Christmas Shopping and Retail Toxicity

It doesn't take long for those of us who are chemically sensitive to become fully aware of the various toxic consumer products available for anyone to buy and everyone to use. The bad purchasing habits of people continue to pollute the environment seriously affecting our ability to survive in society. Some companies are well-known for their bad product choices as most of their inventory is cheap and purchased from China. Maximum profit is the priority.

A recent article on consumer awareness posted on the Organic Consumers Association website is titled "Holiday Buyers Beware: 9 Retailers Who Got an "F" Rating for Failing to Take Action on Dangerous Chemicals in Consumer Products." You can read the full article HERE.

In summary, the companies who have gone out of their way to reduce the number of toxic products are: Albertsons, Best Buy, Costco, CVS Health, Home Depot, Target and Walmart. I find this fascinating as several of these retailers are businesses I typically avoid because they carry cheap products, buy from China, and are all about profits vs. people. Some of them are Republican Party supporters so I boycott them anyway. Finding they are making an effort toward reducing chemicals in our environment is a pleasant surprise. It gives me hope.

On the other hand, here are the nine major retailers that received failing grades for not even bothering to try:

Funny...I've been saying for years Trader Joe's is just a junk food store masquerading as a health food outlet with all their prepackaged products. There you have it! Validation! The fact that Toys and Babies "R" Us is on this list is disturbing.

Bottom line, it's up to the consumers to use their spending power to let corporations know we won't tolerate poor quality and toxic products. Your shopping habits count.

The Laundry Goddess

I have never in my life loved to do laundry. Until now! I am the proud owner of a new washer and dryer! I have done at least ten loads in the last 24 hours. It gives me great pleasure.

I've had one, cheap, used washing machine for the last 12 years. I've never really liked it. It was incredibly small, didn't clean the clothes very well, and lacked in choices. I've never had a dryer. They are energy suckers for sure, but more importantly they will damage clothes forcing the owner to shop too often. However, going to the laundromat to dry comforters, blankets or pillows that won't air dry fast enough is a health hazard. To survive the laundromat experience, I have to take a little plastic bag with a towel soaked in vinegar and wipe down the dryers in hopes of removing any fabric sheet or fabric softener residue. It usually worked...a little. I vowed if my washer went out while I'm still in this house and there is no hope to move in the near future, I'll buy myself a dryer along with the new washer.

Tiny Lone Washer
Perfect for Tiny Laundry Room

A month ago the washer died. It was 12 years old which is a good life for a washer and shows how incredibly patient I am (or cheap) to wait so long with a substandard appliance.

I started going to a laundromat that always had few customers and was rather clean, but I had a problem with a faulty machine which gave me pause. And then a friend was telling me her friend is very susceptible to athlete's foot and every time she uses a laundromat she gets it. Eeeeewww! Unless you are running the machines on hot water or filling them with bleach, you can get any kind of bacteria...or bed bugs. So I collected piles and piles of dirty clothes in the kitchen for a month. I was more than excited to get a new washer and dryer set, and the piles of dirty clothes motivated me. However, shopping always poses challenges for anyone who is chemically sensitive.

Living beyond civilization is the first challenge. No one wants to deliver. They won't even take bribes to deliver. They just don't want to deliver to the edge of civilization. I finally did find one store willing to venture out of their area for a price, but dealing with Home Depot is never a good experience. When I ordered from the stinky salesperson I was told it would take 7-10 days for it to be delivered to the store. Don't count on it. None of their customer service emails were managed, the "track delivery" didn't work, and most of their phone lines wouldn't let me push a department number. What a hassle!

After too much stress, the washer/dryer set was delivered. The delivery guys stunk. They hooked everything up, push the buttons and the dryer refused to work. They look. They check. Oh well! It must be the electricity! Not our problem. And left. Before they left they said, "If it's the dryer, MAYBE Home Depot will exchange it?" Remember the days when delivery was free and they actually made sure everything worked before they left? I was in a panic since contacting Home Depot and expecting to get a response is the hope of fools. I called my electrician instead and it was the electricity. My electricians are incredible, adorable, friendly, and totally fragrance-free, just expensive.

So I get everything working. The dryer stinks to high heaven. Modern appliances are made with a lot of plastic parts. It stinks like the new Cadet heaters, but I have run out of vinegar. I run it on high, open the window, and put the fan on high. We'll see. I have hope. And a headache.

So awesome to get new appliances! I've not had fluffy towels for 12 years! And these appliances are HUGE! I can fit two sets of sheets in the washer at a time! But it also has a sensor so I can also wash one pair of socks and the water only reaches to the socks. Technology is so incredibly. I feel like I've come out of the dark ages!

HOORAY FOR SPENDING MONEY!

HAPPINESS!

I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE MORE DIRTY CLOTHES!

May is MCS Awareness Month

And boy, am I aware! It's been one toxic month. You can tell how much exposure I've received by how many posts I write. LOL.

It started with the Species Procession with too many people, too much activity, and possibly too much stress. I don't remember perfume or laundry detergent, but often before my body is overloaded I don't always smell it before hand. It's a clandestine poisoning.

Painting with acrylic paints. I use a mask, gloves and glasses as well as protective clothing, and I've tried to be very diligent about keeping safe and yes, this paint isn't as smelly or toxic which is good. Still, every now and then I get a whiff of paint or primer. It's not a smart form of entertainment for sure, but I need a distraction. And I need protest signs. So far it's worth it, but I may need to rethink this.

My new [useless] doctor suggested I head to a shoe store that specializes in plantar fasciitis. They had plug-in air fresheners. Maybe they use them to counteract the stink of those plastic sandals they push on their customers? No, I'm not buying those ugly, synthetic, toxic sandals. Or maybe because they had two stinky dogs roaming the store. So incredibly unprofessional. If 15% of the population are chemically sensitive, these people are either really stupid or don't care about sales. And how many people hate dogs or are afraid of them? People irritate me to no end.

Then there were my Goodwill shopping excursions. I'm not sure what has come over me, but anytime I have some free time I head to Goodwill. I've never realized they have half off colored tags! I have a few things on my shopping list: a hat, umbrellas for protests (I plan to paint them so our protest signs will keep us dry!), overalls (for painting), and anything else I might NEED like a lime green evening gown. Unfortunately, Goodwill uses really toxic laundry detergent. All the stores are the same. Yeah, I bring clothing home and wash it six times, but until the stink is gone every time I lift it out of the washer, I breathe it.

And then there was the umbrella. Excellent umbrella. White with faint pastel pattern easy to paint over. Automatic opening. Not a fold up. HALF PRICE! I thought I hit the jackpot. As I'm standing in line I notice the umbrella still has the original tag. I read it. "Buy Sarah Jessica Parker's perfume and you will receive this umbrella for free." Blah. I don't think anything of it, in fact, I think I even stuck my nose in the fabric. Nothing. Until I get it in my car. Where did this headache come from and why do my lungs hurt and my head is spinning?? The umbrella is soaked in perfume! I returned it, but by that time the damage had been done. I believe this was the beginning of the downward spiral. A real perfume poisoning, not just laundry stink.

Drawing group stinkers. I wrote about them and our last meeting in a previous post. We meet only once every two weeks so there is a break. Most of our locations are outside. Two weeks ago we met at a stinker's home, but I refused to enter because of the air fresheners. I stayed outside and created landscapes. Still, I might have received a hit from air freshener residue or perfumed people I encountered when we gathered.

MCS presentation. There were lots of smelly tourists milling about during the MCS presentation. Whew.

Monsanto protest breathing too much laundry detergent stink.

Yesterday's yard/parking lot sale. OMG. I'm driving down the road prior to the Monsanto protest on a day when it seemed like everyone was having a yard sale and I see a sign. I get closer and it's in a parking lot with LOTS of stuff, not junky stuff, but good stuff. OK, this looked promising. I couldn't help myself. The Cancer Society is having a donation sale and one of their donors is a professional home decorator. She does staging for real estate agents and donates the older linens and pillows she no longer needs for her displays. I bought a beautiful partly silk, cotton backing duvet cover for $3.00! Never used, offgassed and never washed. No stink!

The color isn't great in this photo. It's a really pretty olive with lighter olive embroidery.

Then I saw the clothes! Nearly brand new cotton sweaters and a cashmere sweater! What? You want .25 cents for each? Really? I couldn't resist. Used sweaters that aren't mangled and obviously worn out are difficult to find. I also bought a coat that looked like it might make a good rain coat. Or a secret agent spy coat - it's black and light weight.

And a purse. And a purple pillow. I bought nearly a whole new wardrobe for nothing, unfortunately, the clothing had been washed in toxic detergent so there is a hidden cost. It's not such a good deal if you have to wash everything six times. Bam!!! Hit number 234 (?) for the month. I made the mistake of smelling each garment. This is bad, I know, but some smells aren't washable. Unfortunately the smells that are washable are toxic.  I had to hand wash the sweaters so that's hit number 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240....Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! or until the first sweater was thoroughly decontaminated. I gave up on the others, put them in a sealed plastic bag, and ordered some of that EnviroKlenz. I'll write a post on it when it comes. Reviews are hit and miss, but Mrs. Washington says it works and she loves it so I'll give it a go.

Co-op employee drenched in stink. Brain fog, nausea, dizzy. I had to leave before getting all my groceries, but not before I complained. The employees there are supposed to be fragrance free.

EnviroKlenz experimentation. Blah. Too many whiffs and I was so sick to my stomach I could hardly stand. Not a good feeling. (See my review of EnviroKlenz.)

Not feeling so good. Easily exhausted. neck hurts like hell, joints a little achy. I just want to lay down and not move for a few weeks. Not as bad as it could be, but I notice I'm much more sensitive to smells now.  Time to slow down.

Yes, I am very aware! I am happy to say I'm not as reactive as I have been in the past, five or ten years ago. I'm assuming the steps I've taken to heal myself have helped. I can't even remember the last time I had an anaphylactic response, skin crawl, rage cycles or other more serious reactions. That is good. Due diligence has worked.

The Pregnant Pause

Pregnant women stink. They smell like rancid milk. So I certainly understand their ignorant desire to bathe in perfume without any consideration for the health of their unborn child. People are stupid and pregnancy doesn't make them smarter.

Pregnancy can make some women very sensitive to fragrances and smells of any kind and they become temporarily chemically sensitive. Their bodies are working properly attempting to protect their unborn child from danger. Unfortunately, my latest encounter with a pregnant stinker was of the stupid variety, not the protective variety.

I was at the food co-op. A safe place filled with wholesome foods and health-conscientious employees. I've been shopping there for over ten years with very few exposure problems. I could smell her twenty feet away. It took me about one second to realize I was about to be poisoned, another second to turn and identify from where it was attacking, and another second to get the hell out of the air space. Three seconds too long and one too many whiffs of her toxicity. I headed to the other side of the store, watched the aisles closely all the while adjusting my proximity waiting impatiently for her to leave.

One of the volunteer-workers was watching me, came up behind me, and asked sweetly if I needed any help. I'm sure with the panic all over my face I LOOKED like I needed help.

"No, I'm just waiting for one of your customers who is bathed in perfume to leave the store." Clearly I was pissed off.

"Oh, I can't stand the smell of perfume. It makes me sick." she replied.

"It's toxic and deadly. And she's pregnant. Why would anyone subject their unborn child to such poisons?"

WHY indeed? Why does she bother buying and eating healthy, organic food if she is dousing herself on the outside with poison? It defies logic. If I could have gotten close to her, I might have asked her. I asked this question when actress Halle Berry was pregnant and promoting her perfume on talk shows. Are these women really that stupid?

The pregnant stinker wandered the aisles pausing too often to fill her shopping basket totally unaware of the effect she has on everyone's air quality and totally oblivious to the shopper glaring at her from a distance. The one whiff of her poison made my head spin uncomfortably and stomach lurch with nausea. It took her about fifteen minutes to leave the store and another fifteen minutes for the ventilation to clear the stink. It took me three days to heal from the subsequent migraines, nausea, and fatigue.

There should be laws against the stupidity.

Freebie Therapy

I've had a bad, bad week so I thought I'd post my latest freebie. Freebies tend to cheer me up. I was at the free store at my local co-op and thought I'd look just to kill time before an appointment. The free store is a place where people can donate items for others to take. Like a mini Freecycle. I've donated lots of stuff like business suits and shoes, scarves and jewels, books and frames, toaster ovens and rugs. The stuff disappears fast so there is a constant turnover. Normally I don't see anything I would want and there wasn't much there, but I needed something. I found a black 100% cotton cardigan with cute little buttons. I had to wash it a couple times, but it doesn't stink. The photo makes it look washed out, but it's not. It's just the lighting. I love black. It goes with all my black things. I'm not sure why anyone would donate it. Maybe they were tired of it?

Hooray for freebies!

Garage Sale Day!

The estate sale company in my area was having an estate sale, but not only that, because the weather was going to be hot and summery everyone was having garage and yard sales! I made it a Garage Sale Day.  I shouldn't have started. It's not like I need more junk [to sell in my next garage sale], but I found some great stuff.

My neighbors across the street had a sale and unfortunately, she was selling her whole set of Harry Potter. Do I need Harry Potter books? No. I tried to sell the two I had in my last garage sale and came really close to donating them to charity. At one point I walked away, then checked to see which books I had, went back and bought the two that were in the best shape for a dollar. I just need three more for a set.

I went to the estate sale because the photos showed terracotta pots.

I love terracotta pots. Not sure why. Maybe because they match the bricks I use to line some of my garden beds? Maybe because they match my new re-stained fence (see a tiny section of the fence in the above photo). I do like that they breathe and tend to regulate water better than other types of pots. I bought two big ones and one square one. One of the pots came with this little dragonfly ornament. I love it.

 

The best find was a raincoat!! If you've read some of my earlier posts on shopping, finding a good raincoat that doesn't stink of chemicals and isn't made in China is nearly impossible. New ones cost up to $200- $300 for a good, quality brand that is waterproof, but they need to be washed at least twenty times before they are wearable.  I'm also looking for one with a hood. It would be also nice if it was my size and as used, in really good shape. I know how difficult this search is because I've been looking at both new and used coats for about eight years now. My current raincoat is about fifteen years old, the lining is ripped, the zipper doesn't work, and it's just not waterproof anymore. I hit the jackpot!  It's a Land's End brand with hood, working zipper, pockets, drawstrings, Gortex, and YELLOW.... BRIGHT yellow.

 

I'm guessing it's in such good shape because someone got it for Christmas, likes yellow as much as I do (NOT!) and never wore it. It's not a bad yellow, it just clashes with my skin tone and hair. I think when I get old and my hair turns white, it'll work fine. It'll look great with black which is my favorite clothing color. It is also made in China, but since I bought it used I think I can overlook that. It is also made with polyester a fabric I detest. And Gortex, but that helps it to be waterproof.  My old raincoat is also part polyester and it was a great coat. Aside from all that, it's an outstanding coat! I can't wait to try it out in the rain and see if it works. It's my SUNSHINE COAT!

I LOVE GARAGE SALES!

Californication

Why is California so far advanced from the rest of the country???

I've been office chair shopping. It's a real challenge trying to find a comfortable chair, let alone a non-toxic chair. Yeah, I could probably spend thousands of dollars on a chair and get perfection. Or not. Spending lots of money doesn't guarantee safety from chemicals. It just guarantees poverty.

Last week I found this incredibly comfortable chair, but I worried about the "faux leather" upholstery and the cushy seating. I was pretty sure it was made from 100% petrochemicals, stuffed with poisonous foam, and seasoned with a generous supply of toxic plastic, but the floor model didn't stink. My unrealistic positive attitude and relentless hopefulness is a recipe for brain dead-ness.

So I go back to the store to buy it today hoping to use my soon-to-expire coupon which will make it even cheaper, but the floor model is gone. They have a new one still in the box just delivered. OK. This will work. This WILL work. THIS WILL WORK. I chant because I'm confident the universe will hear me and grant me perfection and serenity. And I know if I don't chant I'll come to my senses. But I don't want sensibility! I want a new chair!

I start to load the box into my van and I see the warning sticker on top of the box:

Granted, these chemicals are only in California, right? These chemicals must be perfectly harmless in the remainder states of the un-United States. Thankfully, this warning brought me back to my senses just in the nick of time. I couldn't argue with the black and white. I carted the box back into the store and returned the chair.

Maybe if consumers refuse to buy or return merchandise made with toxic materials, it'll stop being made? But without safe alternatives, for now we don't have much choice.

I am thankful for the powers-that-be in California who are looking out for the rest of society.

My Garbage Can Stinks (A Haiku, sort of...)

 

Purchased new garbage can.

 

Scented. Stinks. Gag.

 

Returned it.

 

The End.

 

Made in...Bangladesh? Really??

'Tis the season to shop. I'm still searching for a non-toxic raincoat. Mine is now thirteen years old and far from waterproof. So much of everything is made in China and stinks because cheap means materials with toxic chemicals are used. I avoid buying anything from China, hence, I don't buy much. I'd so much rather buy American made even if it costs more, but finding American-made products is difficult.

Refusing to buy toxic products from China is a movement many have joined. I heard about this all last year from salespeople so I know I'm not alone. We are tired of low-quality merchandise created by slave labor. We prefer an un-outsourced production of good quality, all-American products. Well, some of us. Since a majority of Americans are stupid, the majority are still willing to shop at cheap stores that offer Chinese garbage which is why WalMart is still in business.

This year, again, I'm on the lookout for a new raincoat. Strange thing about this year is so few clothing labels are confessing their Chinese roots. Now clothing with American labels is made in Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Really? One has to wonder if the company shipped their worker-slaves to another country and re-shackled them to another factory? Or sold them to the highest bidder and found some new indentured slaves?

Or are they lying? Can they legally state the item is made in Bangladesh if they have an address there even if it's only where their accounting is outsourced? Or do they even care about label requirements? Who's going to check? Most consumers will read the label and not question the print. Not made in China! HOORAY! Let's buy two! And we all know label requirements are always monitored by the government, right? And the government always protects us, right? The FDA and USDA always does such an excellent job, right? Are these less-intolerable third world country locations just the latest sales gimmick?

MADE IN AMERICA! HOORAY!

"The Smell of Money"

Movies use that line to describe someone who is ambitious. I hate the smell of money. I think it's the inks that are used to print it and I'm pretty sure they offgas for decades. Get paper money really close to your nose (not advisable) and one can detect the lingering smell of stale cigarette smoke or the stench of sweaty palms. Just imagine where that money might have been? In the hands of people who don't wash their hands after they use the restroom, in the pants pocket of a dirty homeless person who urinates on himself, dropped on the floor of a gas station bathroom, between the breasts of a stripper or down the pants of a male stripper. Good Lord! Money is nice to spend, but to handle it? It grosses me out. I prefer the line "Money is Evil."

Yesterday I ran errands most of the day going in and out of stores. I rarely have a problem, but I know where to shop, which cashiers to avoid, and I pretty much avoid all shoppers as I skirt the edges of the store and move quickly. I have the system memorized and well-rehearsed. 

When I arrived home I looked in my coin purse to see what was left. Damage assessment. Whew! Someone gave me a handful of money drenched in perfume. It was in a tight little wad so it came from one place and it must have happened so quickly I didn't notice it at the time. Grab my change, thank the cashier, stuff it in the coin purse, shove it in my purse, leave. Transaction is done. It's automatic. I rarely take the time to smell the money at the check stand.

STINK! I almost shoved it back into the purse to get it away from my air space, but that would continue to contaminate everything. I grabbed a plastic baggie from my drawer and sealed it in. I needed to get rid of it. I drove to the gas station and gave it to the attendant.

"I don't know how much is in there, but I'd like to get some gas." I smiled. "It stinks," I said as I stepped back as if I thought it would explode. He opened it and counted $17.00. Hmmm...that must have been the grocery store where I bought the batteries. "Tena" was the checker's name. I'll need to remember that.

It never ceases to amaze me how a chemically sensitive person can be poisoned. It can come out of left field just when you let your guard down.

I've never liked the smell of money anyway.

Online Shopping: Sleepwear

I don't shop online much. Often what comes in the mail is not the right size, not the right color, too smelly, or the shipping is too expensive. Then if it's wrong, I have to go through the trouble of mailing it back. I like being able to see what I'm buying before I buy it, therefore, avoiding the hassle. But as someone who is chemically sensitive, shopping at a store is down right masochistic if not deadly.

I've looked online many times for organic, cotton sleepwear, but usually what I find is too expensive and I worry if it'll fit. I found a link for the American Environmental Health Foundation (www.aehf.com) which is the corporate entity of Dr. William Rea who runs the clinic in Dallas, Texas, and is well-known for his innovation in treating MCS. Most naturopaths have developed their own vitamin brands, written their own health books, and sell other items which makes them extra money. This guy has a whole website devoted to his favorite merchandise from beds to clothing to pills. I found this site while reading an article on bedding which provided a link.* Since I've been looking for sleepwear for a long time, I thought I'd check it out. "Cotton nightshirt, $16.50, one size fits all."

Here is a picture of a happy, lovely model wearing the nightshirt, and of course, I'm sure she can make anything look good.


I figured with all the very sick people Dr. Rea treats, it's got to be safe and for $16.50 plus $8.00 shipping, the price was good. The customer service person claimed it definitely wasn't scented and confirmed it was organic. It arrived two days later fairly non-descript and very ugly. When I put it on I feel like a patient in a mental hospital. It's made by S.O.S. From Texas or Oldham Farms and their tags tell the history of their ancestors and their philosophy of organic farming. I checked their website and they are also selling the same nightshirt for $2.00 more...?

It smelled like a horse blanket, so yes, it must be natural. It itched like burlap. I washed it twice which is so much better than washing it ten times as one must do with regular, chemically-treated and scented clothing purchases. The first washing I used Planet All-Purpose Miracle Dishwashing Soap and the second time baking soda as I read baking soda is a really good, natural fabric softener. I did rinse well or the baking soda would make me itch so I don't know if it did any good. Then I hung it outside to dry. If I had a dryer that might have helped soften the fabric, but I don't, so I didn't.

It's still smells like a horse blanket and it's still ugly, although it may have shrunk a bit. I plan to try wearing it tonight. If it doesn't work as a nightshirt I can always wear it as a very ugly dress. An very un-Hawaiian mini muumuu. It screams "PAINT ME!" but that would defeat the purpose.

There is definitely a reason people enjoy the chemically-bleached, chemically-softened, chemically-scented, and chemically-dyed piece of clothing.

Oh well.

UPDATE: I love it! It's comfortable and doesn't smell. Perfect.



*I've been in the market for a new mattress for the last, oh, ten years, but organic mattresses are very expensive. This article said an alternative is to buy (seven) mattress pads stacked on top of each other because they can be washed in a washing machine. Mattresses can't be washed so they harbor dust, mold and dust mites as well as come chemically-treated with formaldehyde and fire retardants. To purchase organic bedding one is required to get a doctor's note. (So ridiculous.) The price is about $85 for each mattress pad so $700 with tax for a mattress. Since the organic mattresses can run up to $1500, that is a good alternative. Someday....

My SFF

I used to shop all the time. Pre-chemical sensitivity I spent so much money at Nordstrom I'm surprised I don't own a stock majority. In an attempt to maintain my shopping habit, I even wrote Nordstrom letters about their stinky salespeople and smelly store. I once suggested moving the perfume counters to the top floor with state-of-the-art ventilation going out the ceiling. If 15% of the population are seriously fragrance-free, then that's 15% of the population who cannot shop at their store. You'd think they'd care. You would also think with a hundred or so employees working at one store they would at least restrict the amount of perfumes and colognes worn by the staff so the store doesn't smell like such a toxic waste dump. But they don't, so I don't...shop there.

Until today! This was the first time walking into a Nordstrom in ten years. I normally shop at cleaner smelling stores that have a variety of merchandise besides clothing and perfume. These stores can still be problematic, but for the most part there isn't a salesperson standing at every corner wanting to spray you with poison. Still, I can't find clothes that fit at these other stores and even if I do, everything is made in China. I'm also looking for a raincoat. Mine is fifteen years old and looks it, but try finding a raincoat not made in China. Grrrrrr.... So as a holiday reward after working for two months without a day off, I thought I'd go on a risk-taking adventure to Nordstrom.

Within ten minutes inside the door, my head started spinning, but the stench wasn't too bad.  I knew it would be the worst on the ground floor where the perfume counters were located so I headed upstairs immediately. I chose to go in the morning when it's fairly quiet with less people and less staff.


In one of the departments a incredibly perky young girl approached and asked if I need help. I immediately asked if she was wearing perfume. She stuttered a little, her perpetual smile quivered briefly, and said with squeaky cheerfulness, "Ah, no, but I do have lotion on." I assure you, I don't want her smelly lotion on the clothes I might buy so I asked her if there was anyone on the floor who was fragrance-free. I was hopeful, but realistic. I doubt it. My plan was to ask every salesperson I encountered. Eventually they would get the message they won't get a commission off me unless they are fragrance-free. My new mantra. And it rhymes!


Another young saleswoman approached me and asked if I needed help. If you understand the Nordstrom's sales process you know the key is to claim a salesperson as soon as possible to avoid being asked this question every five minutes. Thank you, someone is already helping me does the trick. Stealing another sales associate's customers will get you fired. Again with no expectation, I asked this girl if she was fragrance-free. YES! YES! SHE WAS! I almost hugged her! She told me when she was working at another Nordstrom location in a downtown area she had quite a few customers who were chemically sensitive. Hooray! I told her she was my salesperson of choice. My Salesgirl Fragrance Free. SFF.

I then explained I have a limited amount of time before all the stench would gang up on me and my tolerance would expire so we'd have to work fast. My preferences were natural fabrics, nothing made in China, preferably made in America, pants that fit and I was only going in the dressing room once. Go!

Nearly everything was made in China. I was disappointed. If I wanted Chinese manufactured clothing I'd shop at any number of cheap stores that aren't so smelly. This is Nordstrom. I expected a better class of clothing especially since the price is marked up 200% or more. You really had to search for the few items that were American-made and my time was limited.

My SFF found me jeans. Who invented stretchy jeans!? Good gracious I have been missing out all these years! And made in America!

We kept moving swiftly through the racks, my SFF and I, like a well-rehearsed team, reading tags, flipping hangers, murmuring hmmm and growling China.

Then SFF found me a raincoat! Bright red and not made in China. Not made in America either, but I don't know if it's possible to find an American-made raincoat. I've been looking for years. My SFF is wonderful.


SFF snagged me a dressing room in the lingerie department. She said that department has the least amount of salespeople and not as busy. She selected a room way at the end of the hall so smelly people wouldn't be constantly walking by. I love my SFF! As I tried clothes on, she brought me in more. Most of them were ugly, but that's how SFF was learning what I liked and didn't like.

Feeling quite satisfied, accomplished, and brave with a minimal amount of coughing, I decided drool over shoes. Unfortunately, shoes are downstairs right next to the perfumes. My SFF volunteered to go with me to help. Cha-ching. She was counting her commission. Smart SFF. Having once been a Nordstrom employee myself, I knew she couldn't help me in shoe department because it takes special training and knowledge to find merchandise in the stockroom. It's a jungle back there. And the shoe salespeople are very possessive. You don't wander out of your department and into the shoe department unless you had a death wish. SFF was a little nervous so I guessed she was new, but not totally oblivious to the rules. I spied some cool boots and asked my SFF about them. As we were discussing the pros and cons of style, a shoe salesperson approached me, glared at my SFF, and asked if I needed help. SFF looked frightened. I asked the woman, "Are you wearing perfume?" She squinted her eyes at me, defiantly placed one hand on her hip, and replied, "Yes."

I replied, "No, thank you." I turned to my SFF and said I would probably need to go to another store for shoes where people aren't wearing perfume.

Sarcastic shoe saleslady said with a smug sneer, "But it's Brad Pitt's favorite perfume!"

Is she serious? WHO CARES? Who would ever care what kind of perfume the Pitt would like? Is that really why she bought it? Does she think Brad Pitt will walk into this Nordstrom, give up his very fertile girlfriend who looks like a starving mannequin (that's "dummy" in French) and their twenty kids and run away with her because she was wearing his favorite stink?

 

My annoyed alter ego took over. I replied with a look that matched if not exceeded her sneer, "Brad Pitt is an idiot." Yeah, I know that was unnecessarily mean, but it had been at least a half hour or more smelling toxic air and my brain was feeling irritable. When being poisoned, the MCSer can't possibly be responsible for rude comments.

 

Too smelly to stay, SFF and I quickly relocated to the less toxic upstairs lingerie department where she rang up my purchases. She suggested I call her anytime and she would mail me merchandise with free shipping. So nice of her, but I told her I've tried that before and Nordstrom's merchandise is scented so I'd rather not. As I departed, I yelled back at her loud enough for everyone to hear, "And again, thank you so much for not wearing perfume or scented lotion. I so appreciate it." All the other salesgirls hung their heads in shame.

Well, I learned Nordstroms hasn't changed. They still stink. But I now possess a pair of stretchy, girdle-tight jeans and a new raincoat...and a non-stop cough and headache. Prior to my self-imposed exile, I would have run gasping from the store unable to breath and sick for a week. I'm not sure if the exile, my much healthier diet, or the lack of exposure has improved my reaction time and symptoms, but I'm glad I survived. It was worth it.

Now how do I unscent these extremely stinky purchases?

Merry Christmas to me!

Garage Sale Treasure!

I went estate sale shopping. I saw some of the photos of what they were going to sell online so I knew the house had a pile of quilts and bedspreads. I was hoping to find a new bedspread. They had linens in a bedroom and the quilts in a large closet on a table, but on closer inspection they were too worn, faded and raggy to be used. Disappointed, I started to walk away.

For some unknown reason I turned around and looked up. On the top shelf of the closet, way in the corner, there was a plastic blanket bag with something bright pink in it. Not just any bright pink, but MY bright pink. The color of the walls in one of my rooms.

No way. The estate sale people put a price sticker on the bag so it wasn't something that was missed. Why was is way up out of sight?  Hmmm... I took it out. Wow. Excellent shape.

The price tag said $5.00. FIVE DOLLARS!

My neighbor who is a quilter came over for a look. She says it's hand quilted! Not machine-made, HAND-QUILTED. The fabrics used look like they are from the early 1970s, maybe late 1960s. 100% cotton. It's hardly been used. Slightly smelly from being washed long ago, but I've washed it twice with Planet and vinegar on low cycle and it'll be offgassing whatever stink is left in the guest bedroom.  Very cool. Unfortunately, it's for a twin bed so I'm still looking for a larger size, but it's beautiful.

SCORE!

Vehicles and Transportation

Only once in my life did I exist without my own transportation. I was living in a city, walked everywhere, used public transportation for distances, and if I needed to travel long distance I'd rent a car. It was heavenly not to have to pay for gas, maintenance, parking and insurance, not to mention feeling like I was doing my part toward a cleaner environment.

Alternative transportation for the chemically sensitive is more of a challenge. Riding a bike or walking long distances is only an option if you have the energy and health, however, both are constantly compromised and not dependable on a daily basis. Public transportation is risky. Enclosed in a bus wondering if the next rider will stink and knowing you may have to get off in the middle of nowhere is painfully stressful.  When does the next bus come? Who knows. Although most rental car companies strive to provide clean, scent-free cars, renting a car on a full-time basis would be incredibly expensive. And there is never a guarantee when dealing with the unstable variable: previous renters...people!

Living outside a city without your own transportation is difficult; living in the country without transportation is nearly impossible if you want to get anywhere unless you own a horse. Even a simple errand like getting groceries is a major event if you live miles from the nearest store. In search of organic food? Those miles may turn into hours of driving. Depending on another person for transportation is frustrating, especially someone who does not live with you. MCSers need their own reliable transportation for safety and peace of mind.

Shopping and Buying  Eight years ago I was forced to shop for a new vehicle after a crazy man high on Coca Cola and sleeping pills plowed into me at a stop light going forty-five miles an hour. Never mind my injuries, the thought of having to shop for a car was more worrisome. Automobile salesmen are notorious for cologne and used cars are guaranteed to be perfumed with air fresheners. Ditto on private sellers. After a long search, I did find a fragrance-free salesperson who seemed to understand my restrictions. He found a van that wasn't air freshened by snatching it up before it was detailed and asked the detailers not to put stink in the car when they prepared it for purchase.

Detoxifying When I was finally granted custody, it smelled. They did avoid any smelly preparations on the inside, but who would have predicted a freshly cleaned engine would stink so badly inside and out?  I drove home with all the windows down and my head hanging out like a dog.

Once I got it home it took about a week of vacuuming, carpet cleaning with non-toxic carpet shampoos, vinegar bowls to suck up the stink, baking soda all over the carpet followed by more vacuuming, and finally freshly ground coffee beans in bowls sealed up inside over night. I don't know if all this did any good, or if the week of sitting with the windows down was enough time to offgas, but eventually it was clean enough to enter and drive.

Practicality I chose to buy a van even with its less than stellar fuel efficiency as I needed something as a backup should my living area become contaminated. It was definitely a change from my tiny, energy efficient Toyota. It felt like I was driving around with my living room attached behind the driver's seat, but so much potential and well worth the sacrifice. In addition to serving as a emergency shelter, it has moved all my furniture to my current location, carried all manner of construction materials, transported garage sale treasures and freebies, and last fall hauled sixteen loads of rabbit manure, two yards of beauty bark and one yard of river rock. I don't recommend hauling river rock - it nearly flattened the back tires and I drove home with the tail pipe about an inch above the roadway. As mentioned in the previous post, I've often used it for accommodations and camping, too. I love my van.

Maintenance For the chemically sensitive, keeping the vehicle in good running condition is extremely important. Proper maintenance prevents problems such as leaks, ventilation issues, etc. that would contaminate the interior air space.  I also have a fear of breaking down somewhere. Who would I call? If the tow truck driver wore cologne or had air fresheners in his truck, would I be forced to walk home? From miles away? Most mechanics who offer me a ride home from their shops have air fresheners in their car so no matter where I go for maintenance, it must be within walking or cycling distance. Be sure when you take your vehicle into the shop that you state very clearly no one wearing cologne should get in it and no one should be tempted to add an air freshener or anything that stinks.

Interior cleanliness is also very important. The driver is sealed in a tiny compartment with limited air space. Dirt, animal hair, dust, food particles, dead insects, and trash can make this environment intolerable. Opening a window for fresh air will make these contaminants airborne. I vacuum the carpets and upholstery all the time, wash surfaces with vinegar, and occasionally shampoo the carpets with non-toxic shampoo. I also don't leave items in the car as I value the limited amount of air space available.

Mold is a concern in my area of the country and the HVAC system can be easily contaminated affecting ventilation and air quality. Turn on the vehicle, turn up the air conditioning and pour vinegar down the air vents on the OUTSIDE of the vehicle, located above the hood near the window. This simple precaution kills any mold spores, mildew or bacteria. Avoid eating and drinking in your vehicle as dropped liquids or food particles promote mold and bacteria growth as well. (Yeah, easier said than done, I know.)

Driving City or freeway driving especially during high traffic times is enough to kill someone who is chemically sensitive. When I still lived in a suburban area, one short jaunt on the freeway during a traffic jam and I'd have to exit for home, curl up in my bed for a few hours and sleep off the nausea and headache. One way to alleviate the asphyxiating smell of car exhaust is to keep your windows rolled up and turn the air conditioning on full blast making sure the air is re-circulated from the inside rather than using air pumped in from the outside. This is a situation where it is imperative to have a clean interior or the dust, dirt and mold will become airborne creating more breathing problems.

Passengers In the small interior of my van, I become ultra chemically sensitive! Passengers must be truly fragrance-free with no residue on their bodies or clothing. Anytime transportation is necessary, I always volunteer to drive. It's a requirement. If my prospective passenger shows up with even a hint of smell on them, we drive separately. I warn them in advance of my rules.

Shopping and Buying: Ten Years Later Lately, I've been considering buying a more fuel efficient car. My technique is going to a dealership and waiting for the first eager salesperson to approach. As you watch them rush to your side with that I-can't-wait-to-screw-you-over smile, ten to twenty feet away I loudly ask, "Are you wearing any cologne or scented products?" If he says he is I respond loud enough so he can hear it clearly, "I am deathly sensitive to stink, don't come near me." I turn and leave. Sometimes they try to talk me into staying or offer to find another salesperson, but I keep walking hollering over my shoulder, "No thanks!" It sends a clear message.  My belief is if one salesperson is ignorant, there obviously isn't some kind of fragrance-free policy. Sales personnel really should more knowledgeable about health issues of potential customers. If not, they aren't that interested in selling anything. If he says he isn't wearing anything smelly, I exclaim also loudly, "You are my guy! Thank you so much for not poisoning me!" Out of twenty encounters last summer, only ONE wore stink. Another said he normally wears cologne, but the dealership manager was fragrance sensitive and he's not allowed. That is a HUGE improvement! Eight years ago it was one out of every twenty wasn't perfumed!

I've stuck my nose into some of the new economy cars: Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevy, Dodge and the interiors are made with such cheap plastics the chemical offgassing is deadly. I can't even get in them. In fact, I have to select and limit the number of cars I smell with each shopping trip. One bad smell can make me stagger home and crawl into bed.


I have found only two cars I can enter because they don't have cheap, smelly interiors: the Smart Car and Mini-Cooper. They use leather which could be problematic for many but for some reason, I had no issues with it which leads me to believe they must be using a safer treatment. I'm not looking at the more expensive Mercedes or BMWs although I'm sure their interiors are made from quality materials as well. Unfortunately luxury cars are not anywhere near my budget so I have to settle for their economical counterparts. I've considered buying a convertible. I can't imagine being in traffic surrounded by car exhaust with not only the windows down but the roof down, too! These are the factors one must consider when chemically sensitive.

Currently my plan is to save my money and wait for an electric car of quality. Can you imagine driving around without the stink of car exhaust? Mini-Cooper is on the top of my list, but they are in the testing stage. Buying an electric car may involve moving closer to a city in order to use electrical facilities. We'll see. I'm not in a hurry. Until then, I love my van and plan to keep it as a second car anyway. I won't be hauling rabbit manure in a new Mini-Cooper!

Entertainment, Part Three: Shopping

Shopping used to be my number one form of entertainment and a reason to meet friends for relaxation and fun. It was more a form of therapy than a money-spending event with free advice shared by friends, salespeople and even other shoppers.  The saying, When the going gets tough, the tough get going was re-written to serve as our mantra: When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.

"I'm feeling depressed."

"Let's go shopping!"

"I'm feeling fat."

"Let's go shopping!"

"I'm bored."

"Let's go shopping."

"I need a new pair of shoes."

"Let's go shopping."

"I need advice."

"Let's go shopping."

There was nothing more exciting that seeing the latest fashions, the beautiful fabrics, bright colors and patterns and sparkly accessories in a setting conducive to conversation and counseling. With others or alone, it was a cure-all and a mood booster for any situation.

With multiple chemical sensitivity, the mantra has changed to When the going gets tough, the tough probably WENT shopping!

Traditional shopping, or face-to-face people contact, is obviously problematic for many reasons. Salespeople stink. Shoppers stink. Merchandise stinks. Air fresheners stink. Cleaning products stink. These stink dangers are general to any type of store. In addition, isolating a large number of toxic products in one space can be extremely hazardous to a MCSer.

Besides general toxicity issues, stores specializing in specific types of merchandise will have associated risks. Listed below is a random selection of products that make shopping difficult for chemically sensitive people:

Clothing/Fabric New clothing or fabric is saturated with chemicals such as dyes, fire retardants, and anti-mildew treatments such as formaldehyde. The latest trend is to treat garments with perfume as a sales enhancement, but perfume also gets on the merchandise from  salespeople handling it and shoppers trying it on. There isn't much that can rival the toxicity of a Nordstrom department store with their perfume counters on the entrance floor and all their perfumed salespeople intermingling with smelly shoppers trying on chemically-treated clothing.

I rarely go clothing shopping, but when I do I go to stores that have excellent ventilation and shop during off hours when there are fewer customers. If I find merchandise I like, I buy in quantities so I don't have to shop often. Online shopping or ordering through catalogs are less-toxic options, but when it comes to clothes, I've never been comfortable buying something without seeing and touching it first. I have purchased clothing at yard sales or Goodwill thinking the toxic treatments have been washed off or off-gassed long enough only deal with the smelly laundry detergents used by the clothing's former owner, but after one or ten spins in the washing machine, even those smells may be eradicated. There are some organic clothing shops with online and catalog options, but I find these to be too expensive for my budget.

Furniture  In addition to chemicals used to treat the upholstery fabric, check the materials used to make the furniture. Plastics, polyurethane foam and plywood may cause health problems due to the off-gassing of these cheap, treated materials. Quality materials such as solid wood pose less risk, but be aware of surface treatments of paint, polish, wax or stains which may be hazardous as well.

I buy quality materials and products like wood, metal or glass from garage sales or get them free from Freecycle. Used furniture poses less risk, but I have had to put newly-purchased, used furniture out in my garage for some off-gassing time. I would love to get rid of my old furniture and replace it with some modern designs, but it's not worth the risk.

Blinds  I had plastic blinds in my house when I moved here. I considered replacing or adding more until I checked the manufacturer online. It seems fifteen years ago these blinds were almost recalled because the plastic is strengthened and bound with lead. In sunlight this lead disintegrates over time, dries, and forms a powder that is extremely deadly to children. They get it on their hands and put their hands in their mouths. This safety issue was within the minimum standards because the lead dust wouldn't kill an adult so it was decided not to recall the product. I guess kids aren't that important! I wondered why the blinds always felt gritty. It amazes me what we don't know about products we purchase.

Rugs I bought a rug made by Feizy Rugs at a store closing sale with all sales final. Before purchasing, I got my nose right down next to the wool pile and couldn't smell a thing. I also assumed wool is a natural fiber so it must be safe. As soon as I got it in the car I could smell it.  I expected with a new rug it would be treated so I'd do some fancy off-gassing tricks and it should be fine. Six months later after multiple treatments with baking soda, vacuuming, heating, fans, bowls of vinegar, bowls of coffee grounds, it still stunk and I couldn't be in the same room with it for more than five minutes without my throat and lungs constricting. I finally did some research online and found out wool pile rugs made in India are made with latex as an adhesive. After time or if exposed to heat or sun, the latex disintegrates creating a toxic dust. People are being diagnosed with nighttime asthma, when in fact they are sleeping in bedrooms with these rugs. (Nighttime asthma? Really? What will stupid doctors think of next?) Places like Pottery Barn and Home Depot sell these poisonous rugs. I wrote to the company and they told me tough luck, sucker. They had my money. They didn't care.

Most of my floors are tile or hardwood and most of the rugs I own are 100% cotton and washable. I do have one bamboo wooden rug I purchased at a yard sale and another woven wool rug I purchased at an antique consignment shop. I won't go near carpeting or carpet padding because of the chemicals used. Other housewares items I usually purchase from yard sales or get from Freecycle.

Groceries A stroll down a grocery store's laundry detergent aisle is suicide! The stink from detergents, bleaches, fabric softeners, fabric sheets, air fresheners, scented candles, and cleaning products is suffocating. Newly polished floors reek. I had a chat with a produce employee who told me he worked for a produce manager at another store who always sold conventional produce as organic to make extra money. Who to trust? Plastic grocery bags are printed using lead-based ink. Don't ever use them inside-out with the ink touching food items. Some paper grocery bags are treated with chemicals and cardboard boxes used to ship the groceries are treated with pesticides to control cockroaches in grocery storage facilities. Another problem I have in grocery stores is the grocery checkers who wear scented hand lotion. They reapply it constantly, bag my groceries touching every item, and the stink goes home with me.  It's very difficult to wash oily lotion off cardboard containers or produce.

I do most of my grocery shopping at a local food co-op that I trust due to their extremely high principles regarding quality. If I do shop at a conventional grocery store, I check out the employees by walking through the store and making observations. I especially check out the grocery checkers who will be handling my purchases as I don't want their perfume or scented hand lotion on my food. There have been times as I'm waiting in line the checker gets out his/her hand lotion. I leave. Immediately. Once I had a cashier do this just as she was about to scan my first item. I yelled, STOP!, grabbed everything off the conveyor belt, loaded it back in the cart, and left. When given the choice, I opt for self-checkout lines so no one handles my groceries. Also, if any product makes me sick and is labeled organic, I don't buy there again. Grocery employees seem to think people can't tell the difference between organic and chemically-grown food. I can!  I use cloth bags instead of store-provided plastic or paper bags.

Other grocery purchasing options are farmers' markets, health food stores, and local organic farmers. In some areas there are farms with cooperative agreements where you can purchase an annual or seasonal membership and they deliver fresh produce to your home or community pick-up area. Check to make sure they are organic. Don't assume even if they say they are!

These are just a few toxic shopping experiences and some alternative ideas.  Still, nothing beats being able to go into a store and seeing the product to make a sound purchase, but it's not always worth the health risk. I've learned to live without a lot of excess, shop during slow hours, scope out the salespeople and cashiers, and select stores with good ventilation and limited smell. I also do my best to recycle and reuse and I'm a devoted fan of Freecycle and addicted to garage sales!

For those of you unfamiliar with Freecycle, it is an online group located in most communities where people post  for items they want or items want to offer others. The basic rule is it has to be free.  The concept is to recycle, reuse, and reduce waste.

Shopping is still entertainment, but different. To me a trip to Whole Foods is a thrill. It's an adventure! It's a chemically sensitive person's Disneyland! The laundry detergent aisle at Whole Foods doesn't even bother me and I've encountered few smelly shoppers. I still need to take the standard precautions and avoid the scented candle section, but for the most part I've found it fairly safe. I get really excited when planning a Whole Foods shopping trip!

What are products you find especially hazardous?

What are stores you find are relatively safe?