Question from ib
I purchased a cotton sofa with foam batting wrapped in down; is this safe? If not will a cotton slip cover prevent the off gassing. I looked up afm safe choice capret lock out, but it says it’s only for carpets. I emailed them to find out if this product can be used on my sofa. I haven’t heard a response yet.
Your web site is a life saver.
Thank you
Debra’s Answer
AFM SafeChoice Lock Out is the correect AFM product to apply to upholstery fabric, even thoough it says it is for carpets. I asked AFM myself and this is what they told me.
The sofa you describe…it’s important to keep in mind that there are four general catagories of products:
1. completely or mostly organic, recycled, or otherwise earthwise.
2. 100% natural, being made of renewable materials, but not organically grown.
3. part natural and part synthetic (this could range from a small percentage natural to a small percentage synthetic.
4. completly synthetic, made from petrochemicals.
For myself, I choose only products in catagories #1 and #2, or from #3 and #4 only if they are nontoxic.
Is your foam batting made from petrochemicals or latex? And if latex, it it 100% natural or partially synthetic?
Either way, if it is off gassing, a cotton slipcover will NOT block off gassing. You need a barrier to block the molecules that are off gassing and they will pass right through the holes between the weave of the cotton (I know it looks tight to our eyes, but a molecule can float right through with ease.
If you need something to block, I would go with the Lock Out. Everyone else, remember my best recommendation would be a 100% natural sofa (see Debra’s List :: Interior Decorating :: Furniture).
