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A Little Mood lighting

mummummum
September 12th, 2007, 08:52 AM
As the days get longer and the nights chillier, many of us like the ambience of candles around the house. But there are real dangers to not only our health but the health of our animals with scented and non-scented candles.

Most candles and gel candles on store shelves are parraffin based. As parraffin is a derivative of petroleum (just like a diesel :eek:) candles release particulate (soot) and carcinogens into the air we and our animals breath. Scented candles are thought to be worse in that they can trigger episodes of asthma and allergic reactions.

Consider soy or beeswax candles as a healthier alternative to parraffin. They last longer than parraffin candles and beeswax smells divine. If you are using scented candles to freshen up your house, place bowls of vinegar in each room to help eliminate household and tobacco odours around your house. Everyone will breathe easier as they enjoy the special mood set by candlelight on an autumn evening. :cloud9:

Read more about candles here: http://ehso.com/ehshome/candles2.htm

ancientgirl
September 12th, 2007, 08:59 AM
Thank you for posting this. I've been using scented candles, the kind that burn down to an oil for several weeks, and this might be a contributing factor to Oksana's coughing problem.

I had a look at the link but was confused by this sentence:

Soy candles are labeled explicitly, so if it does say Soy on the label, it isn't. Soy candles have a more opaque appearance and usually have with a whitish film.

Am I safe to think they meant to say "so if it does not say Soy on the lable, it isn't."

mummummum
September 12th, 2007, 09:07 AM
Your post triggered this thread Ancientgirl!

And yes, I think they left out a word or two :rolleyes: ~ buy candles labelled 100% Soy.

Longblades
September 12th, 2007, 09:10 AM
We use small bowls or saucers of vinegar and it really works to eliminate odours. I don't mind the sharp smell of vinegar but if you do, your nose won't notice it after a few minutes. As a side benefit, it is also good placed on surfaces you don't want your cats on because they will avoid that sharp smell too. Most of them. I know somebody is now going to post and say their cat actually loves vinegar. :)

ancientgirl
September 12th, 2007, 09:21 AM
Your post triggered this thread Ancientgirl!

And yes, I think they left out a word or two :rolleyes: ~ buy candles labelled 100% Soy.

I'm becoming more aware that my little ones are quite sensitive and I've got to be more conscious of how the surroundings affect them. I love burning candles, but had no idea it might be harmful to them, so thank you once again for posting this.

I'll certainly be looking for Soy and Beeswax candles.

And I'm going to try that vinegar too! I'm assuming its just plain white vinegar?

mummummum
September 12th, 2007, 09:22 AM
Just plain ol' white vinegar!

ancientgirl
September 12th, 2007, 09:27 AM
Cool. I'll be picking some up this weekend. Thanks!

clm
September 12th, 2007, 10:25 AM
I don't like using candles in the house air fresheners of any kind. Have to stick to natural stuff when you have birds in the house....I don't take any chances on him or us getting sick because of the oils or the fragrances they put in all that stuff. I leave the windows open when I can to keep the house aired out.

Cindy

SnowDancer
September 12th, 2007, 10:28 AM
I use dishes of vinegar as well. I do suffer from allergies and migraines and the scent of any form of candle or pot pourri will cause my rosacea to flare. Not to mention the fear of house fires (I was in a couple growing up). The other thing I do - after setting the very loud kitchen timer) is simmer apples with cinnamon sticks - this helps a lot.

clm
September 12th, 2007, 10:35 AM
Oooooh, I love the smell of apples and cinnamon. See, that's why fall is so great, you get those great smells in the house if you bake, pumpkin pie and apple pie, even all the great smells from regular cooking like stews and soups and stuff that's just too darn hot to make in the summer. For those of us who do have time to cook that is. :laughing:

Cindy

krdahmer
September 12th, 2007, 11:45 AM
I think Glade has come out with a thingy that looks like a candle (you get the soft light) and has a scent but is not a candle at all, thus no carcinogens or fire hazard. Just saw the commercial, not exactly sure about what company. Great idea though. Especially with Windy, her big fluffy tail and fascination with candles! :rolleyes: We just don't use them at all, but that one looked like it had potential.

JanM
September 12th, 2007, 12:27 PM
Good point about the scented candles - I don't use them myself but now that I know about them, if I ever do get candles to actually use, I'll make sure I get the soy-based ones...

Using vinegar is something I had never thought of either - but I'll try it and see how it goes. I don't have to worry about my cat with the vinegar but Bobby (my Golden) drinks it! Guess I'll have to make sure I put it up high!

want4rain
September 12th, 2007, 02:36 PM
Oooooh, I love the smell of apples and cinnamon. See, that's why fall is so great, you get those great smells in the house if you bake, pumpkin pie and apple pie, even all the great smells from regular cooking like stews and soups and stuff that's just too darn hot to make in the summer. For those of us who do have time to cook that is. :laughing:

Cindy

RAmen sistah!! ive been eyeballing the temp outside for the first real 'cool' day. today it was 82df (28C) outside and i thought of making some pumpkin pie (figured out a way i can make some for Mister too!!) but decided against it. it should be 75df (24C) over the weekend. ill make it then... and a roast too!!


i use vinegar for cleaning stuff. i believe ancientgirl mentioned needing a less allergenic cleaner... vinegar should be easier on the kitties. i ahvent tried scenting them yet because all i ahve is clove oil and thats used to euthanize fish.... i dont think i could use to now considering how ive used it in the past. maybe i will try it in the vinegar to see if it doesnt help some. or pick up some cinnamon oil? i also imagine lemon dishes would smell pretty good too. i dont know about the rest of you but i love lemon dishes and always have a lemon or two sitting around for zesting. i use it for cleaning too, which makes the house smell great. if you like the sweet smell of basil, add a touch of olive oil to a frying pan along with some fresh leaves (i get it to almost grow wild here) and let it simmer for a minute. keeps a great smell coming!

anyways, for those interested, there are lots of good smelling stuff you can do in the place of chemical injectors you plug in the wall that squirts yummy chemical goodness into the air every 7, 21 or 42 minutes!

-ashley

Longblades
September 13th, 2007, 09:46 AM
Well if you are anything like me I have to say, beware the apples and cinnamon idea. Ditto anything with vanilla sticks. The first makes you crave a nice glass of mulled cider (hard) and the second makes you want something baked and you will turn into a big fat drunk. :) I guess the vinegar could make you crave pickles too though and the salt in them will give you high blood pressure. Oh dear, nothing's safe. :)

mummummum
September 13th, 2007, 09:57 AM
:laughing::laughing: Better crawl back under the covers Longblades! You're a walking ball of cravings today!!

Jim Hall
September 13th, 2007, 11:22 AM
Well if you are anything like me I have to say, beware the apples and cinnamon idea. Ditto anything with vanilla sticks. The first makes you crave a nice glass of mulled cider (hard) and the second makes you want something baked and you will turn into a big fat drunk. :) I guess the vinegar could make you crave pickles too though and the salt in them will give you high blood pressure. Oh dear, nothing's safe. :)

have u had breakfast yet ?:lightbulb:

want4rain
September 13th, 2007, 11:27 AM
Well if you are anything like me I have to say, beware the apples and cinnamon idea. Ditto anything with vanilla sticks. The first makes you crave a nice glass of mulled cider (hard) and the second makes you want something baked and you will turn into a big fat drunk. :) I guess the vinegar could make you crave pickles too though and the salt in them will give you high blood pressure. Oh dear, nothing's safe. :)

riiiiight.... id say preggers!!!

-ash