Submitted questions will be posted with my response by the following Tuesday or before.
Submitted comments will be moderated and approved within 24 hours.
Odoreze
Question from Vicki in Oregon
Has anyone ever tried Odoreze™ Laundry Deodorizing Additive…if so, does it really work?
http://noodor.com/p/laundry-odor-smell-deodorizer-sweat-odors-washer.html
Someone gave my expectant daughter some beautiful hand me downs and they smell of laundry products so bad that she had to remove them from her house.
Debra’s Answer
Looks like an interesting product. They don’t have an ingredient list on their site that I could find. But they will refund your money if you don’t like it. If you try it, let us know.
Alkaline Water
Question from HEG
Have you ever heard of Kangan water (http://www.fohcwater.com/), and any thoughts on it?
Debra’s Answer
Yes, I’ve heard of Kangan Water. I’ve been drinking alkaline water myself for about five years and I LOVE it. It’s not made by a Kangan machine, I have a medical-grade alkalizer and all of the water I drink at home is alkaline.
Some years ago, I read a book called Reverse Aging by Sang Whang that convinced me that alkaline water was better for my health. Most people’s bodies today are very acid, due to the foods we eat and our exposure to toxic chemicals. Many people eat alkaline foods and minimize acid foods to try to correct this balance. Whang shows how drinking alkaline is much more effective at adjusting body pH. Illness is more prevalent in acidic bodies.
Alkaline water also detoxes your body, so you have to start drinking it in small amounts to not have symptoms at first. But I will tell you that in my body it didn’t work very well as a detox method for chemicals. I’ve been drinking 3-4 quarts a day for about five years, and I am still doing other detox methods.
But I can tell a difference. Alkaline water is “alive,” it is electrically charged, more like water in nature. When I am away from home and don’t have my alkaline water, I can feel the difference in my body. It is worth it to me to manually pour the water through the alkalizer and store it in my refrigerator (the alkaline state diminishes quickly without refrigeration).
What I don’t know is if there is any reason to use a Kangan machine or not. It’s probably not as strong as my medical grade alkalizer. I can’t really recommend Kangan because I haven’t researched various alkaline water machines. But I do recommend alkaline water.
Cotton Stuffing for Toys
Question from Kimberly78
My mom and I where wondering if cotton Stuffing is toxic like the batting? She (mom) wants the stuffing to make children toys. Or do we need to find organic stuffing as well? Thank-you
Debra’s Answer
Cotton stuffing and cotton batting are the same thing. If you don’t want pesticides in your cotton stuffing, you need to get organic.
Removing Mildew from Towels
Question from Sandy Moskovitz
Hi, Debra–we have a 10-year old front loading Asko washing machine. I’ve recently been reading about the importance of cleaning front-loaders, and from the article, I realize that our towels have mildew (I had no idea why they were starting to smell kind of weird). I’ve read about a product called Smelly Washer and also Smelly Towels which are supposed to help get rid of the mildew in the machine, but other than saying that the products are made from citrus, they don’t disclose their ingredients. Any other ways to clean a front loader and especially to get rid of the mildew in the towels? I use Maggie’s Soap Nut liquid, and sometimes include Borax, Hydrogen Peroxide bleach, or Baking Soda if our clothes are extra dirty.
Thanks for the help!
Best,
Sandy Moskovitz
Princeton, NJ
Debra’s Answer
Anyone have any experience with these products or with removing mildew from towels? I personally have never needed to remove mildew from towels and couldn’t find a MSDS for the products.
Non-Toxic,Non-Bleach Concrete Cleaner
Question from SDAnna
What non-bleach, non-toxic cleaner is recommended for concrete and masonry walls? I am chemically sensitive.
Debra’s Answer
Readers, what have you used?
Fran Drescher on Why We Need Safer Cosmetics – The Safe Cosmetics Act 2011
Last Friday Congressional leaders introduced the federal Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011.
This bill will give the FDA the authority it needs to ensure that personal care products are free of harmful substances and chemicals linked to cancer,infertility, birth defects, and other serious health problems.
Fran Drescher explains why this is important: US Needs Safer Cosmetics by Fran Drescher.
Please urge your House members to co-sponsor the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011.
The Campaign for Safe Costmetics has made it easy for you:
Mice
Question from petercsantoro@yahoo.com
I have a terrible mice problem. We live behind a golf course, and seem to always have mice. I find their droppings throughout our first floor (mainly the kitchen). I have a toddler and infant who is crawling so I am desperate to find a solution. I have read the section on mice here, but still am not sure if there is a solution. Of course I don’t want to use anything toxic, but my husband states an exterminator who will use poison is the best solution. We have discussed even getting a pet, a small dog to keep the mice from coming out. Of course we aren’t sure if this will work and neither of us really wants the extra work or expense of a pet. What would you recommend? Is the bait an exterminator uses still harmful if it is hidden away in walls/crevices? This I am not sure of… My husband argues that the kids cannot reach the bait/poison so it’s not harmful. If a pet is the best answer, I will get one. I can’t keep cleaning every morning and night after mice! Thanks so much!
Debra’s Answer
Here is a good summary of controlling house mice: House Mouse Prevention and Control. It lists all the standard control methods and says to use poison bait only as a last resort.
To answer your question about the safety of mouse bait, you need to find out what the exterminators are planning to use and then we can look that up.
In the MSDS for D-Con, it says to “move to fresh air” if fumes from the pellets are inhaled. I don’t feel comfortable having this poison in my house, even if it is in the walls.
But find out what they want to use, and then you will have the real data.
Rag rug fiber content
Question from heavensabvus1
I have 100% cotton rag area rugs in my home. I love that they are cotton and love that they are completely washable. My 8′ x 10′ rug fits in the industrial washer at the laundromat and I air dry it.
Washable area rugs are exceedingly hard to find in these large sizes. I’ve ordered from a couple of places, only to return them because they reek of whatever they were sprayed with when they entered the country.
It’s time to replace a rug and I’ve found someone who makes beautiful rugs and they’re reasonably priced. They are made out of recycled clothing and are completely washable, which is great, but that also means that that clothing is not just 100% cotton, but also blends of other fibers.
Since the clothing is old to the point of now being sliced up for weaving fiber, can I hope that any finishes that might have been on a polyester blouse would have been washed away long ago?
I plan to wash them as soon as I receive them, of course, but am hoping that since the materials are so well used, they are non-toxic by now. Is it possible?
Debra’s Answer
Fabric finishes become less toxic as time goes by. These are probably fine.
25 Tips for Keeping Cool
Tomorrow is Summer Solstice. It’s the longest day of the year, though it may not be the hottest.
In celebration, here’s a good summary of things you can do to keep cool while saving energy. Most types of energy production put toxic chemicals into the air (which we then breathe), so whenever we can save energy, that helps the world be more toxic-free. And you’ll save money on energy bills.
Old Polyurethane Floors
Question from newhome
We just bought a home from a women who owned it for 40 years.We are pulling up the wall to wall carpet which is 18-20 years old. Under the carpet is hardwood with a beautiful polyurethane finish.I have chemical sensitivities and would never choose a floor with a polyurethane finish and am wondering if it will be ok since it is so old.
Debra’s Answer
Polyurethane itself is not particularly toxic, it’s the solvents that are used to make it liquid so it can be applied that are the problem. Water-based polyurethane wood finish, for example, is much less toxic than solvent-based. Once the solvents are evaporated the polyurethane coating that remains is not toxic.
I would say that a finish that is more than twenty years old would be fine.
