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Q:"Regarding use of the Tanita TBF-410GS body composition scale: If I switch between "standard" and "athletic" modes when taking measurements, what changes will occur in the readout?"

Answer: The standard adult and athletic modes refer to the person's degree of physical fitness. An athlete has more lean muscle mass and less fat than the average person. So when you change the modes, the standard adult who weighs the same as the athlete will show a significantly higher amount of body fat. Bioelectrical impedance increases with body fat. And that is how the Tanita scale measures body composition.

The body fat composition scales by Tanita use leg to leg bioimpedance analysis. A barefoot person stands on two footpad electrodes on the scale platform. The body fat monitor/analyzer automatically measures weight and then impedance. Computer software (a microprocessor) imbedded in the scale uses the measured impedance, the subject's gender, height, fitness level, and in some cases age, (which have been preprogrammed), and the weight to determine body fat percentage based on equation formulas. Tanita's reference method is DEXA. Through multiple regression analysis, Tanita has derived standard formulas to determine body fat percentage. Tanita's equations are generalized for standard adults, athletes, and children.

If you have additional questions, please contact us.

Sincerely,
Barbara

Q: "Hello! I wish we were only 300 feet away from our mailbox! Do you know of any Mailbox chime versions that are good for 700 feet away? Thanks. Sue."

Answer: Unfortunately, the FCC limits the strength of the transmitter used in this product, thus the distance limit of 300 feet maximum.

Sincerely,
Barbara

Q: "The product description says that Kirk's Original Castile Soap can be used as a body wash and as a shampoo but it didn't mention use on the face. Can this be used as a facial soap?" Thanks from Lois.

Answer: Yes. Kirk's castile soap is a very mild soap that is made of all natural products without any chemicals or animal fats. Due to its high glycerine content, Kirks lathers generously in hard water as well as in soft water. Kirk's is a very slow melting soap which means you may be surprised how long one bar of soap lasts! Each 4 ounce soap bar is approximately 3.75 inches long by 2.5 inches wide by 15/16 inches thick (measured with wrapping on.)

One of our customers is a Viet Nam vet who was exposed to Agent Orange. He shared that this is the only soap he can use. My late father is the reason why we sell Kirk's soaps. When local supermarkets no longer sold Kirk's, Dad urged me to find the manufacturer and to sell it. Dad's ceramic tile soap dish was so small that he always cut the bar in two. We've been selling Kirks since 2000.

If you have other questions, please contact us.

Sincerely,
Barbara

Q: " I need to monitor water leaks into a basement window well in a home in Illinois. Can I place the Flood Detective Stand Alone Water Alarm and additional sensors on the window shelf if the shelf is metal? And can I mount the water alarm and additional sensors on the concrete wall below the window? Also how long is the power cord? Thanks for the reply. Steve."

Answer: You can use the Flood Detective as your water leak monitor. Do put a piece of cloth, napkin or paper towel under the sensor or you will get false alarms due to the metal in the detector getting cold or the metal "sweating."

The sensors for this moisture detector "train" together, sensor to sensor, like a daisy chain. Each Flood Detective water sensor has an eight foot (2.44 meters) long flexible, low-impedance corrosion-resistant wire with a two-prong jack on one end. The jack plugs into the sensor plate receptacle. This water sensor design allows multiple sensors to be daisy-chained to a single alarm unit so you can easily place sensors where you need them for flood warnings.

In theory, there is no limit to the number of sensors that can be daisy-chained to a Flood Detective alarm unit. Five water alert sensors per alarm seems optimal in determining which sensor activated due to a water leak. Each sensor cord is 8 feet long and the adapter cord is 6 feet long. These water sensors detect water at a depth of 1/32", are wafer thin for use under carpets or small spaces and have adhesive strips to keep sensors firmly in place.

For your purpose, using the AC adapter is the best choice unless you use metal wound batteries as all batteries become less efficient or freeze in cold environments.

If you have more questions, please contact us.

Sincerely,
Barbara

Q: "Will this item, Two (2) Tattle Tale Sonic Pet Training Alarms, keep a dog out of a carpeted area of the house?"

Answer: No, this is not the best choice. Tattle Tales are best used to keep animals off sofas, counter tops, etc. And they do work well. The dog's weight on a carpeted floor is not likely to set off the alarms.

My suggestions are as follows:

• Scat Mats: these are static charged mats. Power comes from a 9 volt battery and you can set the charge to low, medium or high. The animal dislikes the static shock. The downside: you'll feel it, too, if you are in your bare feet. (Works quite well for both my Boston Terriers. and they avoid the mats for a while even if they are turned off.)
• Animal Away: this is an ultrasonic dog or cat repeller that works on motion. The pros: small, silent, dependable. The cons: a few dogs ignore or tolerate the sounds. I have one Boston Terrier who avoided the bathroom for days after I used one to keep her out. (She was anointing the bath rugs.) She shook for ten minutes after the first go around and there was never a second one that I was aware of. The other bolder one ignored it and came on in.
• Stay Away by Contech: uses a motion sensor that activates a warning sound and then a brief, harmless spray of compressed air to keep your pet away.
• Taupe or White Pet Gates: As much as gates are a nuisance at times, they do the job without noise, batteries or static. The Cardinal Gates we sell also have extensions for height and width. They are easily installed and remove from their side brackets if you have company coming.

We appreciate your question. If you need more information, please contact us.

Sincerely,

Barbara

Q: Re: Starfiber 12 x 12 inch aqua microfiber cloths "Where are these cloths actually made? I am looking for some made in Germany that a friend told me about. Thank you. Pam"

Answer: These cloths are made in China. At this time, we sell only microfiber products made in Asia.  We used to sell a line made in Germany. However, the costs are not competitive and there is little difference between the cloths. The aqua 12 x 12 cloth differs from our terry type microfiber cloths in that it has a distinct texture on its "scrub" side. We've had countless sales and repeat sales on the starfiber microfiber cloths and no complaints about the cleaning effectiveness of any microfiber cloths or microfiber mops that we've sold.

Sincerely, Barbara

Q: Re: YardGard Electronic Animal Repeller. "I want to get rid of the neighbors dog, but will this product effect my INDOOR cat? We do open windows, so please advise."

Answer: If you aim the unit away from your home into an open area, the YardGard will not effect your indoor cat even with windows open. Ultrasonic sound waves behave more like light rays rather than sound waves. So they will be absorbed into solid fences, walls, etc. The bounce back is virtually zero.

I do suggest that you use the AC adapter if possible, at least initially. Use the "on" always position. Mount the unit at approximately the head level of the nuisance dog. To be a good neighbor, aim the unit so that the coverage is only of your yard.

Thanks for the inquiry.

Sincerely, Barbara

Q:"Does the Timex Medication Weekly Manager System come in another style with larger pill boxes?"

Answer: No, the Timex pillbox with timer has just one size.

Another option with larger pill boxes is the MedReady P1600 basic unit with alarm and key lock. Each pill holder is 1 x 1/2 x 3/4 inches. There are 28 compartments. The pill holder rotates so access to overdosing is not possible. Extra cases are available. Up to 4 alarms sound per day so this is great for 28, 14, 9 or 7 days' dispensing.

The Vitaminder - MEDport Pill Case Stacker is a medication organizer with 5 large round containers that screw together or can be separated for convenience in carrying. There is an extra lid so you can carry one or more units in your briefcase or handbag. My mom uses these. Use a permanent marker or a label for cases: ex. one case per each day of the week or as many cases as you need for each day. Each case is 2 inches in diameter by 1 inch high.

Thanks for your question and I hope this helps you make your decision.
Sincerely, Barbara Note: 10/22/2009. The Timex weekly pillbox was discontinued. There are a limited number of the Timex daily pillboxes available.

Q: Is the Bona Kemi STARFIBER Hardwood Floor Refresher Kit & products suitable to refresh, clean & protect parquet wood floors? Thanks!

Answer: Yes, if the parquet is hardwood , sealed with polyurethane and you have not used an oil-based or wax on the floors. If grit is ground into the parquet, get estimates on professional refinishing versus replacement. Remember that oil based cleaners or waxes get into the scratches on the floor and make refinishing, especially of parquet, difficult at best.

If your floors are merely in need of restoration of gloss in traffic areas, using the refresher after cleaning with the MicroPlus mop and Bona hardwood floor cleaner will save you money.

Parquet floors in older homes generally have a lacquer, varnish, or shellac finish. On-Line Tips.org suggests checking the finish using a cotton ball dipped in acetone fingernail polish remover. Choose an out of the way place. Then touch the floor with the cotton ball. If the floor feels tacky and the cotton is stained, the finish is varnish, lacquer or shellac. If the cotton ball is clean, it's polyurethane.

A friend chose having her parquet kitchen floor refinished two years ago. She was quite unhappy with the results. Parquet is lovely but the surface is thin. In the process, some squares were broken and some did not refinish well. When she asked for some re-work, the refinishers told her that her parquet was too thin to be refinished more than once. .

I hope this helps you make your decision.

Sincerely, Barbara

Q: "Does this Anemia Test also test for vitamin b12 deficiency anemia?"Liz

Answer: This test gives you a reading at home within 20 minutes of the hemoglobin level in your blood. The accuracy and reliability are over 96% when compared to lab based results. Results showed that hemoglobin concentration varied by less than 6% when the same person's blood was tested on 5 devices and less than 6% when the same sample was tested on 4 different days.

Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia is also called pernicious anemia. Please contact your physician if this blood tests indicates anemia. Diagnosis of pernicious anemia requires a medical history, physical exam and many more tests of the blood than just the hemoglobin level.

Thanks for the question and good luck.

Sincerely, Barbara

[Note: the Anemia Test is no longer available.  Although the product worked well, the manufacturer is no longer in business.]