The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Beauty, personal care, and cleaning products contain secret fragrance chemicals linked to cancer, report shows

Companies don’t put all chemical ingredients on the label, the “Right to Know: Exposing Toxic Fragrance Chemicals in Beauty, Personal Care and Cleaning Products,” a report by the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners or BCPP says.

In addition, companies often don’t tell consumers about fragrance chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive harm, and respiratory problems.

“BCPP’s report reveals that when we use common beauty and personal care products, we are exposed to a shocking number of unlabeled, unregulated toxic fragrance chemicals without our knowledge or consent,” said Janet Nudelman, director of program and policy at BCPP and director of BCPP's Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

How to wash pillows

This summer, my daughter and her kids from Madrid came to visit in July and August. When they left, I washed all the bedding including the pillows.

I ruined a small one. Here are tips from the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension on how to wash pillows.

Follow the manufacturers’ cleaning directions. If there aren’t any, use the following guidelines. Although down-filled pillows are hand or machine washable, some manufacturers recommend dry-cleaning.

Green living: Inexpensive ways to save our planet today

By Bailey Newman, content writer at CouponChief, guest author

There’s no denying anymore that our precious Earth is in serious trouble. And lots of human activity – from air pollution to deforestation – has something to do with it. If we don’t change, we face both unintended and potentially permanent consequences. Indeed, the need for us to act now has never been more compelling. And we can start by taking on an earth-friendly lifestyle.

The thing is far too many people believe that going green will drain their wallets. Well, the good news is that it doesn’t have to.

There are plenty of inexpensive ways you can reduce your environmental footprint. And you can start with these seemingly trivial steps:

Why it’s important to do more to reduce your use of plastic

Since the early days of recycling, I’ve been recycling plastic. Before curbside plastic recycling was offered, I volunteered at a weekly recycling program offered in a grocery store parking lot. We helped people sort their plastics into big plastic bags that the recycling company would haul away at the end of the day.

I also started a Shop Smart program in my community that took people on a tour through a grocery store and showed them how to cut down on the amount of packaging they were buying and what plastic items were recyclable at that time.

In 2014, I wrote an article on how to reduce the use of plastic. See the list at the end of this article.

But, after seeing reports on Facebook of hundreds of pounds of plastic being removed from the ocean and plastic actually visible floating down rivers, I realize we need to do more to reduce our use of plastic. Here are new tips that I’m using that you can try, too:

Surface cleaners are being recalled by Briggs & Stratton due to injury hazard

Briggs & Stratton is recalling about 201,000 3000 PSI pressure washer surface cleaners in the United States and about 5,400 in Canada.

The surface cleaner’s spray bar can break and detach from the central hub, causing broken pieces to hit consumers, which is a potential injury hazard.

Briggs & Stratton has received five reports of spray bar detaching from the central hub, including one report of the spray bar hitting an operator, causing a cut on the knee that required stitches.

Surface cleaners are designed to clean a variety of outdoor surfaces including concrete, asphalt, and stone walkways. The cleaner connects to a pressure washer rated up to 3000 PSI.

What to buy and not buy in April

April may bring showers, but it can offer good deals such as spring apparel finally hitting sale sections. You’re also likely to find free items on Tax Day and Earth Day, which always are good for the budget.

To learn about the best sales and what to avoid, here are tips for April shopping from DealNews.com:

7 things to buy in April

Spring clothing

Now that spring clothing has been on sale for two months, you can expect to see many deals on in-season apparel. This April, you’re likely to see the price of men's shorts to fall to $3 at stores such as Walmart, while dresses and sandals will likely start at around $6 at a number of outlets.

Alert: Ingesting laundry detergent pods could severely injure or kill you

What should Tide PODs be used for? DOING LAUNDRY. Nothing else.

Eating a Tide POD is a BAD IDEA, and we asked our friend @robgronkowski to help explain. pic.twitter.com/0JnFdhnsWZ

— Tide (@tide) January 12, 2018

Since the first of the year, 68 teenagers from the ages of 13 to 19 years old have been intentionally exposed to liquid laundry detergent pods.

“Since our first alert to this life-threatening activity, the trend of intentionally ingesting single-load laundry packets has increased in its popularity despite repeated warnings,” said Stephen Kaminski, executive director for the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

During the first two weeks of 2018, poison control centers handled 39 cases. That was about the number they had in 2016. In the past week, another 47 cases have occurred, for a total of 86 between January 1 and January 21, 2018.

Recall of BSH Home Appliances dishwashers expended due to fire hazard

BSH Home Appliances is recalling about 408,000 Bosch, Gaggenau, Jenn-Air, and Thermador brand dishwashers and about 61,000 in Canada. Previously, 149,000 additional units were recalled in October 2015. The date range has been expanded for previously recalled models.

The dishwasher power cord on the dishwashers can overheat and catch fire. 

BSH Home Appliances has received five reports of overheating cords, which resulted in fires that caused property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Unregulated carcinogen found in tap water and consumer products throughout the nation, study shows

An unregulated cancer-causing industrial solvent, which is also hidden in cosmetics and household cleaners, was found in samples from tap water supplies for nearly 90 million Americans in 45 states, according to test data from local utilities analyzed by the Environmental Working Group

The tests showed that more than 7 million people in 27 states are served by public water systems with a higher average level of the chemical 1,4-dioxane than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says poses an increased risk of cancer. States with the most people exposed to 1,4-dioxane above the increased cancer risk level are California, with 2.5 million people exposed; North Carolina, with 1.2 million; and New York, with 700,000.

The EPA classifies 1,4-dioxane as a “likely” human carcinogen, and the state of California lists it as a chemical known to cause cancer. Despite the known health risks, the EPA has set no enforceable legal limit under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Handi-Craft Co. recalls Dr. Brown’s baby soap products due to risk of bacteria

Handi-Craft Co. is recalling about 23,000 Dr. Brown’s natural bottle and dish soap products.

The bottle and dish soap can contain harmful bacteria. Exposure to bacteria poses a risk of respiratory and other infections in immunocompromised individuals.

No injuries or incidents have been reported.

This recall involves Dr. Brown’s Natural Bottle & Dish Soap sold separately and with Dr. Brown’s bottle brush as a bottle cleaning kit.