Submitted questions will be posted with my response by the following Tuesday or before.
Submitted comments will be moderated and approved within 24 hours.
Fragrance-Free — What’s your definition?
Question from Derbra Lynn Dadd
Ever since your enthusiastic response to my post Let’s petition to remove scent from products through change.org. I’ve been thinking about what we can do to accomplish the goal of reducing or eliminating toxic fragrances from public places. I’m considering how best to do the petition, and there are other things we can do to improve the situation without depending on the decision of a multinational corporation.
One of them is to promote products of all types that could be used instead of the ones with toxic fragrances. I’m working on such a list and would like your help.
The first thing I want to do is add a “fragrance-free” search to Debra’s List. But to do that I need to define what “fragrance-free means.
I want to get your opinion.
Over the years, “fragrance-free,” “unscented” and other such terms have meant to me that a product contains no toxic petrochemical fragrances.
On Debra’s List I allow products that contain natural essential oils as functional ingredients or for scent. These I do not consider to be toxic, but neither are they fragrance-free. They have a fragrance, just not a toxic fragrance. I allow them because many natural and organic products have their own scent from the ingredients used, not added. And they are not petrochemical fragrances. So should “fragrance free” mean “no petrochemical fragrances” or “no fragrances of any sort from any source”?
On the other hand I have steered away from including products like All Free & Clear which are fragrance-free but basically petrochemical detergents. Should I include these?
It seems to me that for our purposes I should include on a “fragrance-free list” any product that does not have toxic petrochemical fragrance, making note of 1) products that contain natural fragrances and 2) products that are made from petrochemicals or may have toxic ingredients. This way, anyone choosing products from a list would have the greatest number to choose from. Someone who is an average consumer, for example, may be willing to switch to All Free & Clear, but not Soapnuts. And then there is another whole type of consumer that doesn’t want to give up fragrance but might switch to a natural one.
How does this sound to you?
Any comments on this criteria?
I think if we can get more people to use existing fragrance-free products, then we can encourage other manufacturers to eliminate the fragrance as we want them too.
Also, any fragrance-free products you would like to add here are welcome.
Here are some interesting links to pages that discuss the definition of unscented and fragrance-free. There is no legal definition.
Birch Hill Happenings: What is Meant by Unscented, Fragrance Free, Scent Free and More?
http://birchhillhappenings.com/unscented.htm
Our Little Place: FDA “Regulation” of Cosmetics and Fragrances
http://www.ourlittleplace.com/fda.html
http://www.ourlittleplace.com/terms.html
Debra’s Answer
Interfacing in Baby Clothes
Question from Orsolya
Hi Debra, I just noticed that all my organic baby bodysuits has a white patch in side behind the embroidery design. I believe it is called Pellon interfacing fabric. Is it safe for babies? Thank you so much! Orsolya
Debra’s Answer
Well…Pellon interfacing fabrics are made from polyester. They have a whole line of interfacings. Some are made from 100% polyester and others have a little nylon. But they are not organic in any way shape or form, so what are they doing in in organic baby bodysuits?
Is it safe for babies? It would be difficult to make a case for a tiny amount of polyester interfacing being toxic. But polyester can effect your energy field and may be irritating to the skin.
Personally, I stick with 100% natural fibers and organic whenever possible. I wish these manufacturers would understand organic should be ALL organic.
PVC kids exercise ball
Question from Shar
Hi Debra! I was wondering if a phthalate-free pvc kids exercise ball would be safe for my young grandson. The brand is Wai Lana and the ball is advertised as not having lead or bpa. Is there a “safe” pvc?
Debra’s Answer
I don’t know of a “safe” pvc.
What you have here is a “less toxic” pvc because it contains no lead or phthalates (often found in PVC) and no BPA (never found in lead).
But PVC is still vinyl chloride, and the softer the plastic, the more the vinyl chloride will outgas, and vinyl chloride is known to cause cancer. Will the amount of vinyl chloride that might outgass from an exercise ball cause cancer? Probably not. But it’s not just the vinyl chloride in the exercise ball. We are exposed to many other toxic chemicals, which, in combination become more harmful as they interact with each other in your body. So every exposure we can eliminate helps to protect our health.
Children can get plenty of exercise running around and playing games without toxic exercise balls.
Garden Hoses – Toxic & Nontoxic
Question from More Sharing Services
HealthyStuff.org has a new 2012 Garden Products Study which tested 179 common garden products. The product most tested and of most concern was the the ordinary everyday garden hose.
They found levels of lead that exceeded Consumer Product Safety Commission levels (and there is actually no safe level for lead) and more lead, phtalates, and BPA in the hoses themselves.
Read the HealthyStuff.org 2012 Garden Products Study, which includes recommendations for choosing safe hoses and specific brand names.
Debra’s Answer
Order of Replacing Toxic Bed Items With Nontoxic
Question from Sunny
I am slowly detoxifying my bedroom. I plan on painting the walls with milk paint and buying a new bed frame and mattress (with bedding). I can’t afford to do it all at once but is there an order?
I am very concerned about having my old mattress on my new wood frame. Will my old mattress leach chemicals into the wood like it does to our bodies? I don’t want to spend a lot of money just to transfer the chemicals to another surface (even a tiny bit). If there was an organic wool mattress company out there that took payments then I could so it all at once 🙂
Debra’s Answer
I would paint first. Then mattress, then frame.
What are you going to put this mattress on before you get the new frame??
Odor in Air Conditioning Unit
Question from Diane
I had my a/c serviced and had them use peroxide to disinfect and follow with reverse osmosis water. My upstairs unit has a chemical smell in the air now. the only other addition was a new filter media by Lennox called Healthy Climate. Do you have any ideas what could be causing it? I am having them switch to the Spacegaurd media to see if that makes a difference but the odor is really strong in one of my rooms and the fan and unit have been off for over 24 hours. appreciate any suggestions on flushing the system out. HVAC owner does not know what it could be either. Thanks
Debra’s Answer
I don’t know what this odor could be.
Readers? Any experience with this?
Nellie’s Laundry Soda
Question from Denise
Has anyone ever used Nellie’s laundry soda? http://www.nelliesallnatural.com/
Debra’s Answer
Readers? Has anyone used this product?
Nontoxic Drywall Mud
Question from Angelique
I need a nontoxic drywall mud, quick! Someone had told me the Kerabond would be a good choice, but after mixing a little I realized that it’s a sandy grout, ONLY for use with tiles. (By the way, it’s totally safe for me! Now I want to do a tile project!) Anyway, some workmen used Murco here a few years ago, but I had a bad experience with that. Any suggestions? This time I’m doing the mudding myself (it’s just covering a few seams.)
Debra’s Answer
The most-recommended least-toxic joint compound for years has been Murco, I don’t know of another one.
Just looked up Murco to give you a link, but the company website was down. Don’t know if it’s temporary or permanent. www.murcowall.com
Anyone know of another one?
Installing Wood Floor with Glue
Question from Nancy
Debra, We have installed 3 floating wood floors in three different houses. They used duck glue in the joints with a pad. The salespeople suggest we glue down the floor, but I was always afraid to do so.
I am going to install my 4th hardwood floor in a new house and the salespeople again suggest I use the glued down approach. I am considering it this time. They tell me the smell disapates in a few days. Also it is better if you have a leak, it won’t travel as it would on a floating floor. (The dishwasher always made me nervous as we also have wood in the kitchen.)
When you installed your floor, you said you used yellow carpenters glue. Is your floor considered a floating floor ( with a pad) or is it a glued down floor. I do have MCS so I need to be careful. They also suggested that I should go to some of their recent jobs (done a few days to a week) and see if there is an odor. Don’t know if this will be a true test. Your thoughts please. Nancy
Debra’s Answer
My floor was not a floating floor, I’ve glued wood floors down directly to wood or concrete subfloors.
My current favorite glue for wood floors is Titebond II because it is waterproof (important in the kitchen) and just as nontoxic as any other yellow woodworker’s glue.
What type of glue do they want to use? I would only use yellow woodworker’s glue.
Wood Bed Frame and Mattress
Question from audrey
What type of wood frame do you have? Been looking in to ash but not sure if that is okay for mcs (I know pine is bad). Is your wood frame is unfinished? If it is, does it get warped in the humidity of Florida – I too live in Florida. Also if you did have it finished, what sealer did you use?
Also re your mattress. My 23 plus year old mattress which I got from Janices has coils and I am becoming more and more aware of emfs so I want/time for a new one.
Would getting an organic cotton mattress with wool in the middle of the cotton be more comfortable than all cotton without coils? I want to avoid getting a box spring so have to get platform type of frame. Just cannot face dragging mattress and box spring outside on my balcony to air out and then bringing it in. Getting to hard for me to do those things. Thanks.
I have been thinking of using White Lotus – have gotten things from them before and they are very helpful. Just wish I could go to NJ and see/try out the mattresses etc.
Debra’s Answer
I honestly don’t know what type of wood my bed frame is. I bought it twelve years ago on sale at just a regular mattress store. It was a close-out sale and there was only one. It was the floor sample. I know it’s solid wood. It does have some kind of finish, don’t know what it is, but it had already outgassed by the time I found it. .
You’re right that most people with MCS don’t tolerate pine (or cedar, but I’ve never seen a cedar bed frame). I had another bed frame that was make of oak that I really liked.
You’re right that most people with MCS don’t tolerate pine (or cedar, but I’ve never seen a cedar bed frame). I had another bed frame that was make of oak that I really liked.
You mentioned a platform type of frame. I have a frame with wood slats. A platform frame is a solid piece of some type of wood, wood slats are individual pieces of wood spaced out so you natural mattress can breathe. It’s important to have wood slats so there is air flow and your natural mattress can breathe.
