Please enter the date as yyyy-mm-dd.

brass door knobs

Dear Debra,

I was recently reading to avoid brass fixtures in water hoses due to lead leaching from them. The advice said to instead look for nickel plated hardware.

This got me thinking about how most of the door knobs in my home are brass...would there be any concern for trace amounts of lead getting on your hands from using brass door knobs?

Thanks so much.

Read the answer...

tea and honey

I know that raw honey loses many of its beneficial properties when it is heated above 94 degrees (fahrenheit). Then I got to wondering whether putting raw honey in hot tea would be counter-productive due to the heating of the honey.

Any thoughts?

Read the answer...

How to test mattress for mold contamination?

Hi Debra,
We had to move from a house that was overrun with mold. Is there a way to test our mattresses for mold contamination? From reading the other questions/answer I would guess that if it were on the surface- we might be able to clean it/sanitize with sunlight, etc. What about inside the mattress? The mattresses didn't get wet themselves and we're trying to weigh the health issues (asthma/allergies) vs. replacement costs...Thanks for any guidance.

Vicki

Read the answer...

Acrylic drinkware: Is it safe to drink from?

Question:

I just bought some acrylic plastic drinkware from Crate and Barrel. I am normally against plastic being used in my home, but I needed cheap, durable drinkware for outdoor use and everyday use. I realize these do not biodegrade easily, but I will use these until they fall apart (hopefully I will have many years of use out of these).

These will be used daily by my weak elderly Mother-in-law, since they are light weight and not easily broken.

Question:
The drinkware has the code #3 stamped on the bottom of the glass. What does this mean, and are these safe to drink from?

Read the answer...

High heat cooking

I have read that cooking food at high heat produces carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines (HAs) that are said to form with high heat cooking.

Is this true with grilling and roasting vegetables?

Also, I always like to toast my bread. Is this safe? I am not sure if toasting falls into the same category.

Lastly, I typically don't grill meat as much as broil. I actually prefer chicken not to be moist. So I will cook it for an hour with 20-30 minutes of the toaster oven set at 450 (or broil). Is this ok since it is not bbq? The meat is typically fish or chicken breasts.

Read the answer...

floor adhesives

Do you have any experience with or knowledge about adhesives for wood flooring? I have had 3 products recommended that are suppose to be environmentlally friendly, but am not convinced they are right for chemical sensitivites. The 3 products are: Bostic Best, Mapei, and TitebondIII.

Read the answer...

Lotions & Lip Gloss

My lips get really really chapped. Typically, I use vaseline but have read that these products should be avoided due to petroleum. What do you recommend that is as strong as Vaseline?

Similarly, do you have any body lotions that you recommend. I am assuming that most of the ones on the market are also made with petroleum.

Read the answer...

Oatmeal

Hi Debra,

I have two questions for you. I make oatmeal every morning, using a full glass of milk and frozen fruit. I do this the night before. Making oatmeal takes a good bit of time and I would like to do about 4 days in advance. I am not concerned whether it taste as good as fresh off the stove but is there something I should be concerned about in terms of food safety? I am not sure if the mix of milk, grains, and frozen fruit (which I think usually has citric acid, etc on it to make it last longer), could create and environment for germs, or the milk should not be out of it's container, or some of other type of food safety concern. I know making it with water in advance is ok, but I am not sure about milk with the fruit. I store it in Tupperware. Thanks (I know this is a unique question!)

Read the answer...

Looking for unscented bar soap to make laundry soap

I have a recipe to make laundry soap which calls for bar soap to be grated and added to washing soda and borax. I am looking for a suitable unscented bar soap. I can't tolerate the fragrance of the bar soaps in the laundry aisle, or even Ivory.

Can I use either an olive oil soap or perhaps Dr. Bonner's castile bar? I know I can buy soap flakes on the internet, but it's expensive. Thanks for your help.

Read the answer...

Toxic Nitrile Gloves

Dear Debra,

Getting health care has become a huge problem for me because medical facilities almost universally use Nitrile gloves (to prevent allergic reactions to latex).

I am unable to be inside any building where they are being used. Either touching or breathing will cause a severe reaction. I'm worried about escalation to anaphylactic shock.

On the Internet I've found that some others, especially health care workers, are sensitized, too.

__________________________________________

www.forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=271230

__________________________________________

My symptoms are always the same, mostly neuromuscular pain (from head to toe). The worst symptoms appear 12 to 13 hours after exposure. It's the same reaction I have when exposed to ethylene glycol (antifreeze). It's as if I have no enzymes available to detoxify this chemical.

I found a clue on the Internet:

__________________________________________

www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?WO=2006%2F058104&IA=WO2006%2F058104&DISPLAY=DESC

"Today, natural and synthetic rubber are widely used for various products such as clothing, gloves, eraser, tubing, etc. Depending on the application, the rubber product may be used in cold temperature or harsh weather. Thus, in some cases, a freeze protectant chemical is added to the rubber composition to ensure that the performance of the rubber product will not be compromised by environmental factors.

A popular freeze protectant chemical that is incorporated into rubber compositions is ethylene glycol. While there are other chemicals that would impart weather resistance to the rubber composition if mixed with rubber, ethylene glycol is preferred because of its compatibility with latex rubber. Ethylene glycol can be blended with rubber to generate a relatively smooth and usable freeze protected rubber composition. This compatibility with rubber distinguishes ethylene glycol from other freeze protective chemicals such as propylene glycol which, when blended with natural latex, triggers a process that results in coagulation and clumping. Thus, the mixture of propylene glycol and latex rubber does not lend itself to being used in products..."

_________________________________________

I can tolerate vinyl gloves. I always ask that latex gloves be removed from the room but so far I don't seem to react.

I know it's all individual but are other MCS people plagued with this seemingly unsolvable situation? (Whatever happened to , "Do no harm?")

Read the answer...

A/C Coil CLeaner

Hello Debra,

Your website has been a wonderful resource-Thankyou!

I do have a question regarding a product.

I am trying to find out where I can purchase a Commercial Non-Toxic cleaner to clean the A/C coil in the air handler inside the duplex I rent. (I have researched on the internet and called around and so far no one can help me with this so I am wondering if it even exits)

My landlord will only have the A/C coils cleaned inside (rather than taking the coil apart and cleaning it outside)and I am very sensitve to any kind of chemicals so I was wondering if you or your readers could offer any suggestions.

Thank-you so much,
Anne Donahue

Read the answer...

Safe sealant for baby items

Hi Debra,

I recently bought handmade wooden ABC magnets with paper overlays for my toddler. The magnets are not sealed, and so he's able to peel up the paper illustrations. I want to seal the paper so that he can't peel it up and swallow it, but I am at a loss as to what sealant might be non-toxic. I thought maybe Mod Podge?

Thanks to you and your readers for tackling this one.

Read the answer...

fabric softeners (liquid/sheet )

Hi from across the pond I live in the UK .

Please could you advise me on fabric softeners . Are they necessary or just a way of getting consumers to worry and thus part with money ?

Read the answer...

Safe Stainless Steel Water kettle

I have been searching for a safe stainless steel water kettle (one that a magnet sticks to) with no luck in any department store. I was wondering if anyone would know of where I could find one if there are any available.

Marie, So. Calif.

Read the answer...

Toxic Metals

I'm a mother of a 7 year old non-verbal autistic boy. I discovered your book Home Safe Home through a biomedical support group in Central Ohio that I'm a part of. Most parents that pursue biomedical intervention also known as DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) are always looking for the sources of the toxins our children are exposed to so that we may eliminate them (for example: we know that new carpeting is a huge source for antimony - a lot of families we know are having their carpet removed and we're looking into the wool carpet). We are doing periodic toxin screens (urine and/or fecal). These are the metals that our children our being tested for:

Aluminum
Antimony
Arsenic
Beryllium
Bismuth
Cadmium
Copper
Lead
Mercury
Nickel
Platinum
Thallium
Thorium
Tin
Tungsten
Uranium

It would be very helpful for me and other families in our situation if we could search for a toxin and find a list of sources that we may change. In our case, our son is pulling out an unbelievable amount of cadmium. It's almost maxed out. He's very toxic in this and we are trying to isolate some sources, but we can't seem to find it as of yet.

Please let me know if you know of a site, book, etc. that would be beneficial for our family and others like ours.

One final note, your book Home Safe Home has completely changed our lives for the better and we thank you. Our whole family has benefited from your time and effort into researching, writing, and publishing of your book. We are eternally grateful!

Read the answer...