| |
| |
|
Interior Decorating Information |
|
|
|
Are Candles Safe?
I love candles! I have candles of all shapes, sizes and scents in every room of my home. I'm the woman at the local candle shop sniffing every single candle and calling out to her friends "Oh, you gotta smell this one!" So you can imagine my horror, my shock, my disbelief, when my neighbor told me that burning candles could be dangerous to my health! Say it ain't so! The first stage was denial. I just refused to believe any such nonsense! Then, the doubt began to creep in. Could it be possible? I saw the signs, the soot ring on the top of my jar candles, black marks on the wall. Should I be worried, maybe I should do some research, if nothing else, to prove them wrong! Finally reason took hold and the quest began! Are the candles I'm using dangerous? Are there safe alternatives? Am I going to have to give up my beloved candles forever? Are the candles I'm using dangerous? As it turns out, they are. It seems most of the candles I own have led wicks in them. I have discovered that led wicks can cause led poisoning. Under certain indoor conditions, burning these candles may result in lead concentrations above EPA recommended thresholds. Furthermore, inhalation exposure is not the only pathway for lead intake. Unlike gaseous air pollutants, particle-bound lead tends to settle on interior surfaces, where young children can be exposed to lead dust through skin contact. I also learned that manufacturers are not required to disclose lead content. www.epa.gov Okay, no more led-wick candles! Zinc is okay or try pure paper or cotton instead. As for the actual burning of the wax being poisonous, I really don't know. I have read many reports stating they are and many stating they are not. So I started looking for candles that I could be sure would not cause me harm. Are there safe alternatives? This question led me to soy candles. Why are soy wax candles better? Soy wax is from soybeans, which are a renewable resource, grown here in the U.S.A. Soy wax is a very clean burning wax and does not give off petro-carbon soot. Soy wax does not leave soot stains. Soy wax candles burn substantially longer than petroleum wax and more uniform. Soy candles are non-toxic, and do not contain any pesticides or herbicides...safe for children and pets. Soy wax candles are biodegradable and easily cleaned up with soap and water. I did run across some safety measures that we should all use. Do not move a burning candle, or place in a draft. Keep wick trimmed to ¼ inch to avoid excessive smoking. Discontinue burning when less than ½ inch of wax remains. Keep wax free of matches, wick trimmings, or any flammable materials. And of course, never leave a burning candle unattended! So it seems I will not have to give up my beloved candles after all! Shelly Platt
MORE RESOURCES:
Interior-Decorating - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Shabby Chic Bedding Can Add An Elegant Vintage Touch to Your Room! Shabby Chic bedding is definitely the answer if you are looking for style and comfort with a touch of softness in your bedroom. Shabby chic is a very simplistic yet stylish method of decor, using bedding, linens, and window treatments with a time worn elegance. Decorating, Where Theres a Will Theres a Way Decorating anything is one of the easiest things in the world! And when it comes to decorating your home, if one has a will and there is always a way. It helps, of course, to know about materials, including building materials, textiles and fabrics and furnishings including antique and modern furnishings. A Look at Plantation Shutters When potential buyers are looking at a home, many upgrades get their attention. Floor tile, fireplace, and tile backsplash are some popular additions to a home. You Know Your Home Décor is Frumpy and Stale when?. As a decorator, I have gone into many different homes and met homeowners with questionable taste. One thing I am shocked about is people living in a time warp. Custom Mini Blinds In the mini blind market, you have three types of options: You can buy what is ready-made and is widely available in retail stores; buy ready-made but cut to fit blinds; and one-inch slat mini blinds that can fit one-eighth of an inch near your required specifications.In the first option, you get the general size of your window and find the blind that closely fits it. The Latest Trends in Interior Decorating for Your Home & Office In this time period, people are as busy as ever. Mom's and dad's working overtime can be very hectic and hard to handle at some points. Home Decorating Tips - How to Change a Rooms Dimension using Wall Pictures The Basic Role of Pictures Wall art plays an important role in interior design as it helps create the ambience of a room. By cleverly placing wall pictures in certain ways, you can change and create a new look and feel in a room. Spring & Home Decorating - A Fresh New Look Open Windows ? Curtains fluttering from a warm breeze ? The air smells fresh and clean ? Buds on the trees are beginning to open ? Tiny flowers are popping up threw the ground ? Finally that little bird with the red breast is backAll of these can only mean one thing "Spring" has arrived. Those days of blustery storms and frosty drafts have come to an end. Psychology Of Colors: The Dining Room Colors affect our minds, our physiologies, and our social interactions. The colors you choose when decorating a room can have an effect on any occasion that you hold there. A Sofa Slip Cover Will Add New Life To Your Tired Furniture! A sofa slip cover may be just what you need to add some life to that old, tired looking couch of your. There are many advantages to owning a sofa slip cover. Home Care for the Monsoon Given that the monsoon season lasts for a few months in India, there are many aspects that need to be looked into while considering home care needs. In fact, it is a good idea to get a professional to do an inspection of your home, old or new, prior to the monsoon and ensure that you find and fix the problems that keep recurring. Pot Racks - Make a Statement In Your Kitchen One of the most beautiful, versatile and efficient accessories that you could incorporate into your kitchen is the pot rack. The addition of a custom pot rack brings style, grace and organization to your kitchen's workspace, and makes a stylish, sophisticated statement that is unsurpassed by other accessories. A Place For Everything In Your Home Are there homeless items living in your home? If you're like most families, you have countless bits and pieces lacking designated spaces, so the homeless items are left lying on the nearest shelf or countertop.After awhile all the little items without a home begin to accumulate, causing clutter and chaos in your household. A Baker's Rack: Always A Favorite When it comes to home accessories, baker's racks have long been a favorite of consumers due to their versatility, beauty, and practicality. In addition to adding that special element of style, a baker's rack is also very practical in that it can be used for extra shelving, storage space and/or as a work center. The Benefits of Hanging Wine Racks Hanging wine racks help to neatly store wine in tight spaces. You can find wall-mounted wine racks that hold six bottles with slots to hang your stemware. A Look at Custom Roman Shades Roman shades are a classic window treatment. They are simple, elegant, and can fit in any style of room. Decorating Tips: The Meaning of Colors Colors have many different meanings. Have you ever been in a blue room, feeling calm and relaxed, and then walked into a red room and you began to feel chatty and excited? The change in your mood wasn't just coincidence - it was an actual psychological and physiological response to the colors of the rooms. Resourceful Redecorating - Budget Friendly Home Decorating Spring is here and for many of us it's the perfect time to organize and decorate. As winter passes into spring, it's out with the old look and in with the new look. A Guide to Acrylic Kitchen Sinks Unlike laminates, acrylic and/or polyester plastics are homogenous nonporous material. Kitchen sinks made from acrylic come in different thickness and numerous colors. A Look at Outdoor Ceiling Fans A ceiling fan used outdoors, such as on a covered porch, deck, or gazebo, can serve several purposes. Outdoor ceiling fans can provide a cool breeze and make hot days much more comfortable, keep bugs away, and provide beautiful and unique decoration.
|
| home | index |site map |
| © 2006 |
