Anti Fatigue Mat
I have been looking for a non-toxic anti-fatigue mat to use on ceramic tile. I came across an Imprint Cumulus Anti-Fatigue Mat that is made of polyurethane; it says it is environmentally friendly, non-toxic and phthalate free. I know you have posted that polyurethane is not toxic, but the chemicals added to it to make polyurethane foam are.
Nontoxic Weighted Blanket
I've been searching for a weighted blanket to find and am having no luck finding one that doesn't include some kind of polyester. The best I've found is this for example, with glass beads and certified toxic-free fabrics, but they still say the use a thin layer of polyester batting to hold the beads in place
Blackout Shades and Curtains
I’m looking for advice on a few toxic free items such as blackout shades and curtains and couches. My husband died from leukemia so I’m very concerned about toxins in the home. I’ve searched but have been unable to find zero VOC blackout shades and curtains.
Finding Upholstery Fabrics Without Fire Retardants
Thanks for dedicating your website to toxic free! I have been looking for a fabric that is not treated with stain finish or fire retardants. It looks like even 100% wool upholstery fabric is treated with FR, at least those from eBay who sell discounted fabric from design houses.
Chair Pads with Natural Fill
I am trying to find affordable chairs for my kitchen table. I have uncomfortable metal chairs now and would like to at least add chair pads. I found some cotton-covered pads, however, the batting is a polyester fill. I cannot find any chair pads with a cotton batting. Would you recommend not using anything with a polyester fill?
Non-Toxic Pad for Dining Room Table
I hate vinyl, but need a thin pad to go under my dining room tablecloth. I have searched the Internet thinking I could find latex or rubber padding but was not successful. Thoughts? There has got to be something less toxic than vinyl...
Lead-Free Crystal Door Knob
I'm looking for replacement door knobs, antique in style, and have seen several glass knobs that I like very much. Upon reading the descriptions, it seems that all the glass knobs are actually lead crystal knobs. I am aware that leaded crystal leaches lead if you drink from it, but NOWHERE can I find any information on door knobs.
Pottery Barn Kids Cotton Window Shades
I am decorating my daughter’s room and am having a hard time finding ready-made window treatments that I am comfortable using (all I want is a simple white cotton shade, which does not seem to exist these days . . .).
Organic Fabrics - Are They All Treated?
I am trying to outfit my daughter's bedroom. I have considered purchasing organic cotton fabric from fabric vendors to make my own curtains, pillow covers, bedding, etc. Is that a safe bet? Are all fabrics typically treated with formaldehyde and other chemicals?
Exposure to New Carpet While Pregnant
My husband and I are moving into a new apartment next week. They are replacing the old carpet and putting in new wall-to-wall carpet everywhere. Probably of a lower quality too because the landlord wants to save money (we offered to pay more in rent if he puts in hardwood instead but that didn't work).
Allergy to Hemp
I had some organic hemp/tencel roman shades made for my son's room, as he has asthma. The first night we installed the shades, he started wheezing. He slept in our room the next two nights and was fine. We put him back in his room, and he started wheezing again.
Safe, Wipeable Fabric for Covering Kitchen Chairs
Hi there, we just bought a new set of kitchen chairs (via Craig's List), and my husband wants to re-cover them with fabric that we can wipe down since we have three young kids. When we did this four years ago, we bought reasonably priced fabric and then a clear plastic to put on top of the fabric. The solution worked great, but I now realize that the plastic must have contained PVC and surely off-gassed.
Nontoxic Picture Frames
I never knew that even the picture frames in our homes have chemicals that can offgass. There is a new labeling system for "formaldyhyde compliant" with a phase number. I have looked everywhere for solid wood frames.
Do Mirrors (Old or New) Have Toxic Materials?
As I was taking apart a wood frame on a very old mirror, it occurred to me that the mirror might have toxic materials (such as lead, heavy metals etc) on the back of it. How about new mirrors? Any thoughts or info would be appreciated.
Non-Toxic Window Blinds
Some time ago I'd submitted a question to 3 Day Blinds about their wood blinds. They said that the finish on their wood blinds was non-toxic and low VOC. We decided to go ahead and have a home consult. We talked about all their options. The Consultant informed us that their Faux Wood Blinds were made of a polymer with no VOC, and no off-gassing. It isn't a covered MDF or anything similar; it's a more solid plastic type material. He showed us a sample and I examined/sniffed it :-).
Mohawk’s Corn-Based Carpets
Anyone know if these carpets off-gas less or more healthily than petroleum based carpets?
Mothproofed Wool Blankets from the 50’s—Are They Safe?
have a few 100% wool blankets from Ayers in Quebec that I inherited a long time ago that date back to the 50's or 60's. The tag says: Moth proof. I really loved these blankets as it is so hard nowadays to get such heavy and warm wool blankets (or if you do, you might have to pay 300$). Do you think they are still toxic, even after 50+ years to have in our home ?
Stinky New Wool Rug - What Gives?
Recently found your site and thought I'd solicit your advice. I purchased an all wool rug from Company C in December, 2006. After the first 6 weeks or so, I noticed a strong "weird" odor coming from the rug. I thought it was just the new wool rug smell. Well, was I wrong! The smell continued to grow stronger to the point I thought I was crazy. I finally contacted the company and asked some questions. Apparently, the rug was made in India, but it is all wool. The customer service rep instructed me to let the rug sit outside in the sun back side up for a whole day if possible to finish "curing" it. What the heck? Is there anything I can do to make the smell go away?