Question from tracigw Are steel beds less toxic overall than beds made of other materials (wood or foam-covered fabric)? It seems like the toxicity would come primarily from lacquer. I have no chemical sensitivities, but would like to create as chemical-free home...

There's a commercial running on television--I just saw it the other night--that says one in 110 children are affected by autism spectrum disorder. This morning I received a newsletter that says last month, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that autism...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...