Question from cbuskirk

We have 3 older dogs and are having some accidents in their beds at night and the cuddle beds aren’t easily washable. When even using diapers urine still leaks out the leg. What do others use as a waterproof barrier. We’ve tried unscented garbage bags and they work but they make a lot of noise when the dogs move around. I’ve thought about wrapping these beds with a PEVA shower curtain then putting the bed cover over it. Would this be a safe non-toxic waterproof lining for them to sleep on every night? Any other suggestions for waterproofing material? Thank you for the help!

Sincerely,

Colleen

Debra’s Answer

A PEVA shower curtain would be nontoxic and waterproof.

Readers, any other ideas?

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Question from Irish 8th

Hi – We’re planning a trip to Costa Rica and I’m needing insect repellent. I feel that this isn’t something to mess around with, because the resulting illness could be Dengue Fever. I’ve read that DEET may be neurotoxic in some cases, but that the natural options may not work for everyone, and also need to be applied more regularly. While I tend not to attract mosquitoes, my husband and grown sons do. I’m beginning to panic about this trip. Can you recommend a repellent that is safe and effective? Is there such a thing?

Thanks so much,

Val

Debra’s Answer

Personally, I’ve been using vinegar for years and it’s all I use here in Florida, where we have LOTS of insects. I use distilled white or organic apple cider vinegars, not balsamic or any flavored vinegars. Just plain. I learned this from an Italian grandmother.

Readers, I would love to hear about mosquito repellants you have tried and liked, and with summer coming, I’m sure a lot of other people would like this information too.

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Question from Annette Tweedel

Hi Debra, We are going to be staying at a Bed & Breakfast in a few weeks and they are willing to accommodate me. They use things like caburn (I am not sure if I spelled that correctly or what it is), windex and a toilet bowl cleaner. Is it true that peroxide can be used to clean anything? If so, how do you use it? Can you give me the mixture, so I can tell the people at the place, unless you can suggest something better. Or what would be better, vinegar and water or the peroxide?

Debra’s Answer

I would suggest the vinegar and water over peroxide. Peroxide is a bleaching agent and so could cause damage if they don’t use it correctly.

I would tell them it’s OK to use an unscented soap, baking soda, vinegar, and Bon Ami for cleaning. That should cover all their needs.

You might ask them to specify what are the cleaning tasks that need to be done and then give them instructions for each specifically.

Be sure to ask about what they use to launder the sheets, as that is often the worst!

And no potpourri, scented candles, or Febreeze.

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Question from megzcrews

Is either the liquid or powdered form safe to use in laundry? If not- what are good replacements that are safe? Paritcularly for soaking baby clothes and as an ingredient in homemade laundry detergent.

Debra’s Answer

Oxiclean Versitile Stain Remover is made up of sodium carbonate and sodium percarbonate, with less than 5% ethoxylated alcohol, sodium polycarboxyate and sodium metasilicate.

The active ingredient is sodium percarbonate, which is also known as oxygen bleach. It is made by reacting sodium carbonate (a mineral) with hydrogen peroxide, so it’s basically a powdered form of hydrogen peroxide.

It’s fine to use Oxyclean, but you might get more bleach for your buck by simply using hydrogen peroxide or straight sodium percarbonate. In fact, the liquid OxiClean Stain Remover is 85% water, 5% hydrogen peroxide, with a little alcohol and lye. So you might as well just use hydrogen peroxide, which is pretty cheap at the drug store.

Natural Choices has “the widest range of quality oxygen bleach based products available anywhere!” They contain more actual oxygen bleach than the supermarket brands.

Whether you use liquid hydrogen peroxide or powdered sodium percarbonate, it’s all the same oxygen that is the active ingredient.

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Question from sunshine

I have found an un-renovated home to make an offer on, but I have to make it subject to the sale of where I live now. I have not had anyone (other than family) in my home in a year, I am so chemically sensitive. Since I now have to sell my place, does anyone have any advice for when people come to view it? Also, when you have no furniture – all my clothing is piled on chairs since I had to get rid of my dressers – how to prepare the place for viewing? Hopefully someone else has had some experience with this. Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

Readers? Any experience with this?

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Question from Angelique

Please forgive me if I posted this yesterday. I don’t remember! We are painting the exterior of our house. Sherwin Williams SuperPaint just squeaks into the “low VOC category” with 49 grams/liter (the threshold is 50.) AFM Safecoat has 17 grams/lister.

17 SOUNDS like a lot less than 49, but is it in practice? I find that sometimes the “mainstream” products are actually better for me because they dry faster.

I know Debra successfully used Sherwin Williams interior paint. Anyone have good or bad luck with AFM Safecoat exterior paint? Or Sherwin Williams?

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

I’m trying to remember which paint we purchased the last time we purchased exterior paint. I don’t remember.

But here’s something to consider. I am always in favor of using the least toxic product. That said, there is a big difference in your exposure to the VOCs in interior paint versus exterior paint.

Interior paint is in an enclosed space where fumes can concentrate and rise to high levels. It also takes longer for paint to dry indoors unless you use heat to speed the process.

VOCs in exterior paint are greatly diluted by the ocean of outdoor air, and drying is speeded by air movement of breeze, which also carries outgassing VOCs away to a different location.

So if cost, performance, or other factors would lead you to choose a brand that is not the least VOCs possible, it’s less critical with an exterior paint and much more important to get the lowest VOCs for interior paint.

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Question from Deborah Barnett

Debra,

I bought a 100% wool blanket that says “Dry clean only.” Could I possibly use a wool wash of some kind to wash it in a delicate cycle?

I don’t want to use any chemicals to dry clean it. What would be your suggestion?

Thanks,

Deborah Barnett

Tennessee.

Debra’s Answer

Yes, you can wash a wool blanket with a wool wash on a gentle cycle.

Heat causes wool to shrink, so it’s important to wash in cold water and hang your blanket to dry. Do NOT put it in the dryer. If you can’t hang it outdoors, fold it over the shower rod in your bathroom.

Remember, wool blankets used to be standard in homes for centuries before dry cleaning existed, so you CAN wash it yourself.

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Question from Adica

Hi Debra,

I sew a lot of gifts for people, and while I was looking for ideas recently, I found a post on a blog about safe materials to use in sandwich bags. I don’t know about your own thoughts about the safety of the materials she recommends (homemade beeswax or oil cloth sounds safe, but I’m unsure about the polyurethane-coated nylon), but I think it’s important to spread this around because I’ve seen a lot of sellers on Etsy selling snack bags that have PUL or vinyl cloth on the inside, which I know aren’t safe. It’s good to support local and small businesses but not when they’re selling you things that could compromise your health.

http://4girlsdesignsblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/reusable-sandwich-bags-and-wraps-are.html

I was wondering how you felt about the polyurethane-coated nylon she recommends. She says, “After talking to many manufacturers of this product, we understand that this type of coated nylon is free of heavy metals and phthalates. The tests revealed that the nylon is free of heavy metals (including lead), phthalates, PBBs, and PBDEs.” I remember you saying that not all forms of polyurethane are as toxic as others (but then, this is for food), so I was wondering about this type.

Debra’s Answer

Well…food-safe plastics came up elsewhere today…I’ll repeat what I said here…

Here’s a simple article that defines “food grade plastics”: ehow: How Do I Tell if it’s Food Grade Plastic? The basic criteria is that plastics used to package food must be of high quality and cannot contain harmful dyes or chemicals. Then the article goes on to list the seven types of food grade plastic and their recycling symbols. They are PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS, and other.

The problem is many of these plastics DO contain harmful chemicals, particularly polystyrene and PVC. I don’t consider these to be food safe at all!

I think the key issue here is are the materials intended to be used for contact with food. I read your link and she says PUL is not food safe and makes the case for that. But then she says polyurethane-lined nylon is safe. But polyurethane isn’t on any list of food-safe plastics that I know of.

PUL, by the way, is short for PolyUrethane Laminate, which is a fabric that has been heat-laminated to a layer of polyurethane.

So her logic doesn’t hold up for me.

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Question from miatadriverchris

I constantly pride myself in purchasing “Made in USA” on all products I purchase. While purchasing less toxic products made here is sometimes difficult, I came across a boot from Red Wing shoes that stated the sole was made of PORON. The store has no idea.

(here is the exact link: http://www.canton.redwingshoestore.com/product/02245 )

I did some digging and found that PORON is urethane based, but couldn’t find any scientific data on it regarding what kind of urethane, if it off-gasses, leaches any specific chemicals, etc. Have you ever heard of this before?

Debra’s Answer

Here is the website of a manufacturer who makes PORON: Rogers Corporation PORON Urethanes. They have a link to a page with the MSDSs.

There are half a dozen different PORONs for different uses. You could take a look at this site to see the different types and then see if you can get more information from Red Wing about which PORON it is.

It looks to be not very toxic, but some are more toxic than others.

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Question from Annette 

Hi Debra,

I thought I saw a while back on your blog, something mentioned about trash bags. I tried to find it but could not.

We have a large kitchen trash can that we had been keeping in the kitchen. It uses 33 gallon trash bags. I don’t remember the name of them because they are outside now. ”

You see, used to, I was able to handle the trash bags, but months ago they started smelling like fabric softener sheets. We moved the trash can to the front of the house, but inside the house and our daughter said she did not want the smell in her room, since her room is right next to the room the trash can was put in. So the trash can was put on the front porch outside.

Can you recommend a 33 gallon trash bag that is unscented?

Debra’s Answer

Readers? What do you recommend?

I personally don’t use plastic trash bags, so I have no experience with this.

My food waste goes into compost and trash in a paper bag, which then goes into the garbage can outside.

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