Submitted questions will be posted with my response by the following Tuesday or before.
Submitted comments will be moderated and approved within 24 hours.
Green cleaner for a ceramic cooktop
Question from Marissa
We just moved into a house with new kitchen appliances. The stove has a ceramic cooktop and came with a small bottle of cleaner made by Whirlpool (also the maker or the stove). Judging from the smell alone I doubt its non-toxic. It list only one ingredient, citric acid. It has a caution warning for eye irritant. I read on here that cream of tartar might work and would like some more suggestions. Where do you get cream of tartar? I’m new to the non-toxic, green stuff so any help would be appreciated!
Debra’s Answer
Citric acid is fine. It’s just vitamin C. So go ahead and use it if there are no other harmful ingredients. And when you’ve used up that bottle, replace it with vitamin C.
How about DuPont Real Touch Elite laminate?
Question from Wenwei Weng
hello Debra,
You recommend Wilsonart laminate, which is GREENGUARD certified.
DuPont Real Touch Elite laminate flooring products are GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified as well.
www.flooring.dupont.com/en/gg.shtml
What is your view on DuPont Real Touch Elite laminate?
Thanks.
Debra’s Answer
I don’t have any personal experience with either of these laminate products, but they would be safer than others because they have been tested and approved by GREENGUARD. I always recommend your own “sniff test” of any material before putting it in your home.
Removing Hard Water Deposits
Question from PJ
Dear Debra,
I’d like to know what the current version of Calgon water softener is made from and if it is a safe and effective cleaner for hard water deposits. Can you help me? I can’t find information about the current version, just the older version, which I believe contained sodium hexametaphosphate. Thank you.
Debra’s Answer
I went to the Calgon website and called their 800 number. They told me the ingredients are salt, polymer, thickener and fragrance. Hmmmmm…it used to be sodium hexametaphosphate and fragrance. Since the active water softening ingredient here is salt, I would just use the cheapest salt you can find.
I’m not sure salt alone would be effective to remove hard water deposits. It does soften water. Readers, any ideas for removing hard water deposits?
Sugar in Lotions
Question from Kathy
I have hypoglycemia and use a lotion called Radiance Body Lotion by Burt’s Bees. I watch my sugar intake but sometimes I feel tired like I’ve eaten sugar. I wonder if the sugar in the lotion could be affecting me. It contains glucose (sugar), sucrose distearate (sugar emulsifier), and glucose oxidase.
Debra’s Answer
I would say the answer is YES, sugar from the lotion can be absorbed through your skin. If I needed to watch my sugar intake, I would avoid any skin products that contain sugar or any other sweetener.
Sewing Machine Oil
Question from Dana
Dear Debra,
Thank you so much for providing this great website & blog!
I would like to know the toxicity of sewing machine oil. I’ve heard that jojoba oil can be used as a substitute and would like to try that on my sewing and knitting machines. However, I am a bit nervous about doing this as I don’t want to ruin my equipment.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Debra’s Answer
Regular sewing machine oil is just standard petrochemical oil. I think jojoba would be fine and won’t ruin your machine.
Readers, what do you use?
Smelly Freezer
Question from fairydust
I bought a mid-size, top loading freezer at a garage sale and it has a smell I need to get rid of. I have cleaned it with soap and let it air out for days. I turned it on and put baking soda in it and the smell is still there.
Any suggestions on how to get the smell out using natural products or methods?
Debra’s Answer
Readers?
Blog Will Resume June 4
My husband and I are driving from Florida to Ottawa, Canada and back, where I will be giving a seminar on elminating chemicals in the home that cause cancer. Feel free to post any comments and questions, and I’ll put them up when I return.
Liquid Cane Sugar
Question from Jenny
First off, I wanted to say how much I admire your writing and research. I refer to it often as I am a certified Bau Biologist and active in the green and sustainable community in Baltimore.
I came across a product and I was wondering whether you had ever heard of it. It is a commercial sugar cane syrup made in the U.S. The glycemic count is supposed to be lower than conventional sugar and/or corn syrup.
Here is the link http://www.sugar-shots.com/products.html. I was looking for a product to substitute in sno cones as they are very popular here. I also knew that at certain times of the year Coke uses sugar cane syrup as a substitute. Some people watch for these special bottles as the flavor is supposed to be better. I thought this might be a good solution.
Thanks for your thoughts and consideration.
Debra’s Answer
Sugar Shots are simply sugar mixed with water to make what is known in culinary circles as “simple syrup.” You can save a lot of money by making this yourself (see my directions at
Simple Syrup).
It is no different from eating refined white sugar. They do have an “organic” sugar shot that may be made from whole evaporated cane juice. I didn’t check on this. But still, again, you can make it yourself at a lower cost.
You can also make simple syrup from honey or any other sweetener.
I put fresh fruit juice on my snow cones.
Magnetically-attractive stainless steel cookware
Question from Sandy
I recently read your letters concerning cookware and I have a question:
My understanding is that All Clad’s magnetically-attractive Stainless Steel cookware is the safest choice for stainless steel.
What is your opinion, please?
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Sandy
Debra’s Answer
First of all, All Clad cookware has magnetic stainless steel on the OUTSIDE of the pan, not on the inside where it would come in contact with the food. So it has no relationship to food safety at all.
Why magnetic steel on the exterior? According to a review of All Clad at Epinions.com (which also states that All Clad takes longer to heat, requiring greater energy consumption), the exterior magnetic layer is there to allow these pans to be used on Induction cooktops. Because induction uses magnetic fields to heat the pan, not heat, specific types of cookware that work with the magnetic fields are needed–magnetic stainless steel, cast iron, and steel covered in enamel or porcelain. Glass, aluminum, copper, and non-magnetic steel will not work on induction cooktops. If you are not using induction, however, there is no reason to purchase magnetic steel cookware.
An article by Dr. Ray Peat, a biochemist. He says:
I checked around a few website to verify this idea that magnetic stainless steel contains less nickel than nonmagnetic, and indeed, it is true.
At http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=1140 they say:
Slug Problem
Question from Joy
I am wondering if you have any recommendations on how I might kill garden slugs naturally rather than using the pellets or other chemical options sold at stores. I have seen a couple of natural products online, but am not sure how well they work or if I might be able to make something at home that works just as well? Thank you.
Joy
Debra’s Answer
I used to live in Inverness, California, where we had giant banana slugs.
I kid you not, my neighbors used to just pick them up and saute them in butter and garlic and eat them (a local food!).
I would set out pie plates filled half-full with beer in the evening. That seemed to work.
Readers, your suggestions?
