Eco-Experts: Hazards of Vinyl Siding, Finding Lamp Oil Alternatives, Smoothtop Range Cleaners and Natural Fibers
(Page 3 of 3)
May/June 2001
By Debra Lynn Dadd
Also, is there a method for cleaning the smoothtop that doesn’t require paper towels, which the manufacturer recommends?
Nancy Meier, via e-mail
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The product you mention uses feldspar as an abrasive, in place of silicone. The only item of concern on the ingredient list is glycol ether, which is toxic. But it seems as though this cleaning product is basically a detergent and an abrasive, with fragrance. Bon Ami in the square box (sold in hardware stores) is made from soap and feldspar, the same abrasive they use. So why not use Bon Ami? I imagine that you could clean your smoothtop with any substance that cleans glass, so try vinegar or even plain soap and water and a sponge.
The range manufacturer objects to cleaning the smoothtop with a cloth towel because any remaining lint might ignite. I would suggest using “lint-free” towels (made from linen) such as those used for drying crystal glasses. If you can’t find these, a quarter yard of unbleached, undyed linen fabric should do fine.
Rayon and tencel
In the July/August 2000 issue, there was a question about ramie that included rayon in a list of natural fibers. Aren’t cotton, linen, wool, ramie, hemp, and Tencel the only natural fabrics?
Laurie Tamm, Boulder, CO
You are partially correct. Rayon is not a fiber in its natural state. It’s made from cellulose taken from cotton linters, old cotton rags, paper, and wood pulp. While these fibers could be viewed as “recycled,” the process of making the yarn requires a lot of petrochemicals to break down the cellulose and reform it into a fiber. Still, it’s a better choice than synthetic fibers made from petrochemicals.
In the same way, Tencel is not a natural fiber either. Tencel is the brand name for lyocell, a cellulosic fiber made from wood through a proprietary production process. It was specifically designed with respect for the environment. The process recycles the chemicals used and is energy efficient as well as economical in its use of resources.
DEBRA LYNN DADD is an internationally known expert on healthy home environments and author of Home Safe Home (Putnam, 1997).
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