Question from Aimee

We have bought a home in the country and the previous owners have let their pets pee all over the carpets, so we are going to pull up the carpets and, so we can move in quickly, we are thinking of sealing the subfloor underneath and then painting it with low or no VOC paints and then later we’ll put in hardwood flooring when we can afford it.

So, what we are wondering: Is there a water based wood sealer that is non toxic that we can use on the subflooring that is very effective and very safe?

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

My favorite wood finish at the moment is Vermont Natural Coatings. Made in part with whey leftover from nearby cheesemakers.

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Question from MK

Since moving into an apartment with new carpet, I’ve had disturbing symptoms that come and go.. sore eyes, difficulty concentrating, headaches and uncomfortable tightness in the chest.

I think management will let me move to an apartment with older carpets, but I’m worried the padding they use underneath might take longer to outgas than just the carpet itself. I took a peek under an area of carpet and am sure the padding is rebond (bonded urethane).

Here’s what I’ve gathered about the material:

“made by grinding flexible polyurethane foam into small particles and bonding them together with a chemical adhesive”

–krispyclean.com

“made from reclaimed scrap of high-density urethane foam used in furniture and automotive manufacturing”

Debra’s Answer

My best recommendation for you is NO CARPET. 1-2 years old isn’t enough.

I’m not sure why or how Carpet Guard made it worse, as there is no odor to this product (unless they changed the formula since I used it years ago).

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Question from Cathy DeVoe

I have heard that the pressed, environmentally friendly java logs put out less particles and could possibly be used in a wood stove. Does anyone know about this?

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have any experience with these. Readers?

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Question from 02138Jeff

Hi Debra,

Great site! Thank you and your community for all the excellent insight and advice!

I’m hoping you can help me with a question I have regarding natural deodorants.

I gave up using deodorants containing aluminum several years ago and have used several natural products since with varying degrees of success.

Recently Tom’s of Maine created a new deodorant that claims long lasting 24 hour protection. The ingredients include Zinc Ricinoleate to absorb oder. Is Zinc Ricinoleate safe or is Tom’s just replacing one unsafe metal(aluminum) with another(zinc)?

Thank you for your help!

Debra’s Answer

Tom’s of Maine has a good explanation of zinc ricinoleate at www.tomsofmaine.com/products/ingredient-detail.aspx?id=27&name=Zinc, which is consistent with explanations I have found elsewhere.

“Zinc ricinoleate is a zinc salt of ricinoleic acid. The zinc source for the material is zinc oxide while ricinoleic acid is a purified fatty acid from castor seed oil, a vegetable oil obtained from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant.”

It’s not a toxic metal. In fact, many people have zinc deficiency and often take it as a dietary supplement.

As long as we are talking about deodorants, I stopped using deodorant of any kind about six months ago (maybe more). Not one person has recoiled from my body odor or mentioned it. While on our recent trip to Germany, my husband asked me, “Can I use your deodorant?” and I laughed and told him I hadn’t been using deodorant for months! Now if HE doesn’t think my underarms smell without deodorant, as close as he is to me, I think I don’t need deodorant after all.

Question from HEG

Debra, I was wondering whether you think carpet is more or less toxic than laminate (pergo) flooring? we are having a hard time finding suitable wood or tile and if we have to settle I am curious which you think would be a less bad option.

Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

I personally would not live in a house that contains either.

Your best options are ceramic tile or prefinished solid wood. I’m sure you can find some. Home Depot and Lowe’s both sell prefinished wood floor tiles for $1 a square foot.

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Question from KJ

Nowadays, most of the window shades have acrylic foam lining to block out the sun. It is hard to find just cotton shade with extra lining. I have looked at some at Country Curtains.

What do you think about these lining? Also, when cotton/polyester curtains/shades are exposed to Florida sun, does it off gas?

Thank you

Debra’s Answer

I wouldn’t put an acrylic window shade on a Florida window. Heat makes plastic outgas.

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Question from Erna Gregory

Here’s my question: Is this a completely safe, nontoxic alternative to a 100% organic wool mattress?

www.colgatekids.com website says:

Thanks,

Erna

Debra’s Answer

Coir is coconut fibers held together with latex. Many babies are allergic to latex. And it’s not organic.

I prefer the organic wool mattress.

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Question from Christy G.

How do you suppose we women could rid ourselves of this little bit of flab?

I am 5’2″ and weigh in at about 140lbs. Most of that weight is in my thighs and tummy. I am 23 years old.

I love the book, Eat fat Lose fat, and have applied most of it to my daily diet (i.e., cod liver oil and coconut oil every day).

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

Readers, what successful experience do you have with this?

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Question from heather

Hi Debra,

With all the new things we know about plastics, do you know what the water lines used to dispense water from our refrigerators are made out of? I think about water sitting in the lines overnight or for long periods during the day, and chemicals from the tubing leaching in the water. My husband hasn’t caught me dumping out the “first glass” before each use, but when he does, he will think I’m crazy. Am I, or do I have a legitimate leg to stand on? Thanks for your help!

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know for sure what type of plastic tubing is used in refrigerators, but most plastic tubing is polyethylene, one of the safer plastics. Yes, any water sitting in any plastic tubing will get plastic into the water, so tossing out that first cup is a good idea.

You can also replace the tubing with a braided stainless steel line. but that would then leach metals.

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Question from Mary Marston

It’s getting difficult to avoid tagless garments for adults. Is tagless categorically bad stuff, or does it depend on the ink used, the sensitivity of the wearer, etc.? If you don’t have an obvious allergic reaction to the ink, does that mean it is safe to wear?

Debra’s Answer

I think that there are probably several types of inks used to print the tagless tags, which may be of varying toxicity. I primarily wear 100% cotton tank tops with tagless tags. None of them have irritated my skin, nor did they have an odor. Some washed out entirely faster than others.

I don’t consider tagless tags to be a major toxic hazard. If fact, I personally actually prefer them to the scratchy polyester fabric tags that are very uncomfortable for me. I know many babies and children have developed rashes and some companies have changed their inks.

That said, some sensitive adults may very well react to them.

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