Question from Suzanne
Hi Debra,
I am in need of a new sofa. I know as of January 1, 2015 you can buy sofas without chemical flame retardants, but there are other toxic chemicals in most new furniture . I can’t afford the prices for completely toxic free sofas. If you cover sofa with a quilt or blanket, will it block the other chemicals that might be offgassing?
Debra’s Answer
Yes there are other toxic chemicals in many of the new sofas that say they are “flame retardant free.”
Unfortunately, throwing a quilt or blanket over the sofa will NOT block VOCs that may be offgassing from the sofa. The tiny molecules of these gasses with go right through the fabric.
What you need is a very thick polyethylene plastic, or even better, two sheets of polyethylene with a layer of foil in between. Like a “space blanket”
Not very attractive, but this would block any fumes.
Or you could get an air purifier.
