Question from Cheryl3

Hi again Debra all,

I’m hoping someone has some suggestions on how to clean a rough surface deck that has a pool in the middle. It is constantly getting dirt caught in its rough surface and I’ve used vinegar and baking soda, natural dish soap, but it’s such a large area–also there’s the pool to worry about getting the dirty water in. Maybe a steam vacuum? Thanks for any suggestions.

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Question from jiwaskow

We’re building a “healthy house” because I have severe MCS. I was trying to avoid using any spray foams, but the windows were unfortunately installed with 1/2 inch to 7/8 inch gaps all the way around. Backerrod and caulk are not doing the trick, and stuffing with insulation can only do so well.

Wondering if anyone with MCS has found the least toxic foam and done ok with it? I did not do well, even after cured, with Great Stuff or others I tested (I think I react to the flame retardant chemicals).

However, I just found this one – OSI Green Series Profoam II – MSDS at:

http://www.osipro.com/msds/gs_pro_foam_ii_msds.pdf

and am about to test it. Just curious if anyone has experience with that one?

Any advice welcome – we have a lot of gaps to seal and with electric heat only, don’t want even bigger heating bills! But of course I want to tolerate the house, too…

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Question from peebs

I just purchased a laptop that has a brushed aluminum chassis. Does anyone know if the aluminum could be harmful..ie.. get into our bodies through touching/holding it? We all know aluminum in cooking pans and deodorant is bad for our health, I wonder if this could be considered another source? Also, my 9 year old child will be using this quite a lot and I worry for her health too. Thanks for your help.

Debra’s Answer

I’m not worried about it.

Here is a statement about the health effects of aluminum and how much might get into your body from various sources: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=1076&tid=34. It states “A very small amount may enter through your skin when you come into contact with aluminum.”

We have so many exposure to toxics that it’s not a matter of eliminating them entirely, it’s a matter of choosing which exposures are most harmful to health. If you are going to use a computer, the danger from skin contact with aluminum is less than the danger of outgassing plastic.

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Question from sindeewix

I excitedly ordered this set yesterday without realizing the mugs are made “porcelain”. My question is are they lead free? I emailed them and this is the response:

“Mugs are Porcelain and 100% lead Free – The Must be to ship to the USA and have to Pass the California Prop 65 test. 90% of most mugs are made of cheap stoneware- Porcelain is a much higher Grade and fired at higher temperatures. We do not make mugs out of Xtrema Material because they will not be heater to 2,500 degrees – Too Expensive! Our Mugs are made in our Factory in China”

It is the last line that has me concerned. Also, doesn’t the CA test allow for “some” lead? I have gone to clear glass because of the concern over lead and other nasties and thought I was finally getting a good alternative. What do you think?

Debra’s Answer

The folks at Xtrema are very much aware of the lead issue, I’ve talked with them about it. If they say their mugs are lead-free, they are as lead-free as possible. They do not add lead to the glaze as some companies do.

All Xtrema products are made by their factory in China, which is well supervised to meet their standards. I have no concern about using their products. I don’t have their mugs, but do use their cookware every day.

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Question from onlythegreen2

Hi, Debra! We really would like to purchase a cat tree for our rescue kitties to play on (one that doesn’t cost more than about $150), but it seems most of them have faux fur carpet and some type of pressed wood/particleboard that will emit voc’s. Would spraying the entire tree with AFM’s CarpetSeal do the trick? What about the exposed wood areas (the cubby hole inner walls)–could they be sprayed, too, or maybe painted with a zero voc paint? There is a tree I found that says it meets California consumer safety code 93120.3, Title 17–is this any safer of a choice? I realize that there are some people selling trees made from real wood, etc.; but those are just too expensive at this time. Thank you for all the great work you do!

Debra’s Answer

First, California consumer safety code 93120.3, Title 17 refers to lead paint, as far as I can tell quickly, but you might want to do more research to confirm. This doesn’t cover at all any outgassing from carpet or particleboard.

Personally, I wouldn’t attempt to seal a cat tree, as cats scratch and even just running around on it would compromise the seal.

If you can’t afford to buy one out of good materials, maybe you could make one?

Readers, any suggestions?

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Question from Cheryl3

Hi Debra and everyone,

I know shower heads have been addressed here, but what about shower heads with hand held hoses. In the past we always used them, but in our current home, we weren’t sure how risky the plastic hose was. The water running through the 5 foot hose would mean the hot water is exposed to plastic that much longer, but we love the “hand held” feature for showering and it also makes it so much easier for me to rinse the enclosure after cleaning it. If the risk seems minimal, it might be worthwhile. Also, we were considering a couple of Waterpik models. Are there any questions I should ask?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

First of all, not all plastics are dangerous.

If you would please find out what type of plastic is used in the handheld hose you want to use (call the manufacturer) then I can better answer your question.

In general, though, the water is rushing past the plastic, so it doesn’t have enough contact time to absorb the plastic. Even if there is six feet of hose, it’s still rushing past. Contact time is how long it is in contact at one spot.

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Question from Cheryl3

Hi Debra,

Unfortunately we don’t have glass shower doors, but rather a clear plastic shower door and enclosure installed by the builder. I was wondering if you know if the Spot X Hard water Remover you recommended would work on that too. We have very hard water and the enclosure and door are always clouded. I can olnly remove a layer or two of it with loads of scrubbing and lots vinegar and baking soda, even then, the rest remains and looks awful.

Debra’s Answer

I suggest you contact their website with this question, as they have a lot more experience with this product than I do. I know it works great on my glass shower door. Then write back and let us know.

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Question from jiwaskow

We need an electric water heater and I’ve been searching for glass lined/magnesium anode. But they all have a plastic dip tube in them – all.

Anyone have recommendations of electric water heaters that have worked for them?

Also seeking recs for electric boilers. Looking at Slant Fin and Allied.

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Question from sadiebess

I purchased an IKEA mattress recntly for my two and a half year old daughter, mostly due to the fact that they do not use PBDEs. It had a strong odor when we got it, and I aired it out in the sun on my deck for a couple of days and vacuumed it a couple of times before I put her on it to sleep. The first night she rubbed and rubbed her nose until she finally fell asleep. Then the whole next day, her eyes were extremely waterey and her face got little red blotches on it until I removed the mattress from the house entirely. We aired it on our porch for over a week after that, then brought it into our living room for a few days, where she would hang out on it while she watched TV. She didn’t seem to have any discernable symptoms at that point, so I decided to buy a polypropylen/polyethylene cover for it and put it back in her room. The next day she broke out in hives. I’ve moved the mattress to another room, and I fear it may be a lost cause. It is an innerspring with polyurethane foam.

Right now she is sleeping on a firmly inflated TPU vinyl air mattress (Aerobed’s Ecolite). I am at a loss as to what to do next. We have had a rough year and don’t have much money to spend, and I certainly don’t want to spend any more on something we can’t use! Do you know if allergy testing can determine what she might be reacting to in the bed? I have emailed IKEA for a list of ingredients but they have yet to respond.

Debra’s Answer

Allergy testing probably won’t determine what she is reacting to in the bed because standard allergy testing does not include testing for toxic materials.

It sounds like the IKEA mattress still has some toxic components, even if no PBDEs. Polyurethane foam itself is toxic, so if you remove that, there would be no mattress.

Question from jiwaskow

We need a backup heat source for our mountain home. Anyone have a good expeirence with a certain wood or pellet stove? I’ve heard often it’s the oil coatings on pipes/etc that cause the most probs for sensitive people. Wonder if they make them without those…

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