chemical issues and health

[snikwahpn]

So what did we do for my wife? One thing was de-toxing techniques, suggested by the doctor I mentioned earlier. But we also had to take steps to reduce the background level of formaldehyde and other toxins in our home. The book recommended getting at least one room as a safe area, and then expand from there. But we had to learn a lot more about safe materials. On wood and wood products, the closer to real wood, the better; particleboard is the worst, exterior plywood uses a different-based glue and is safer than particleboard or interior plywood. Formica is a thin layer of plastic on a particleboard base, so we had to quit using it for countertops. With plastics and vinyl, the softer it is the worse it is--cushioned sheet vinyl is bad, old-fashioned commercial vinyl tile is one of the best. Carpet is a no-no for us; the carpet industry claims they don't use formaldehyde, but the truth is they use chemicals on carpets that break down and release formaldehyde. Laminate flooring is a thin layer on a fiberboard base, so we avoid that.

So we got carpets out of our dwelling, re-did the kitchen and ditched the particleboard cabinets for used kitchen cabinets that were about 20 years old but in good shape (not the latest style--people tend to re-do kitchens every 20-25 years--I know that because I've done a lot of kitchen remodels for customers!). I made our countertops out of ceramic tile on exterior plywood backing, using oak for trim at the edges and walls. We had always preferred real wood furniture, so that was not too much of an issue. Beds are an issue: federal law requires most mattresses to be treated with flame retardant--that was started because of people smoking in bed, and they have left the rule up in spite of the decline in smoking these days. For our current mattress use I found an online company that sold non-flame-retardant foam, cut to the size you need, for making your own replacement cushions for furniture--https://www.foambymail.com/. But we still got it and let it sit for a year or so before using, to allow some time for out-gassing.

There were some other oddball issues we had to deal with. Drywall itself is safe enough, but it can absorb toxins like formaldehyde, and release it later. Even latex paint is not safe for her when applied; we found that if I painted the bedroom, it would be two weeks before she could sleep in it again. An old friend of ours was head of the lab at a paint manufacturer--when I told him about this, he named the chemical; it is used as a defoamer, to reduce bubbles in the paint as you apply it. But while the paint may dry in an hour or so, it takes two weeks for the defoamer to outgas and go away. For most people that would not be a problem; for chemically sensitive people it is.