How a VOC Device Gives Such Powerful Information

For many years, the hardest part of living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) has been the uncertainty. Every new item from a piece of clothing, a household product, or even something as simple as homework papers carried a risk. The only way to know if it was safe was to bring it into my home, try it, and wait to see if I had a reaction.

That constant guessing game often ended badly with asthma attacks, infections, sinus and ear congestion, incredible pain and many other serious reactions.

It seemed easier to never try anything new but that was impossible. Our spare bedroom alarm broke, our cutting board got moldy, Keith's cell phone cover broke, my iPad keyboard quit working.

I found myself wanting to avoid fighting and coughing to breathe from asthma so we had so many things in our garage waiting for me to test them.

It kept me from using things I needed and made everyday life feel like walking through a minefield.

Then something wonderful happened

I suddenly realized that the issue was harmful VOCs, so I posted in the three MCS groups I belong to asking if anyone had found a device that could measure VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Only one woman said she had one and used it. On her recommendation, Keith and I bought the Airthings 2960 View Plus.

At first, we placed the device in a big plastic box and put items inside to test them. One of the very first things we checked was a razor I had just bought from a health food store. I had gotten asthma after using it in the shower and couldn’t figure out why. The device told the story immediately. The razor sent the reading into the yellow zone, above 250. That was the answer. I now knew that any product that tested in the yellow zone which is above 250 would give me asthma. I also realized that since I react to products in our home, not secluded in a box, there was no need for the plastic box.

From then on, everything changed

Suddenly, we had a way to test the items sitting in our garage that I had been too afraid to bring inside. My grandson’s homework papers passed, so I could safely bring them in and enjoy them. An alarm clock passed too, now I finally had one for the spare bedroom. Cell phone chargers, on the other hand, failed badly with a score of 709, so out they went.

The relief was overwhelming. For the first time, I wasn’t gambling with my health. When the device said something was safe, I could use it with confidence and I didn’t get sick. Shoes that failed at first could be set out in the sun, retested later, and sometimes passed. Other items cleared right away. Each safe test felt like a victory.

The only exception I have found is polyester. Polyester passes as safe, however I have found it gives me asthma. An example is a pillow that passed our VOC test with no issues. However, the next morning I woke up with that feeling of no air in my throat and my chest was tight. I looked at the label of the pillow and it had a polyester cover. I have since removed every polyester item in our home and the result was amazing! Every last symptom I had except one was suddenly gone!

This is the only issue we have found with our VOC meter - that polyester tested safe, but still seriously affects my health. I’ve learned the meter isn’t a replacement for listening to my body but it is a powerful tool that dramatically reduces my risk of harmful reactions.

How we do our testing

We now do all of our testing in a linen closet that we emptied in our master bathroom. Normally, the air purifier in our master bedroom runs on high, but during testing we turn it down to low. We’ve found that running it on high interferes with accurate results.

If possible, choose a quiet, secluded area of your home for testing. We also close the bedroom door during tests so that cooking or other household activities don’t affect the readings.

We run each test for at least 8 hours to allow enough time for results to appear. Some products take longer to react, especially at lower temperatures, so we extend the testing time if needed. If the numbers continue to rise steadily, the meter will eventually turn yellow, indicating the product is not safe for us.

I check the results every half hour and increase the time I check on it as I see that the numbers are not going up quickly.

Our home temperature has been around 67 degrees. We weren’t sure testing would work at that temperature, but it does. During testing, we place the meter on one shelf and the item being tested on the shelf directly below it.

Some surprising and shocking results

Here are a few items that passed our VOC testing:

We have bought four pairs of Whiten shoes and they all passed easily - they do have synthetic material, however, since our shoes are always in the garage, or outside, or in our car and truck with the air on recirculate with a HEPA filter we decided that they are fine. I have not noticed any reaction from them and they have surpassed every other shoe we have tested. The pair I bought is leather with a rubber sole. It does have some synthetic cloth inside but everything else in this shoe is biodegradable! Keith's three shoes are synthetic, I have not had any reaction to them.

These shoes are amazing. They are very reasonably priced. They were so comfortable from the first day, they felt like wearing slippers. They are totally flat so the feel is very different. They are wide so they do not affect my bunions in any way. Keith went to a convention where he walked for miles every day on concrete and his feet were fine. We have hiked for miles in them with no discomfort. They are very flexible so your feet can grip to boulders and uneven surfaces making them very stable, they work as well as any hiking shoe. You can feel rocks through the shoes but it is not uncomfortable . We absolutely love them! These are the only shoes we use.

Preserve toothbrush passed at 165. I wasn't using toothpaste then, it tasted bad so now I wash them with Dr. Bronner's baby soap ONLY before use. This is the one we now use, the only one that passed our tests. You can return them so they can be made into more toothbrushes! I wish they used cardboard to package them but they do not.

Triquetra Plant Iodine whole food passed at 160.

Here are some products that failed:

Humble toothbrush failed at 311.

Vivago bamboo toothbrush failed at 389.

OraMD toothbrush failed at 316.

Aloe Vera plant failed at 590. It must be the potting soil or a fertilizer used on it.

Redmond Real Salt failed at 550. This was shocking.

Two Pact Pillow Cases failed at 960! Even more shocking.

What surprised us most was not just what failed, but what passed. Shoes we expected to be problematic passed. Yet, Whiten shoes not only passed easily, they caused no reactions and turned out to be the most comfortable shoes we’ve ever worn. Just as unexpected was discovering that a plant—something widely believed to be “healthy”—was actually one of the most toxic items we tested.

Even more shocking were everyday essentials. Toothbrushes. Salt. Products we use without a second thought failed our testing entirely.

These results completely changed how we look at our environment—and that’s why a VOC meter is such a powerful tool. It reveals what our senses can’t, turning assumptions into facts and giving you the ability to test your space, your products, and make decisions based on real data rather than labels or marketing.

Once you start testing, you may be just as surprised by what you find.

High VOCs can be upsetting

To do testing of products your home needs to be in the green which is below 250.

If you use fragrances your home probably will not be green.

Seeing a high VOC score may be stressful, but it is also the most important step forward. Measurement turns the invisible into something you can address. Once you know what you are working with, you can take clear, manageable steps toward a healthier indoor environment.

Other Important Air Quality Results Provided by Airthings

Temperature - this is important to know, because as temperatures go up, VOCs can increase causing air purifiers to get overwhelmed as more VOCs are released. A solution can be to lower the temperature.

Radon - this is important to know since there is no way to detect radon without a test and it can affect your health. Radon is high on occasion in our home but this is only an issue if it is high for a month or more.

CO2 - to solve CO2 issues the recommendation is ventilation. However, sadly, running fans, opening windows and other ventilation solutions can bring in air pollution from outside, wildfire smoke, fragrances from dryer sheets or laundry soap, fertilizers or weed killers from our neighbors. The result is asthma and other severe issues for me so we will only take action if we have symptoms. This has not happened.

Humidity - Phoenix often ranks among the top cities for mold sensitization, even as high as #2 or #3. For this reason the humidity is not a factor for us, we don't want to use a humidifier.

⚠️ Important VOC Testing Warnings: Please Read Carefully

Through our own testing and lived experience, we’ve learned several critical facts about VOC testing that can help protect your health and your home.

If a product enters the yellow zone, remove it immediately. Even brief exposure can escalate quickly and raise VOC levels throughout your entire home.

Once a product has gone yellow, it is no longer safe even if it later returns to green. We learned this the hard way. A pair of “organic” jeans initially tested at 711 (yellow) and later dropped back into the green zone. Despite that, I began experiencing severe back pain, felt extremely ill, and even noticed red mucus when coughing. It took several days to realize the jeans were the cause. Once I stopped wearing them, all symptoms disappeared.

At the start, check VOC readings every hour. Early monitoring helps you catch problems before they spread. Never test items when you are away from home or overnight, when you wont be able to immediately remove a product that turns yellow.

Always run an air purifier on low during testing. If a product goes yellow, move the purifier close to it and switch it to high right away to remove toxins as quickly as possible.

Be aware: it can take a long time for VOC levels to return to a safe green zone.

Once VOCs spike, clearing them from your home may take hours or days to improve depending on the cause.

These precautions can make a meaningful difference in protecting your health and preventing long-lasting contamination in your home or workplace.

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I am never an affiliate for any product I recommend. I share these recommendations only because they have genuinely helped improve my health, and I hope they can do the same for you.

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I have had miracles happen, so many miracles and I am so thankful. I am working to share with you what I have learned with my blogs, social media posts and YouTube so that you can also heal.

Yet now, I find myself faced with increasing toxins in America that is making it so difficult for me to stay healthy and this is true for each of us and our Earth.

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