Reducing Toxins In Your Home

5 First Steps on Your Journey to a Healthier Home

Making changes in order to reduce toxins in your home can be intimidating and overwhelming. You might not know where to begin. Give yourself some grace as it can take time to learn what items are toxic and figure out what the better options are. You can’t make your home completely non-toxic overnight. It’s definitely a journey and if it’s a journey you are currently on or want to be on you are in the right place! Here I will share the 5 first steps to creating a non-toxic home. I will guide you in effectively reducing your family’s exposure to chemicals and toxins in your home and the changes I share will give you the biggest bang for your buck. 

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

STEP #1 – Filter Your Water

As we all know, water intake is extremely important for a variety of reasons, but you might be surprised to learn that there can be an plethora of chemicals in your standard drinking water. Fluoride (a known neurotoxin), arsenic and PFAS (nicknamed ‘forever chemicals’ because they build up in the body and don’t break down in the environment) are just a few. These things are known to cause cancer, endocrine and reproductive issues and more.

 A great way to check your local water supply is to visit EWG Water Database and enter your zip code. It will tell you when your water was last tested and what contaminants were found. It can be quite eye opening and extremely concerning at the same time. But, at least at that point, you are armed with information, and you can decide whether you need to make a change to improve your family’s water.

How To Filter Your Drinking Water

A great way to implement clean water and begin reducing toxins in your home is to install a water filtration system. There are different kinds, from whole home filtration systems to under the sink systems and countertop systems. These water filters don’t remove all TDS (total dissolved solids) from the water. TDS are all of the organic and inorganic compounds in water, both good and bad. Filtration systems only remove some TDS and they usually list which contaminants they remove.

Another great option which is a bit different than a standard filtration system is a Reverse Osmosis Water System. It’s probably the most effective option, but it removes almost all of the TDS (referenced above) from your drinking water, and that includes the minerals that you need. To replace the needed minerals, you can either purchase a system that has the technology to add them back for you or you can manually add minerals back into the water yourself. To do this, you can either use a high quality salt like Redmond Real Salt or add couple drops of minerals such as Concentrace Trace Mineral Drops to each glass of water.

A less expensive option is a water filter pitcher. Since we are in a rental at the moment, my family is using the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher. It removes a great deal of contaminants (Chlorine, Lead, Fluoride, PFAS, Arsenic and MORE) and is easy to use. Along with the water being clean, it actually tastes good also! Clearly Filtered makes a water bottle which is super convenient for travel. You can fill it up no matter where you are and it doesn’t matter the source, you can rest assured, the water you are drinking is filtered and clean!

What About Bathing Water?

Along with drinking water, the water you bathe in should also be filtered. Warm water opens your pores when bathing which makes it easier to absorb contaminants found in the water. These are the same contaminants found in your drinking water, but when they are absorbed through the skin, they can cause respiratory conditions or skin irritations, amongst other things. For clean bathing water, there are shower head filters as well as bathtub spout filters that you can very easily attach to any shower head or tub spout to filter that water as well. You may notice skin issues clearing up and softer hair when you begin filtering your bathing water. 

Step #2  – Purify Your Air

Many of us wouldn’t normally consider anything wrong enough with the air we breathe to do anything about it. Unfortunately, there are impurities in the air that can cause health issues and considering Americans spend on average 90% of our time indoors, you might want to consider improving the quality of air in your home. Some of the impurities are airborne allergens such as pollen, pet dander and dust mites. Oftentimes we pollute the air in our home with the use of chemicals whether in cleaning supplies or fragrance. And believe it or not, stale, or stuffy air from a lack clean air flow can also impede wellness. These are all within your power to improve because they are within your own home.

Benefits of Clean Air

Truly fresh, clean air is totally underrated. There are so many benefits! The first is that it’s a mood booster. It can make you happier! It also helps improve blood pressure and heart rate and at my age, these are things I’m considering in my own health. Maybe an obvious benefit, but one that must be noted is that it cleans your lungs.  And lastly, if you increase the amount of fresh air you get, you increase the amount of oxygen in your body which helps your white blood cells function properly, thus fighting off germs and illness. So basically, it boosts your immune system. The point here is that fresh, clean air is important and so good for optimal health. 

How to Purify Your Air

One way to reduce toxins in the home is to invest in an air purifier. Air purifiers are great at removing impurities from the air. HEPA air filters eliminate up to 99.97% of airborne allergens like pollen, pet dander and dust mites as well mold spores and bacteria. Activated carbon filters absorb odors, gases, and chemicals like VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). Air Doctor has a great air purifier for large spaces but If you’re not ready for a large purchase of an air purifier, there are smaller and more affordable options such as this one which is also great for a bedroom.

A VERY inexpensive, yet effective way to improve the air quality in your home is with plants. A fairly well-known plant named the snake plant can remove toxic compounds from air. It produces oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide at night, making it a very effective indoor air purifier while you sleep. And lastly, don’t forget to open your windows when you can! It’ll help get rid of the stuffy indoor air and naturally improve your indoor air quality. There’s nothing better than a house with fresh air flowing through it. 

Step #3 – Swap Out Toxic Cookware 

 Most people looking for cookware want to find good non-stick pans and that’s usually the driving factor when purchasing cookware. But another step to reducing toxins in the home is to ditch the teflon (or other toxic ingredients) for non-toxic cookware.

It’s well-known that non-stick pans contain chemicals. PFOA’s were finally banned in the US in 2014. However, common cookware is still being made with PTFE or PFOAs which are forever chemicals. Many also have glazes or coatings which contain heavy metals like lead and cadmium. I would suggest completely avoiding Teflon and Aluminum pans as those are going to be extremely toxic.

Non-Toxic Cookware Options

The most non-toxic types of cookware to use are cast iron or high grade stainless steel. Cast iron is classic and has stood the test of time but you have to season them in order to keep them rust-free. High quality stainless steel cookware is a great option (and my preference) because it can be non-stick if you use it correctly. It’s imperative to heat the pan and make sure your fat/oil of choice heats before you start cooking. It takes some trial and error but is worth it because ultimately you’ll be one step closer to reducing toxins in your home and being consumed by your family. 

Step #4 – Replace Plastic In Your Kitchen  

One of the very first actions I took on my journey to reduce toxins in my home was to swap all of the plastic in my kitchen with glass or silicon products. I was surprised to find quite a bit of plastic from containers that I used for leftovers and dry food storage to kitchen utensils, dishes and drinking cups.  The use of plastic is rampant in today’s world and anything we can do to reduce exposure in our home is going to benefit our family. Plastic contains harmful chemicals (commonly known ones are BPA and phthalates and PFAS) and those chemicals are leached into your food/drinks. It’s even worse if you are heating the food in plastic. Over time, they increase the toxic load in your body. This can cause an array of issues from endocrine disruption to behavioral disorders and many in between.

What To Use Instead of Plastic

I was able to replace my storage containers with glass bowls with lids from Pyrex and other brands. I swapped out my cooking utensils with wood and silicon. My dishes are now stone ceramic and made by a non-toxic brand. My drinking glasses are basic glass mason jars. They are simple and farmhouse cute. I made the purchases and swaps over time so as not to break the bank and purchased what I could with inexpensive options from Amazon.

Step #5 – Remove Artificial Fragrances From Your Home 

The Problem With Fragrance

Everyone loves a nice smelling home. But what you use to make your home smell good matters. There are probably literally hundreds of items in our homes that contain fragrance including toiletries, cleaning supplies and room sprays. But we are taking baby steps to create a non-toxic home. Focusing on the atmosphere of the home itself, the main culprits are air fresheners, plug-ins, wax melts and candles. Most of these products contain artificial fragrance which is a compound of chemicals that gives something its scent. The ingredient ‘fragrance’ can be a myriad of chemicals and phthalates. Exposure to them can cause disruption to the endocrine and reproductive systems as well as cancer. 

Make Your Home Smell Great

You might be thinking, but how can I help my home smell great? I can relate, I have pets and kids, so there is a definite need to ensure that my home smells good! First, I would suggest using candles that are either made of beeswax or coconut wax. Both are non-toxic and don’t emit carcinogens into the air like normal candles do. Amazon has some great ones and this small business is where I personally purchase my coconut wax candles from. 

Another great option that we use all year round is an essential oil diffuser. While it’s important to do your research and ensure the essential oils you are diffusing are not only pure, but also safe for exposure to children and pets, this is a good way to get your home smelling great quickly. This is my recommended brand of essential oils which has a kidsafe line if you don’t already have a favorite.

Be Encouraged!

I know that one or all of these changes might seem daunting but don’t forget that they don’t have to be done overnight; the important thing is to make small changes where and when you can. Each of these steps is an investment into your family’s health and future. Reducing toxins in your home and creating a healthier home is a journey and these are the first 5 steps that will effectively move you further on in that journey.

Source: www.ewg.org; http://www.epa.gov; http://www.lung.org