How Do I Find an Affordable, Non-Toxic Rug?

QUESTION:
I am looking for some nontoxic rugs in a new apartment and I am being extra careful to select nontoxic ones due to the fact that I have an infant. I have found that the ones sold specifically as nontoxic by the sites that are recommended here are VERY expensive, and we simply don't have the budget now for those. I noticed that IKEA sells 100% wool rugs. Are these toxic? What questions could I ask them about the rugs to determine if there is anything toxic about them? Are there widely available stores that I should check out? Because we have an infant who is just starting to crawl it is important to me to have a very thick well-cushioned rug in case she falls because the flooring underneath is marble.

Thank you.

ANSWER:
The main things you want to look for are backing materials and moth-proofing. Often latex and jute backings have strong odors. Moth-proofing is usually sprayed on wool carpets.

That said, I once found a totally nontoxic wool area rug at Home Depot, of all places. I still have it in my hallway and it has never had an odor, and I've never experienced ill effects.

I wish I could send you to "The Nontoxic Rug Store" at a mall near you, but unfortunately they don't exist.

Debra

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

Should I sand away the AFM Hard Seal on my baby's crib?

Everyone, if you have a problem with any product like this, where it seems to make the situation worse, please contact the manufacturer to get it resolved. They know best about what to do with their products. 

With AFM Hard Seal, I just want to make a caution. It's really important to check with AFM first to find out if it is appropriate to put their finish over another finish. Sometimes the finishes react with each other, which is what it sounds like happened here. 
I'm not sure if sanding is the right thing, as I don't know what will be exposed if you sand off the finish entirely. If it is bare solid wood, that's fine.

Debra :-)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

Are There Any Safe Foam Mats for Toddlers to Play On?

Question:

Does anyone know of an organic foam mat for infants/toddlers to play on? Apparently, the popular interlocking ones are toxic and were just outlawed in Belgium.

Answer:

Last week, news stories reported that Belgium and France have plans to ban the sale of soft foam puzzle play mats in 2011 due to test results showing the mats contain Formamide, a reproductive and developmental toxicant.

The situation isn’t as clear-cut as it would appear, so before you toss your play mat, consider a few things…

1. Many play mats are made of EVA, which has been the standard safer substitute for PVC – even approved by the prestigious international organization, Health Care Without Harm, for neonatal intensive care use.

2. The European ban hasn’t specified what levels of formamide they found in products that triggered alarm and what manufacturing processes may have led to it. There’s also no information yet about updated safety standards and which foam play mats might be safe (they don’t all contain these chemicals).

3. At least one manufacturer of “safer” play mats has responded with some insightful information:

Skip Hop responded with the following statement: All Skip Hop products, including the Playspot, meet or exceed regulatory safety standards in the USA and Europe, without exception. We do not add Formamide to Playspot, although it can be a byproduct of the EVA foam manufacturing process (which includes such items as flip flops and many bath toys). That said, due to these concerns, we have tested Playspot using ISO 16000 methods. We are pleased that our Playspots received the lowest possible score, <2ug/m3 (less than 2 millionths of a gram per cubic meter) for Formamide emissions, the lowest measurable result with this testing method. These tests show that – within the limits of the test – its presence is essentially not detectable. Therefore, the Playspot is a safe EVA floor mat option for children and you should feel confident that we have specifically tested for this issue.

What should you do?

• If you have a play mat, you should contact their customer service department directly for more information.
• If you’re looking for a safer play mat, consider Skip Hop (above), Natural Foam Playmat (“Formamide, Acetaphenone, 2 Phenyl 2 Propanol free”); or Plan Toys Play Mat (“Plan Toys are made from natural, chemical free rubber wood and finished with non-toxic and child friendly colors”). Their company statements have not been verified by us, but these companies have historically provided safer products.
• If you’re still skeptical and concerned, consider play mat substitutes like natural yoga mats and natural, untreated textile rugs.

This answer was provided by our fabulous Chief Communications Officer, Janelle. See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!

What’s a safe way to clean tough messes (urine, etc.) from carpets?

There are a number of ways to clean carpets without dangerous chemicals. Blotting is a good way to clean up stains quickly, Blot with white paper towels or clean fabric; stand on the absorbents so they penetrate more deeply into the stain, then remove. Don't rub the carpet with the paper towel or fabric; just repeat using clean absorbent material.

Scoop as much of the stain as possible onto a spoon or appropriate implement.

Nothing works better than baking soda to remove odors from a carpet; it literally neutralizes them on the spot. Sprinkle baking soda over the stains and leave it on overnight. You may need a box or two to really do the trick. To avoid clogging up your vacuum cleaner, sweep off as much baking soda as you can, then vacuum up the rest. For a urine neutralizer use borax or baking soda or spray of club soda (do not rinse; soak up moisture with a sponge if necessary).

Are carpet cleaners safe?

Some carpet cleaners –especially spot removers– can be particularly dangerous, because they contain toxic chemical solvents. These products dissolve dirt without soap and water, but give off strong odors and can leave behind chemical residues. Other potentially problematic ingredients in carpet cleaners include compounds that produce lots of fumes (like formaldehyde ), acids, pesticides, disinfectants, lye (sodium hydroxide), fragrances and many others. There are ways to clean carpets without dangerous chemicals.

Visit the Marketplace section of our website for companies that specialize in eco-friendly cleaning products.

I am pregnant and my new carpet has a chemical odor. Is it possible that the chemicals in the new carpet can be dangerous to the fetus and my young son? If, so what should I do?

Your sense of smell is alerting you to chemicals present in new carpeting. Carpeting, its backing material, adhesives and carpet padding can all contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which evaporate – causing the smell. And, unfortunately, some VOCs may indeed have health effects on your fetus as well as cause respiratory problems for your young son.

Do not try to clean the carpet with more harsh chemicals. Try to thoroughly steam clean your carpets with plain water. Ventilation (opening windows, turning on fans) is also essential to keep VOCs from building up in indoor air. It will also help your carpet dry completely and quickly. It’s important to continue to maintain a clean carpet as it can easily become a haven for dust mites and other toxins.

Is wall-to-wall carpeting safe?

Nothing in life is perfectly safe and accordingly, there are inherent risks to any kind of flooring. The problem with carpeting is that it's a convenient home to microorganisms such as mold, mildew and dust mites. It is also a reservoir for everything you track indoors on your shoes soil, lawn chemicals, lead dust from chalking house paint, asbestos fibers from automotive brake linings, animal feces, and anything else found on the ground outdoors.

If you have carpeting, be sure to vacuum it regularly with a HEPA filtered vacuum and clean it thoroughly every 12-18 months. Find out tips for cleaning carpets without chemicals here.

If you are looking into flooring options, we recommend an easy to clean hard surface like cork or hardwood (though, find out what types of adhesives or coatings are used) with a washable rug made from natural materials like organic wool. Still, most people like to have carpet at least somewhere in there home – and it is extremely affordable. Look for carpets that follow sustainable carpet standards like those outlined by the Carpet and Rug Institute. 

Does Paint Off-Gas After it's Dry?

QUESTION:

Hello. When painting walls, does the paint continue to off-gas VOCs long after it's dry? Trying to figure out how safe our home will be when we move back in (we won't be exposed to any wet paint). Thank you!

ANSWER:

There’s no cut and dry answer to this commonly asked question. How long paints off-gas depends on many variables, such as the type of paint (oil or water-based, flat or enamel, the VOC content, etc), the surface being painted (wood, metal, drywall), the climate (humid or dry), and ventilation.

According to David Johnston in Green Remodeling, “You apply the wet paint and several hours later, the paint is dry. During the drying period, the volatile solvent in the paint vaporizes to a gas, known as “off-gassing,” leaving the non-volatile portion of the paint on the wall. Most VOCs are released into the air during this off-gassing period. You should open windows and use fans to move the VOCs out of your indoor air as quickly as possible. Turning up the heat also makes the paint dry and offgas faster. The rate of off-gassing dissipates dramatically within a few days. However, the paint may continue to offgas small amounts for the lifetime of the paint, especially as the paint begins to age and chip small flecks of paint that can become trapped in your rug. It is best to avoid VOCs altogether when you are buying paints or any other products for your home.”

That said, it’s important to consider the off-gassing of all the products and finishes in an enclosed area, and not just the paint, when reducing toxicity to improve indoor air quality.

This answer was provided by our fabulous Chief Communications Officer, Janelle. See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!

I know there are probably a lot of alternative names for formaldehyde used in products. Do you know or have a list of the other names?

Here are the ones I could find: 

Formalin 
Methanal 
Methyl aldehyde 
Methylene oxide 
Morbicid acid 
Oxymethylene 



And these preservatives, found in personal care products, release formaldehyde: Quaternium-15 
2-bromo-2nitropropane-1,3-diol imidazolidinyl urea 
diazolidinyl urea

Debra :-)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

How Can I Find Safer Bedding on a Budget?

QUESTION:

Erin, from our Facebook community, asks:

" I live in Canada, and NEED new bedding [comforter/duvet covers] for both master suite and son's room. Should I be looking for something in particular for a healthier home? What should I stay away from, and what can I do on budget?"

ANSWER:

Since you spend one-third of your life sleeping, it's important to have a healthy bed. Still, creating the healthiest nest on a budget can be challenging. Here are some things to consider in your search:

• Organic fibers are safest followed by Oeko-Tex certified textiles and then those produced according to the Global Organic Textiles Standards.
• Conventional cotton batting has pesticide residues, but conventional cotton fabric does not.
• Avoid textiles labelled "permanent press," "stain resistant," "antibacterial," or any other type of signal word that implies the fabric has been treated.
• If you buy a new conventionally grown cotton duvet cover (without the aforementioned treatments), simply wash it a few times to get rid of any temporary sizing that has been applied to the fabric.

Personally, I opt for gently used bedding made of natural textiles and fillers. It's much more affordable. It's likely been washed enough times to significantly reduce or eliminate any chemical treatments. And, it's more environmentally-friendly. You can find beautiful (and even organic) options quite frequently on eBay.

This answer was provided by our fabulous Chief Communications Officer, Janelle. See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!

How Long Do Products Off-Gas?

QUESTION:

Being the last of my friends to have a baby, I can literally borrow everything I need from cribs to swings to clothing. However, I know none of them bought anything organic or non-toxic. Most of these items are anywhere from 2 - 5 years old so I am wondering how long items offgas. From what I've read on your response to older posts it seems that if there is not an odor, it is safe. Is this the guideline I should use? How long do items offgas? Do I need to just start from scratch and buy all of the expensive non-toxic baby items?

Thanks,

Deanna

ANSWER:

"If there is not an odor, it is safe," is usually a good rule to follow, but it's not 100%. There could be chemicals outgassing that you cannot smell, for one reason or another.

Furniture with particleboard and standard finishes do outgas over time. You can certainly smell the difference between new particleboard furniture and particleboard furniture that has outgassed. How long that takes depends on the conditions of the room where the furniture has been.

Clothing that has been washed many times is likely to be OK, if it hasn't been washed in highly scented detergent.

I think you need to examine each item and see if it seems OK to you.

But I would be very careful and err on the side of caution. Babies are extremely vulnerable to toxic chemicals as their detoxification systems are not yet fully developed.

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!

Is Polyurethane Toxic?

QUESTION: Is Polyurethane Toxic?

ANSWER: I just happened to receive two questions this week about the toxicity of polyurethane, so I thought I would write a separate post on this chemical.

In the past, we mostly heard about polyurethane foam, which is used to make mattresses, seat cushions, and other such products. That is toxic.

Now, there are new products that have a thin polyurethane film fused to fabric to make it waterproof. As best as I can tell, this is made from a different type of polyurethane, probably the type that is used to produce FDA dry and wet food grade urethanes.

Here's the chemistry lesson: Polyurethane (or "urethane" for short) is the name given to a class of petrochemical resins that contain isocyanates.

There are three different polyurethanes:

1. Toluene Diisocyante (TDI)
2. Diphenylmethane Diisocyanate (MDI)
3. Paraphenylene Diisocyanate (PPDI)

And they are made into chemicals that fall into eight major groups:

1. MDI-Esters: produce FDA dry and wet food grade urethanes.
2. TDI-Esters
3. MDI-Ethers: Some are adaptable to FDA and USDA application for wet and dry food contact.
4. TDI-Ethers
5. PPDI-Esters
6. MDI
7. TDI: used to make polyurethane foam for mattresses, cushions etc
8. PPDI

So when you read that something is made from "polyurethane" you need to also find out what type of polyurethane it is.

It's likely that the MDI food grade polyurethane is a lot less toxic than the TDI polyurethane foam. To research the health effects of every polyurethane is beyond the scope of this blog at the moment. But I've done enough research to see that the toxicity of one "polyurethane" is different than another. It's unfortunate that the same word is used to refer to a whole class of chemicals of varying toxicity.

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!

Is there Lead in my reverse osmosis spigot?

QUESTION:
We have well water with a reverse osmosis (RO) unit under our kitchen sink. I recently met a man who was working with the laws for testing lead in Nebraska. He said that currently there are problems with many of the spigots leaching large amounts of lead into the RO water. He is trying to change the testing procedures to just test the first small amount of water that is drawn from the spigot first thing in the morning rather than the normal testing of one liter of water. He is worried that the one-liter testing is diluting the lead levels and not looking at real life use—filling up small glass of water for your child. He also said that the original spigots that come with the RO unit are not as bad; however, the replacement spigots that are often used to match other colors of kitchen faucets are sometimes showing up to ten times the allowable limit of lead. Our spigot is a replacement so I am really worried. I have contacted a state authorized lab for lead testing in water and we will be testing our RO water (both a small and one liter sample size for testing). I'm just wondering if others have heard anything about this? Does anyone know of a source for spigots that are lead free and safe from other contaminates, preferably manufactured in the USA?
Thanks!

ANSWER:
I wrote a post a couple of years ago about Lead-Free Water Faucets. I don't know what the regulations are for replacement spigots, but the lead issues may be similar.

I suggest that you test the water coming out of your R/O unit for lead to be sure.

Debra

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

How do I reduce off-gassing in hardwood blinds?

QUESTION:
I special ordered white American Hardwood blinds. I got them in November and although there is no longer a strong smell, my nose burns when I sit near them and I've been getting headaches. My husband and two toddlers don't seem bothered by these blinds, but because these are in my kid's bedrooms I'm concerned about the effects of the paint.

The company I bought them from told me that I could cure in the smell by washing the blinds with Murphy's oil or Lemon Pledge. My concern is that this will smell worse.

I'm wondering if they could still be off-gassing? Do you think they may need more time to completely off-gas?

ANSWER:
It can take quite a while for wood finishes to completely cure, especially in colder weather. Finishes can cause symptoms, even if you can't smell the finish. Even though finishes can be "dry to the touch," they are still curing and still releasing chemicals.

I suggest heat, as heat makes the chemicals outgas faster. I would take down the blinds and hang them in a small room, like the bathroom, if you have a second bathroom. Then place a couple of space heaters in the bathroom, and "bake out" the finish.

Personally, I wouldn't wash them with Murphy's or Lemon Pledge. These could add additional odors and wouldn't actually contribute to drying out the finish, which is what is required to end the out-gassing.

Debra :)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

How Long Should I Let Freshly Coated Walls and Floors Off-Gas?

QUESTION:
We are moving to a new house and had the floors redone with a water based coating (3 finishes) and rooms painted with low VOC paint. I am six months pregnant and have a 3 year old daughter. How long should I stay out of house to prevent harm to my baby?

ANSWER:
I can't give you a definitive time, as the amount of time it takes for a finish to completely cure depends on the conditions, but you want to allow time for the finish to completely cure and stop outgassing volatile vapors. 

Heat will speed the process. I would say that if you heated the rooms for about a week, they should be safe at that point.

Debra :-)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

How do I get rid of the smell from not-so-recently refinished wood floors?

QUESTION:
I recently moved into an apartment that, back in November of 2008, had the hardwood floors refinished with what I think is polyurethane. When I first looked at the place, there was a fairly strong chemical odor that I thought was from the recent painting of the apartment, but now that I've moved in I'm realizing that it hasn't dissipated. I've put my nose to the hardwood floors and there is definitely a sharp chemical smell coming from them. Do you know what would cause floors to smell this strongly months after they've been refinished? Is there anything I can do now to dispel the odor? Thank you.

ANSWER:
It could be polyurethane, but the toxic kind. 

If it were water-based polyurethane, the odor would have dissipated by now. But there are still oil-based wood finishes on the market that continue to outgas for several years. 

Heat treatment is the best way to handle this. Just remove people, pets, and plants from your apartment, close everything up, and turn up the heat as high as you can. It may take a few days or a week of heating to cure the finish so it no longer outgasses. Then open all the windows and air it out before you move back in.

Debra :-)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

Do you have any recommendations for safer caulking?

QUESTION:
I need to do some caulking and have been looking at the MSDS for Elmer's caulking. There are two products that appear to be less toxic than most other brands. One is the All Purpose White Acrylic Latex and the White Squeeze and Caulk. Has anyone else had any experience with either of these? I have included the links to the MSDS for both. Thank you for any help or advice that you can offer.

ANSWER:
Actually both of these look good in comparison to other caulks. All of the hazardous ingredients listed are listed because they are dust hazards for workers who are making the product, but not a hazard for the end user because the dust is bound up with other ingredients. Also the health hazard is rated 1, which is slight. I'm going to look for these next time we need to caulk.

Debra :-)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

Should I seal my particle board cabinets?

QUESTION:
Our home has a lot of particle board cabinets with white laminate. Is there something non toxic I could use to seal it and prevent glue molecules from leaching into the air?

ANSWER:
I don't think it's necessary to seal your cabinets. If laminate is covering the particleboard, I don't think formaldehyde will go through the laminate. Nor would glue molecules leach through laminate. If you do have any exposed particleboard. AFM Enterprises makes a product called Safe Seal that will block emissions from particleboard.

Debra

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

What are Safe Options for Portable Heaters?

I had someone ask this week about portable heaters. I had written that I have a "ceramic heater" with a metal housing and she didn't know what a ceramic heater was, or what to look for. So I'm going to give you a little review here of different types of portable heaters that come with metal housings, including pictures, so you know what your options are.

First, though, I want to say that with any portable heater with a meal housing, there will be an initial odor from the paint that is not fully cured. These paints are heat cured during manufacture, but there can be residual outgassing as the paint it dry to the touch, but not fully cured. Once the paint is fully outgassed, you can use these heaters with no problem.

About outgassing heaters...From reading your comments, I see that some of you are not outgassing them long enough. It requires a lot more than a few hours. I gave mine to a friend to use all winter. Others have just run the heater outdoors or in the garage. How long you need to outgas the heater depends on the model and even within specific models there are differences. Just heat it until it doesn't smell any more. But we're talking about 100 hours or more of heat before the smell goes away.

You can buy some of these heaters used, like on eBay or try your local Craig's List. A used heater will already be gassed out and you'll save money too.

I don't think you will find a heater on your local store shelves that does not smell initially. But if you bake it out, the smell will eventually burn off and you will have a good serviceable heater. There are some heaters you can buy online that are unpainted.

Ceramic heater

I have two ceramic heaters with metal housings that I purchased more than ten years ago. But I have not been able to find them recently in stores.

A reader wrote in that the Pelonis Disc Ceramic Heater Model # PF1212-B6A1 is in a metal housing. She called the company to confirm it was all metal.

I've noticed now that the ceramic heaters in metal casings are called "utility heaters." Here are some that say "all metal construction" in their description.

• Patton 1500W Utility Heater PUH682
• Honeywell 1,500-Watt All Metal Heater #HZ-2110
• Holmes PUH680-U Utility Heater

There are a lot more. The way I found these was I did a Google search on "utility heater" and it gave me Goggle search results for utility heater. I just started clicking and reading descriptions. Sometimes I had to read descriptions from several different vendors to find out they had metal housings. If any of you would like to continue to check through this list and find more, please post what you find as a comment.

These utility heaters are the least expensive heating option, around $40. They are not beautiful, but they will heat your room.

Radiator heater

These are oil-filled heaters that look like old radiators. The oil is completely sealed in and should not leak. I have one and it works very well to heat up one room. And it's totally silent. Has no fan. These are made by many different brands.

Baseboard heater

Baseboard heaters are filled with water or other substances. One reader wrote that she moved into an apartment with 50-year-old baseboard hot water/oil heaters that also contained glycol, which was leaking. She and her cat got very sick. So that's something to watch out for.

Another reader wrote that she installed Cadet Soft Heat baseboard heaters throughout her house and there is no odor.

Radiant heaters

A reader recommended radiant heaters from Radiant Electric Heat. They have stainless steel models "which produces no chemicals, dust particles, odors or fumes." They have portable models and models that attach to the wall. Company is experienced working with people with MCS.

Infrared Heaters

The heat produced by infrared heaters and the heat produced by sun are very much alike. The heat we feel on our planet is infrared heat produced by the sun. In contrast to most heaters, Infrared heaters do not heat the air in the area and do not cause circulation of the warm air--instead they heat objects directly. The rays produced by an infrared heater penetrate the skin and warm your body beneath the skin.

I don't have any experience with these, but a reader recommended them. They are the heat source for far-infrared saunas.

In looking at these online, I think the trick would be to find one that doesn't have a plastic or particleboard cabinet, or one with toxic finishes on a wood cabinet. But the technology seems workable.

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!

What's a Safe High Chair Replacement Cover

QUESTION:

I need a replacement cover for my graco highchair. I was contemplating trying to sew my own, and oil cloth had been suggested...but then I read it is all pvc and that might not be the best choice for my little one to be hanging out in. Thoughts/ideas/suggestions?

ANSWER:

Marimekko is a high-end oil cloth that is phthalate-free PVC, but there is also an alternative known as polyurethane laminated cotton (e.g. Amy Butler PUL laminated cotton).

PUL cotton, nylon or polyester would all be safer than PVC oilcloth - but clearly all are synthetic polymers so not the overall safest or most eco-friendly choice if you consider the full life cycle. Still, PUL cotton is commonly used for cloth diaper covers, bibs, reusable sandwich bags, rain gear, and a wide variety of other child-friendly products. Personally, I would comfortably use PUL for a high chair seat cover (Here are some tips for successfully sewing using PUL).

You can also choose to make a few out of a strong, washable textile and then toss the dirty ones in with the wash and replace with a clean one as necessary. Here's a tutorial

This answer was provided by our fabulous Chief Communications Officer, Janelle. See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!