I bought the kids 2 big boxes of lincoln logs last night and I have been feeling really bad all day (dizzy, headache, face hot, brain fog, mood swings, nausea) and didn't know why until I picked up the lincoln logs box and the smell hit me, the logs are all over the floor because the kids had been playing with them all morning. I had the kids pick them up and put them in the other room while I got some fresh air, I feel a little bit better. But I'm SO mad that some thing like lincoln logs (the stain used on them, I bet) can make me so sick. Soon my kids aren't going to have anything left.
We are even having to pull up the carpet soon and I think we need to get a new mattress. The paint on the walls may even be making me ill.
I'll never be able to own a "new" car again or stay in regular hotels again (unless they go chemical free).

You may be able to air the logs out for a couple of days and see if that makes them more tolerable.

I heard something a few months back about the air quality of a new car, but can't recall exactly. Something like a couple months and the fumes are mostly gone. (You could garage it and air it out that long, maybe?)

Nothing kills odor like sunlight.

If you take up the carpet and get a diff kind of floor - like vinyl - you will not want to be around that for a while either. The glue and flooring may really mess with you.

I know it is going to be a royal drag, but you will find ways to work around a lot of this stuff.

People wearing smelly stuff and cleaning in public places is probably going to be the toughest part, not your own environment. You're smart, and you'll get a grip on that.

Hang in there.

I'm so sorry Julie . My brother's wife mcs too. It is a huge pain in the ****. She had quit her high paying dental hygienist job because of it. She sees a naturopath for help with it. At least you will be rid of all of the things in your home that can make you ill. I know that's a very small consulatio .

Try putting all the Lincoln Logs in an empty bucket, or in a DRY wading pool. Let them sit out in the sunlight all day (bring them in, or cover them if it rains)

Maybe the sunlight and being outside will help them air out enough that the stain on the logs wont smell anymore.

Either that, or store them in the garage and only let the kids play with them in the driveway or back patio.


I dont think I'm as sensitive as you are, but I had a weird reaction to the new menus at Applebees tonight. My hands are itching like crazy right now, and the smell of the new paper/ink on the menus triggered a headache/impending migraine.

Gosh, Julie....that sounds terrible. I hope you can get it figured out soon so that you know what you can tolerate and what you can't. Do any of your children seem to be this way? I don't know if it's hereditary or not?

Seems like with all the new and different conditions that are prevalent today someone would invent or make products & toys that are hypoallergenic and reasonably priced. I wonder if some of the children dx with ADHD and the like are really just suffering from allergic reactions to common, everyday products?

Those are all really good points. Way back they used to think that chemical sensitivity was from being over exposed to chemicals. But who knows? I would watch the kids and see if they too seem to react to things, even just a bit.

One thing that may help - you can clean a lot of stuff with vinegar, and that shouldn't bother you too much. Dilute 1/2 cup to a gallon of warm water, and you can you that on tile or vinyl floors, painted surfaces, plastic toys, etc.

I do windows and all kinds of stuff with that. I was going to try vinegar instead of carpet cleaner in my Bissell Steam cleaner.

Vinegar kills most germs and bacteria just like the chemicals - with either, you need to keep the surface wet 10 minutes. It leaves no residue like regular cleaners though. It's safe enough to drink but tough enough to disolve calcium deposits if used full strength (like in a coffee pot) and gentle enough for most wall paper.

Since you're MCS, I would still recommend rubber gloves. Even the dirt you stir up could bother you.

Kelly and Brain you both have good points and suggestions.

I will add that I can't use vinegar to clean with. Apparently, I am really sensitive to it. But I do make up a formula of baking soda and lime juice (lime juice instead of the vinegar). I tolerate this much better.

I have also used Dawn. Believe it or not it is a great cleaner! It is mild enough for countertops and strong enough to get any oils or grease that are around the stove area. I learned this trick while cleaning DBF's rental.

The kitchen was caked in grease, dirt and grime. I have never seen anything so filthy. In the 7 years the people lived there, I don't think they ever cleaned. We were using all sorts of stuff to see what would work best. Dawn worked the best both for cleaning and my sinuses. I added a little Simple Green to boost the Dawn and that works well too. However, I am sensitive to Simple Green and can only use a wee bit. We used the Dawn on the walls and all that dirt and grime (it was BAD - you could write your name on the wall and see it through all that dirt).

I did post some suggestions on your other thread about MCS.

You know that is something DH and I talked about about at 1st, it's not hereditary but it's not unheard of for more than one person in the same home to have MCS, after all most of the time you exposited to the same chemicals. Anyway we have 2 kids that have health issues (ADHD, allergies, eczema) that may really have MCS instead or also that have already gotten better. And the Dr said we may even see EVERYONE in the house do better over all when the water and air in our home is cleaner, that's something everyone benefits from.