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My Chemical-Free House

A Guide to Creating a Healthy Home

  • Healthy Building
    • Insulation
    • Windows & Window Treatments
    • Glues & Caulks
    • Grout & Mortar
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      • Drywall Mud & Wall Texture
    • Showers
    • Doors
    • Pressed Wood Products
    • Sheathing & Subfloor
    • Pipes
    • Alternative Building Systems
    • Non-Toxic Prefabs
    • Building for the Chemically Sensitive
    • How to Test Materials
  • Healthy Interiors
    • Flooring
      • Gym Flooring
      • Flooring Underlayment
    • Kitchen Cabinets
    • Countertops
    • Mattresses
    • Sofas
    • Leather Furniture
    • Desks and Chairs
    • Sealers
      • Paint
      • Mineral Paints
      • Linseed & Tung Oil
      • Natural Wood Pigments
      • Natural Plaster
      • Natural Countertop Sealers
      • Concrete Sealers
      • Wood Finishes
    • Bathroom
      • Bathroom Vanities
    • Rugs
    • Wallpaper
    • Kitchen Appliances
    • Heaters
    • Reduce Flame Retardants
    • Reduce New Home Offgassing
    • Reduce Fragrance & Smoke
    • Air Purifiers for VOCs
    • Cleaning Products & Air Fresheners
    • Personal Care Products
    • Green Certifications
    • Gift Guide
  • Healthy exteriors/gardens
    • Decking Materials
    • Deck Stains
    • Deck Cleaners
    • Exterior Paints
    • Sealant for Concrete Birdbaths
  • Tiny Homes and Trailers
    • List: Simple Homes & Shelters
    • List: Trailers & RVs
    • List: Emergency Housing
    • Cargo Van Conversion
    • All Metal Tiny Home
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    • All Aluminum Travel Trailer
    • Cargo Trailer Conversion
    • Teardrop Trailer
    • Tiny House Systems
    • Flooring for Vans, Trailers
    • Composting Toilets
    • How to Offgas that New Car Smell
    • Building for Chemically Sensitivity
  • Mold-Free Building
    • A Detailed Mold Preventative Build
    • The Causes of Mold in Tiny Houses
    • How “High Performance” can Help Prevent Mold
  • Mold-Free Interiors
    • Mold Testing Overview
    • Air Purifiers for Mold
    • Ozone to Kill Mold
  • Mold Avoidance Paradigm
    • Decon your Car
    • Camping Gear
    • Planning a Sabbatical
    • Traveling with Environmental Sensitivities
    • Locations Effect Ebook
    • The Locations Effect – Canadian Locations
    • The Locations Effect – Caribbean Campsites
    • Interview: Healing MCS with Mold Avoidance

healthy decor

The 18 Best Non-Toxic Rugs (That You Can Buy Online)

February 5, 2023 by Corinne 116 Comments

There are only a few companies that have gone the extra mile to fully disclose what is in their rugs.

These are the top companies making healthy area rugs safe for those avoiding toxins in the home, as well as safe for nurseries with crawling babies, and sensitive pets.

Those avoiding chemicals should avoid area rugs with synthetic latex backing, glues, synthetic moth treatment which is a pesticide – usually permethrin, and other topical treatments such as stain guard treatments.

For those very sensitive to chemicals, you may even want to avoid rugs treated with detergents, bleach, or dyes (possibly even the eco dyes).

[Read more…] about The 18 Best Non-Toxic Rugs (That You Can Buy Online)

Filed Under: Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy decor, healthy interiors

Non-Toxic Closet & Shelving Systems

August 8, 2021 by Corinne 3 Comments

Non-toxic healthy closet, storage, and organization systems should be made of materials that do not offgas VOCs or are extremely low in VOCs.

The following options can be considered for the chemically sensitive or those avoiding toxins for health reasons.

[Read more…] about Non-Toxic Closet & Shelving Systems

Filed Under: Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy decor, healthy interiors

Choosing a Non-Toxic Vinyl Plank Floor

July 21, 2021 by Corinne 114 Comments

Vinyl Plank, Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP), and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) are very low in VOCs and offgassing.

Most people find it odorless, but those like me with a high sense of smell can pick up a little bit of offgassing.

I pick up the chemical odor off every brand I have sampled (they are all very similar) and I do have concerns about plasticizers (which all brands contain) and small amounts of metals, explained further in the article.

Just about all vinyl plank is phthalate-free now – though phthalates were replaced with alternate plasticizers. The most common plasticizer used now is DOTP.

[Read more…] about Choosing a Non-Toxic Vinyl Plank Floor

Filed Under: Healthy Building Tagged With: Healthy building, healthy decor, healthy interiors

Non-Toxic (Low-VOC) Sealants for Marble, Granite, Limestone

June 3, 2021 by Corinne 11 Comments

This is a post is about sealants for light-colored marble, light granites, limestone, and other light-colored cool-tone stones. The sealers are intended for food-contact areas like countertops, stone serving boards, and stone bowels, as well as areas like stone tile backsplashes.

My post on all-natural oil-based sealers for stones focuses on walnut oil (and other non-toxic oils) that work best on dark-colored, medium-tone (or beige-toned) stones since they do darken and yellow the stones slightly.

There is no 100% natural sealer for white and light-colored stones. This should be considered early on if it’s a new build for someone chemically sensitive.

Light-colored stones are also much more likely to be porous compared to some darker-colored stones that can be naturally dense enough to not require a sealant in food prep areas.

Manufacturers of natural stone countertops usually recommend a penetrating or impregnating sealant every few years (depending on the type of stone, the use, etc).

These sealants do not fully disclose their ingredients, but I have dug into the literature to see what is likely in them. Most of them use fluoropolymers as the main technology, a type of PFAS. If you are avoiding PFAS (“forever chemicals”), there is one sealant on the market that is zero-VOC and not based on PFAS.

These four sealers are ones I have researched, compared and actually tested myself. They are the safest, lowest offgassing options out there right now.

[Read more…] about Non-Toxic (Low-VOC) Sealants for Marble, Granite, Limestone

Filed Under: Healthy Building, Healthy Interiors Tagged With: Healthy building, healthy decor, healthy interiors

The Healthiest Non-Toxic Carpet Brands

May 11, 2021 by Corinne 90 Comments

For safe, non-toxic carpet, both natural and synthetic fiber options can be a healthy choice.

The post outlines my top picks in the zero and low-VOC categories for residential and commercial use. This includes a look at the carpet fiber, backing, products used during installation, and padding (underlay).

Even folks who are chemically sensitive can do well with carpet in the home.

[Read more…] about The Healthiest Non-Toxic Carpet Brands

Filed Under: Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy decor, healthy interiors

A Complete Guide to Non-Toxic Sofa Brands | 2023

May 8, 2021 by Corinne 201 Comments

This is a complete list of eco-friendly non-toxic sofa brands.

I start with the best of the best non-toxic sofas, digging into what’s really in them, this is followed by a “next best” list, and then a look at some simpler and more affordable options.

Non-Toxic Sofas and Couches – What to Look For:

  • Natural cushion fill such as natural latex, cotton, down, and wool.
  • No chemical/formaldehyde treatments on the fabric (such as stain and water-resistant coatings, especially PFAS).
  • Eco Leather – Conventional leather is made with toxic dyes and treatments. Some folks may prefer leather due to the ability to wipe it down. Brands that use safer leather are covered in a dedicated post.
  • Solid wood construction, not formaldehyde filled pressed wood products.
  • Zero or low-VOC glues, stains, and varnishes
  • Flame retardant free (my post on flame retardants goes into detail on which ones we want to avoid) but the picks here are all FR free.
  • Polyurethane does offgas at low levels, but I don’t rule it out completely. Make sure it is flame retardant free (“Soy Foam” is still polyurethane with some soy). I avoid memory foam which is higher in offgassing. Almost all foam can meet CertiPUR certification VOC levels, but the certification does help weed out abnormalities.
  • GOTS Certified fabrics and GOLS certified latex are best – which are explained in this post on certifications. (GreenGuard Gold is not needed, every sofa can probably meet that level of offgassing; it’s more important than the foams and fabrics are certified).
[Read more…] about A Complete Guide to Non-Toxic Sofa Brands | 2023

Filed Under: Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy decor, healthy interiors

Non-Toxic Windows, Blinds & Curtains

May 1, 2021 by Corinne 102 Comments

1. Window frame materials – Windows made of thermally broken aluminum are the top choice for non-toxic windows. Accoya wood is also a healthy window option. Some vinyl and fiberglass brands can be considered, though they do offgas.

2. Window treatments – Natural untreated fabric, natural fiber roll-down blinds, non-painted aluminum blinds, and aluminum screens are the top choices for healthy window treatments. Blackout bamboo shades, polyester curtains, hemp, cotton, and paper pleated shades should be considered as well. Avoid PVC shades/curtains, flame retardant treated fabrics, wrinkle-free finishes, and wood and aluminum blinds with finishes that offgas.

3. Window sealing – Polyurethane canned foam is the norm, which does cure quite well. The least toxic option is backer rod.

[Read more…] about Non-Toxic Windows, Blinds & Curtains

Filed Under: Healthy Building, Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy decor, healthy interiors

Non-Toxic Wall Paints, Vetted by the Chemically Sensitive

April 28, 2021 by Corinne 114 Comments

Which Paints are Truly Safe?

There is a myriad of paints claiming to be green, natural, or zero-VOC, but most don’t list their ingredients, others list the main components, while some only list what has to be legally disclosed on a safety data sheet (SDS).

This article investigates past the marketing jargon to compare all of the options that claim to be zero-VOC or natural.

This post covers interior wall paints for drywall, plasterboard, plaster, and wood.

I break the paints into categories based on their formulas:

  • 1) Latex Paint which includes acrylic paint and VAE paint
  • 2) Natural Paint which includes mineral paint, clay paint, and milk paint
  • 3) Linseed-Based Oil Paint

VOC-Free Paint

We know that zero-VOC is a legal term and does not always mean it really has no VOCs (chemically).

Keep in mind there are products that are higher in VOCs that will “flash off” and cure quickly, while other low-VOC, or even zero-VOC, formulations can take longer to cure.

Exempt VOCs, meaning those that are not counted in that term legally, include ammonia and acetone.

Other Chemicals of Concern: APEs

Apart from VOCs, alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), which are surfactants used in acrylic paints, can disrupt the hormone system.

Preservatives & Mildewcide

All paints except powdered Milk Paint have preservatives. A few brands in the post disclose which ones they use. With others, we can only guess based on the list of commonly used preservatives/mildewcides.

Chemical Sensitivities

Those who are chemically sensitive should test multiple brands for tolerance after looking through the ingredients and reviewing what works best for the most severely sensitive folks.

In my view, a truly eco-friendly paint is zero-VOC at two weeks’ time but is also ideally low VOC and low odor when wet.

[Read more…] about Non-Toxic Wall Paints, Vetted by the Chemically Sensitive

Filed Under: Healthy Building, Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy decor, healthy interiors

Non-Toxic Shelf and Drawer Liners

April 18, 2021 by Corinne 16 Comments

In a healthy home, I personally would not consider shelf and drawer liners made of PVC, including fabric backed with PVC, or paper coated in PVC, rubber (which is high in VOCs), or cork (which is pressed together with a polyurethane adhesive which offgasses as well).

I consider EVA, polyethylene, and polypropylene to be safe eco-friendly plastics, especially for this application.

Other non-toxic or natural options include paper, fabric, acrylic coated wallpaper, and wood veneer.

The following options are made for shelves, drawers (kitchen and other rooms), dressers, and wire carts. Some can be used in the refrigerator.

[Read more…] about Non-Toxic Shelf and Drawer Liners

Filed Under: Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy decor, healthy interiors

Choosing a Non-Toxic Engineered Wood Floor

March 27, 2021 by Corinne 83 Comments

The most common type of engineered wood is a flooring with a real wood layer on top and an engineered wood layer as the base.

There are three types of construction and two main finishes to consider when choosing this type of non-toxic engineered wood floor.

When looking for a zero-VOC, healthy engineered wood floor, the most important part is the construction type. The lowest VOC types are those with a plywood base or solid slate base. The lowest offgasing finishes are the UV cured water-based finishes.

Certifications like GreenGuard Gold don’t matter to me here because the highest offgassing engineered wood can meet this level. The lowest offgassing options are zero-VOC.

[Read more…] about Choosing a Non-Toxic Engineered Wood Floor

Filed Under: Healthy Building, Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy decor, healthy interiors

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ABOUT ME

Hi, I’m Corinne Segura, I hold a certificate in Building Biology, and a certificate in Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, among other credentials below. I have 8 years of experience helping people create healthy homes.

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