may be treated and need painting.

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Question from Margaret

Being chemically sensitive, I have never used fabric softener dryer sheets. Now 7th Generation has come out with a natural fabric softener sheet that uses “plant-derived ester quaternary amine”. Is this a safe ingredient? I need a fabric softener for our aging towels that are getting rough.

I can’t afford to just replace the towels. I’ve tried the plastic dryer balls and they do absolutely nothing. I don’t put anything in the rinse cycle for softening because it would be too hard to catch the start of the rinse cycle, since I do other things when the washing machine is running or may not even be home.

I use 7th Generation’s unscented liquid laundry soap and tolerate that OK. I know some people say to hang laundry outside instead of using a dryer but that is not practical for me because it is too cold and snowy in the winter, esp. in our north-facing backyard, and in the summer, we have thunderstorms almost every afternoon because of the mountains (and I am often not home to bring in the laundry if it storms).

Debra’s Answer

Your towels may be getting rough because they are holding on to soap residues or minerals. Try washing them with baking soda and water only–about a cup of baking soda per washload.

I couldn’t find “Ester quaternary amine” anywhere I looked, but here is a breakdown of the words. An “ester” is an organic compound similar in structure to a salt. So that word just tells you the form. An “amine” is derived from ammonia, with one or more hydrogen atoms replaced by other atoms. “Quaternary” simply means a atom is attached to four other atoms. So this would be a salt-like substance derived from ammonia with four atoms attached.

So I can’t tell you the health effects, but I can tell you that there were no reports of health effects that I could find.

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Question from Marie

Has anyone come across any organizations/sources for financial assistance for buying medically necessary items for MCS (and EMF sensitive) patients that aren’t covered by health insurance? Prescribed items such as: air and water purifiers, metal-free chemical-free bed, safe housing,… We are unable to provide items my son needs and have found very little help. Any ideas?? Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know of any. Readers?

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Question from Nina Balsam

I had my bathtubs caulked with AFM Safecoat and am having a reaction, burning face, lips, mood changes, headache, aches. Can I cover the caulk with packaging tape to eliminate the problem? Does anyone have a better solution?

Thanks

Debra’s Answer

Readers, what have you to done to fix this problem?

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Question from S

Hi Debra, Last spring we replaced our gas furnace to heat pump electric furnace which was an extremely expensive, but we felt a necessary change due to my mcs. While browsing through some of your past readers comments there was some concern from a reader about the air that passes over the coil and oils and chemical used in the manufacturing process are picked up and spread through the house. I am still experiencing alot of health issues even with the new furnace so wondering if this could be and issue and if so how would one find out?? being Thanks s

Debra’s Answer

This is entirely possible, however I don’t have any experience identifying the problem or fixing it. Readers?

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Question from Sandy

Hi Debra, I wrote to you the other day concerning perhaps the coil in our new electric furnace/ heat pump. In talking with my husband later he said we do not have a coil, we have a heat strip. Have you ever heard of any chemical outgassing problems or concerns with this? Thanks s

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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I was quoted last Thursday in an article on natural mattresses in the New York Times: NY Times: The Stuffing Dreams Are Made Of?

I recommend reading it as they did a great job describing the problems in the mattress market at the moment, with major manufacturers wanting to jump into the growing market for natural beds, but not making beds that are 100% natural.

I was disappointed that their aim was to expose the problems, rather than report on the excellent manufacturers who ARE making all-natural and organic mattresses and bedding items.

You can explore natural bed websites at Debra’s List: Textiles: Beds & Bedding.