Question from Annette Tweedel

Hi Debra, I just bought a new blow dryer, Vidal Sassoon Ecostyle, Eco Friendly, Hair Friendly. But I have a concern. I was reading in the instructions under Ceramic Technology that it says Ceramic’s far-infrared heat penetrates hair quickly and evenly from the inside-out, drying and styling hair in a fraction of time with superior results. I have concerns about when it said the words far-infrared heat. Is far-infrared something to be concerned about? Thank you so much.

Debra’s Answer

Infrared heat and the heat produced by sun are very much alike. The heat we feel on our planet is infrared heat produced by the sun. Infrared heat sources do not heat the air in the area and do not cause circulation of the warm air–instead they heat objects directly. The rays produced by an infrared heater penetrate the skin and warm your body beneath the skin.

Far infrared rays are considered safe and healing. Because they penetrate deep into the skin, they increase blood flow, reduce inflamation and decrease pain. It is used for healing the skin, blood circulation, and skin cell revitalizing. A far-infrared sauna is the preferred choice for detox programs.

So I think you are fine with it in your hair dryer.

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Question from Angelique

Our refrigerator had a coolant leak. We had the whole cooling unit rebuilt yesterday. It’s working fine now. The big snafu was that the repairman dressed our seals with scented vaseline, which was so strong I had him replace the seals, and I had to scrub some of the metal parts of the fridge. One of the things I tried cleaning with was vinegar.

I’m getting a vinegary smell in the kitchen, but this seems different from regular vinegar, and I feel a little dizzy and I’m getting headaches. My husband thinks that new motors have oils and sealants that have to off-gas. I’ve heard that coolant is odorless, plus I never noticed when we had the leak before.

Is there any type of fridge gas that might be leaking and making me dizzy? Is my husband right about new motor smells? Or am I just smelling vinegar “sticking” to parts of the fridge? (The perfumey smell seems to have gone.)

Debra’s Answer

Readers, any ideas on this one?

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Question from Sue Smith

We tested for radon in our house and found the amount in the main part of our house is OK but it is high in our basement. How dangerous is this since we don’t spend most of our time down there?

Debra’s Answer

I am not a radon expert, however, I will say that if your living area tests OK, it’s probably fine to not worry about the basement if you don’t use it. If there were a problem with radon from the basement seeping into your living area, it would have shown up on the test.

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Question from Sue Smith

We bought a house in TN last year and it has a ventless gas fireplace. I’m concerned about toxins since it is not vented. Should I be concerned and is it possible to have it vented?

Debra’s Answer

On a website that sells ventless fireplaces I found, “The primary gas combustion byproducts that can affect indoor air quality are carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, oxygen, and water vapor (humidity). Today’s vent-free fireplaces operate well within national standards and recommendations concerning these five byproducts.”

I would assume that the emissions are similar to emissions from a gas stove. And it’s recommended that gas stoves be used with a range hood to collect the combustion byproducts and remove them from the house.

Maybe one of my readers who has more experience than I with this type of fireplace can tell more about their experience with it.

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Question from italeigh

Hi Debra, I am shopping for new safe, eco-friendly, long lasting, easy to use cookware and am wondering if you have any opinion on or experience with “The Original Green Pan” cookware. Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

I’m assuming you are referring to the Orgreenic nonstick pan, which is what I found when I searched on “the original green pan.”

It LOOKS fine and I say LOOKS in a capital letters because I have no personal experience with it. It says it has a ceramic finish, looks very similar online to my Cuisinart Green Gourmet pans that I like.

But I am always skeptical of the quality of merchandise sold by infomercials. That doesn’t mean ALL informercial products are bad, I just think twice before buying them.

Anyone have experience with this pan?

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Question from SRT

Purchased furniture 2+ years ago, out of the box since- daughter has not been sleeping in the room all this time, but is now ready to. Supposedly safe (Stanley Young America)but I continue to get a harsh, musty odor off it, sometimes noticing it even whem I just walk into room. Co. has said it may be ‘wood smell’- any thoughts? Could it be sealed, as daughter loves the set? It is mostly solid wood with a distressed white paint finish.

Debra’s Answer

The first thing I would try would be to heat it. Just close the door and windows and put a space heater in the room. This will bake off any residual fumes from the wood or finish. You might need to do this several days or up to a week.

If that doesn’t work, you could apply a finish designed to block fumes.

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Question from KOS

Debra,

A recent blurb in the NY Times indicates that Hyatt has developed “hypoallerginic rooms”. It states:

“….Hyatt uses a six step cleaning process to sanitize its special rooms that includes disseminating tea tree oil, a natural disinfectant, through the ventilation system, and using ozone to get rid of lingering odors. The hotel is using a medical grade air-purification system that it says eliminates at least 98 percent of airborne viruses, bacteria and pollen. Guests may still open the windows; the system will zap introduing irritants within an hour.”

I’m curious about your thoughts on this. My understanding is that tea tree oil, while natural, has a very strong odor which makes it a no go for me.

Thanks for your two cents!

Debra’s Answer

It’s not clear to me from this description whether or not the tea tree oil is applied while the guest is in the room or not.

I don’t think what is described would be harmful to an average person, but might be a problem to someone like yourself that has a specific sensitivity to tea tree oil.

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Question from windhawk

I have MCS and have extreme home challenges in finding a non-toxic, affordable home rental that will take my HUD sec voucher.

I know someone willing to rent to me their mother’s home who just passed away. It could work in all aspects but old moth ball boxes were discovered sitting in a bedroom and den closets.

I thought I could smell faintly mothballs when first walking in downstairs and did discover the ancient moth ball boxes in these two closets. One closet seemed stronger smelling than the other and did have adverse neurolgical reactivity that made me sick, still recovering 12 hours later.

If I was not going to lose my voucher in finding a single family home to rent that is affordable in the middle of winter, I would walk away. I know mothballs are highly neurotoxic and not good.

From a logical view I wonder if once the mothball boxes are removed, windows opened, shelves cleaned, air purifiers run, baking soda used,etc would thse neurotoxins truly dissipate for me being hyper reactive with MCS.

THere is a product called Smelleze to remove/neutralize mothball odors/toxins do you know if it works. I requested the MSDS info. I suspect it is zeolite and something else in there. ALso, zeolite helps removes VOCS would it be effective enough to pull out mothball toxins?

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know the solution for this one. We’ve had this question before and there were no answers except “air it out”.

One thing I have done in the past is call manufacturers and ask how to “clean up” various chemicals. You want to ask for “paradichlorobenzene removal.” Call any mothball manufacturer and let us know the answer.

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Question from Alyce

In the past I used to buy a house built after 1990 because chlordane was used for termite treatment before that time frame. I was under the impression that all houses treated with chlordane are contaminated with chlordane for a very long time…..even 40 years or longer after the treatment. Do you think this is a good guildeline to go by? It makes finding a house a lot more difficult when houses built before 1990 aren’t even considered. What’s your thinking regarding this? Appreciate any help!

Debra’s Answer

I actually have the opposite guideline for myself. I won’t buy a house built after 1970 because of the toxic building materials.

The house I live in right now was built in 1940. Of course, it could have had chlordane treatments up to 1990.

I don’t think you should assume that ALL houses built before 1990 had chlordane treatments or that they are still contaminated. When considering a house, I try to find out from the owner what treatments they did and when. Fortunately, the house I’m living in now was owned by the previous owner for about twenty years, so I could get that information.

Keep in mind that the longer it has been since the pesticide was applied, the less of the original application remains.

A house treated in 1988, the last year chordane was used, would now be 22 years after treatment. That would have very little, if any, chlordane left. A house treated in 1970–forty years ago–would likely have no chlordane left.

I’m more concerned about recent applications of pesticides that ones that happened ten or more years ago.

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Question from HEG

My parents who live in Massachusetts have respiratory infections (common colds) very frequently, probably every couple of months. When I lived with them during my childhood I also had very frequent colds, although now I rarely have them, and I get colds about 50% of the time when I come to visit them.

I am starting to wonder if there may be a contaminant/exposure in their home that may be responsible for these frequent, yet mild, symptoms. They live in a very old home built in the 1800’s with a significant amount of air exchange, and as far as I believe the outside air in their suburb is very clean.

They have had mold problems in the past, but these problems were treated. Other than mold, what other chemicals/exposures might they want to test their home for? Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

I just happen to have an article about how toxic chemical exposures relate to colds and flu at Toxics & Health: Toxic Chemicals Contribute to Catching Colds and Flu.

Also came across an article of 15 Best Foods for Cold & Flu Season that tells how to use foods to support your immune system.

If this house seems to cause the common cold, it’s either mold, chemicals, or some other airborne irritant like dust.

If they had problems with mold in the past, they may be having them again if the conditions were not changed.

Before spending thousands of dollars on air tests, go through their house with a copy of my book Home Safe Home to identify chemical exposures. Cleaning these up may do the trick.

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