There are a number of ways to reduce toxins in the home but trying to eliminate all the toxins in your home is impossible. Don’t try to do it because you will make yourself crazy trying…I’ve been there. The best we can do as consumers is just to be aware of what these toxins are in + mindful of doing our best to avoid them.
Let me start off by saying these are not suggestions for the chemically sensitive. That is a whole other ballgame. These are ideas for the everyday homeowner to implement in attempts to reduce the level of toxins in their home + improve their environment.
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1. Get an Air Purifier, Add Some Plants + Open Your Windows
Researching air purifiers is dizzying at best. There are a bazillion options at a ton of different price points. The major things to look for? One that has at least a carbon filter + a HEPA filter. The other…avoid ionizing purifiers as they can create ozone gas in your indoor atmosphere + has shown to be a lung irritant. This is especially important to take into consideration when there are little lungs in the home or particularly sensitive ones. Pass over any that are labeled “ionizing” or “UV filter”.
Most households don’t need commercial or hospital grade purifiers which can cost well over $1000. If you are looking for some affordable yet effective options here are a few I found doing some research. Right now I have my eye on THESE for the bedrooms + THIS for our den/living space. If your budget does warrant making an investment, installing a HEPA filter in your forced-air heating/cooling system is a great choice.
My favorite air cleaning plants are the ones I can’t kill like a snake plant, ZZ plant or spider plant. They all can withstand a good deal of neglect which is perfect for me.
When all else fails, open the windows to let your house breathe. The most important thing is air movement so be sure to create a cross-breeze. Be mindful of when you’re opening them, if it’s too humid or there a lot of pollen or air pollution keep them closed because that defeats the whole purpose.
2. Clean Water
In addition to clean air being imperative for better health, the water you drink + use daily should be just as clean. You can add a whole home water purifying system like Aquasana or simply use a separate filtration system attached to your sink or that can be used in the refrigerator.
I’m currently doing more research on water filters but so far it seems that reverse osmosis is the way to go. I will be back with more!
3. Ditch the Plastic
At this point, ridding your environment of as much plastic as possible should be a no-brainer. Start small with giving up plastic straws + plastic wrap. This little change will also save the environment from being polluted with more single-use plastic. We have made the switch from plastic wrap to beeswax wrap from Bee’s Wrap + love it!
The other big thing to go…plastic storage containers, particularly ones for storing hot + cold food items. Regardless if it’s BPA free or not, plastic can still leech chemicals into food. Opt for glass containers instead. You can even carry this change over to your pantry by switching to these glass ones from The Container Store.
Plastic elimination also goes for cutting boards + the plastic produce bags at the super market. Choose a bamboo cutting board like this one + treat it with Walnut oil {though I’m not a fan of the spray} instead of mineral oil which is a distillation product of petroleum. Skip the plastic produce bags + use these organic cotton ones instead.
4. Choose Better Cleaning + Personal Care Products
There’s zero reason anyone should be using the old window cleaner solutions, or scented laundry detergent, or those disgusting powdered carpet refreshers. Not only are these incredibly harmful to your health + the environment, but they are no more cheaper than healthier + more natural alternatives.
Regular white vinegar {either on it’s own or mixed with some distilled water} is as effective + MUCH cheaper than a bottle Windex. Carpet in general is one of the least healthy flooring options to have in a home but don’t make it worse by adding chemical + synthetic fragrance-laced product on top of it. A mixture of baking soda + a few drops of essential oils {or even just plain baking soda} is a better alternative to deodorize carpets. Give up the dryer sheets + fabric softener for wool dryer balls.
Personal care + beauty products can be difficult to switch out, especially if you have a favorite shampoo or cleanser that is awesome! I’ve had a tough time switching to natural deodorant to the point I started breaking out in horrible rashes from the baking soda. I went back to Dove but am bound + determined to find a natural deodorant that works for me.
Make simple changes in your routines by looking for products that don’t contain sodium laurel sulfate {SLS}, phtalates, parabens, or uses synthetic fragrance.
I have very sensitive skin + break out in hives when stress hits but have been able to get excessive + cystic breakouts + even my hives under control using a skincare regime using these Herbivore products: Blue Tansy resurfacing mask, Lapis oil + Prism serum.
If you’re on the fence about investing in Herbivore they have some great sample sets to purchase like this True Blue set , the Coco Rose Luxe Hydration Trio or my personal favorite this Balance + Clarify Natural Skincare Mini set. That ‘s how I came to love them! I also use Little Barn Apothecary Aloe + Rose Water mist. And their Aloe + Charcoal facial wash is AH-MAY-ZING!!
I’ve been working on swapping out my make up but for now I’m just reducing the amount of make up I wear. Recently the RMS Living Luminizer has been my BFF for giving a super subtle glow without making me look like a disco ball or a mannequin with a high-gloss finish.
Next up is finding organic feminine care products. Sorry to any males reading this!
5. Set a Regular Cleaning Schedule
As a busy parent it is SO difficult to find the time or energy to clean but if you think about the dust building up on your floors + shelves for what is really is {dead skin cells + particulates containing off-gassed toxins + allergens} or the water puddling up around your shower + sink {a haven for mold + mildew growth} it may motivate you to make sure these things don’t linger too long.
If you are having a difficult time finding cleaning products that are non-toxic and/or environmentally friendly, check out Grove Collaborative. They have a great selection of cleaning + personal care products. You can get $10 off your first order with my referral code HERE. I promise you WILL NOT be disappointed by their selection or their customer service. I have used them for almost 2 years now + have nothing but praise to sing!
6. Stop Pests the Natural Way
Depending on where you live, pests can be a big problem. From rodents to insects, there are numerous unwanted visitors that can get into your home. Prior to moving in our home was treated for active termites, regular pest control treatments every 3 months + right before we moved in there was a bat roosting in the attic. In addition we continued to have ant + mice invasions…wahhhhh!!
For a while the trade off of not having pests in the house was as simple as shelling out $500 a year. However, once kids came a long it was nerve-wracking to have those chemicals building up in the home where are babies are growing up. Since then we have resorted to doing our best to eliminate the source of attraction for the pests {i.e. food on the ground…which is super difficult with two toddlers running around}, closing up any points of entry we can find + setting traps. I know that’s not humane but it’s where we’re at in our pest control journey.
Be sure to also clean up leaves + debris against the sides of the house. We have used diatomaceous earth around the boarder of the house to help control spiders + insects from getting in. Just be sure to wear a fine-filter mask when spreading it around to avoid inhalation.
Are these methods 100%? Nope. But they’re better than having possible endocrine disruptors + carcinogens floating around the house.
7. Go Organic + Reduce Processed Foods
To reduce your chemical exposure from the inside out, choose your foods more carefully. Going completely organic is very expensive so if you can’t go all-in just follow the EWG guidelines for the dirty dozen + clean 15 for food choices. Always remember to wash your produce {organic or not}.
In addition to these, reducing the amount of processed foods, like those delicious mini-muffins, can help your body operate more efficiently to get rid of the toxins you can’t avoid.
8. Change Your Personal Habits
Things like smoking, wearing shoes indoors, leaving dirty clothes laying around and not cleaning regularly {see #5 above} all lead to toxins circulating throughout your home.
Quit smoking {another no-brainer}, make a designated area for shoes to stay at the door, put dirty clothes to go in a hamper + set that regular cleaning schedule!
9. Fine Tune Your Wardrobe + Textiles
We can’t all buy organic cotton everything but trying to make more mindful purchases can help reduce our exposure to toxins like glyphosphate. One purchase that is on my list is organic linen sheets. Since we spend a lot of our lives sleeping {side note: whoever said this was not a mother} my goal is to switch to organic cotton PJs + bedding.
I’m also planning on switching out or towels to these stylish organic cotton Turkish towels. In addition to being organic, they’re super absorbent + super stylish. They also take a shorter time to dry in a dryer. It’s a winning situation all around.
Further, since not all the cute clothing options out there are organic, creating a capsule wardrobe allows you to limit the amount of chemicals you’re adding to your closet + opt for pieces that are machine washable instead of dry clean only.
10. Limit EMF Exposure
While not a chemical toxin, electromagnetic fields {EMFs} are considered toxic because they can create layers of radiation exposure that accumulate in your indoor environment. From appliances + WiFi to the type of light bulb + your cell phone, most things inside the home are considered low-frequency EMFs {high-frequency EMFs are x-rays, UV light + Gamma rays}.
While there are conflicting studies done on adults on whether or not low-frequency EMFs pose a risk, there does seem to be consistent findings of an increased risk for leukemia in children who have a high level of exposure to EMFs. For this reason alone limiting the amount of screen time {especially on cell phones, iPads + computers} is important, as well as giving children time to play outside barefoot or take a walk barefoot through moving water. Both these practices called “grounding” introduces negative ions to the body + neutralizes the positive ions from electronics.
Try turning off the WiFi + infrequently used electronics {like computer or printer}, especially at night. Putting your cell phone on airplane mode, turning it off, or simply leaving it in another room can help lower your exposure. This is a difficult practice for me because I like to have my phone handy when my husband is on midnight shift. But I’ve compromised by placing the phone on the dresser instead of the nightstand. But when he’s home…phone is in airplane mode or off + in the kitchen.
There are obviously numerous toxins we can encounter + research is being conducted everyday to identify issues + create better products or alternatives. The best we can do we will all keep learning as we go + strive to live the healthiest we can with what information + resources are available.
To avoid overwhelm, changing up one of these things each week or even each month. There are no rules saying you have to mitigate all of these issues all at once. Pick what is most doable + makes the most sense for your family then go from there!
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