Top Toxins in Your Home: Part I
A healthy home produces a healthy life. Here are some chemicals creeping their way into your home and ways to swap them out with products that will enable you to begin creating a clean and safe space out of your home.
Disclosure: There are many more toxins to look out for but avoiding these 10 is a great place to begin cleaning out your home.
FRAGRANCES
I’m sure your favorite perfume or cologne comes to mind at the mention of this word. Your perfume or cologne may smell nice, but it is not your friend. You may be wondering why and here is why. The chemicals found in fragrances are manufactured from petroleum (where gasoline comes form) and coal tar (a drug used to slow down the growth of skin by shedding dead skin cells) and are classified as carcinogens (promotes carcinogenesis, the formation of cancer), hormone disrupters, neurotoxins, skin, and respiratory irritants. Fragrances are considered trade secrets. In other words, manufacturers aren’t required to disclose the potential hundreds of ingredients that make up any particular fragrance. With this said, fragrances embody more than just perfumes and colognes. They can be found in laundry detergents, hair products, lotions. The list goes on and on.
What to do?
Even natural fragrances can be as dangerous as synthetic ones. With that said, not all of them are, but to be safe the best thing one can do is avoid products with the words fragrance or perfume on them, and even those that say fragrance-free or unscented. Sometimes other chemicals are used to mask smells and therefore labeled, fragrance-free. Look into DIY products for your home with essential oils or green living house products.
Going fragrance-free is one of the biggest steps one takes towards a toxic and chemical free home.
SLS & SLES
Do you know that foam that forms when scrubbing with your favorite cleaning product? It really makes you feel like the job is getting done and on the surface, it is. Beyond the surface, it is depositing toxins that you do not want in your home, SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) and SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate). SLS, also known as SDS (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate), has been linked to skin & eye irritation, organ toxicity, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and ecotoxicology. SLES is SLS on a smaller scale. SLS and SLES can be found in home cleaning products and beauty products.
What to do?
Unlike the chemicals used in fragrances, SLS and SLES show up on the ingredient list. The best course of action is to avoid any products that include them. An easy way to begin is by swapping out your dishwashing soap, creating some DIY products at home with essential oils, and looking into toxic-free home and products.
A clean house is not just clean on the surface but beyond it as well.
DYES
Pops of color in your home does not have to be at the expense of your health. One artificial dye can contain up to 25 synthetic chemicals. Many of these chemicals are made from coal tar and some can contain arsenic and lead. Dyes are linked to headaches, mild skin rash, hives, and much more. Many say if it’s not colorless then it is not safe, but there are alternatives to embracing color!
What to do?
Invest in products that are naturally dyed with fruits or other natural means.
Color can be clean!
FLAME RETARDANTS
The purpose of flame retardants is to help reduce the rate at which a piece can burn and help prevent the spreading of a fire. With that said, there are studies that have shown that flame retardants are not that efficient in reducing the flammability of an object. Flame retardants can be found in furniture, textiles, carpets, and much more. They are released into the air through friction or to the generation of heat. For example, when sitting on a couch or wiping a table. Reducing the risk of a fire spreading in one’s household is extremely important but these chemicals come with health risks. Flame retardants have been linked to thyroid destruction, memory and learning problems, reduced fertility, and some even to cancer. With that said, there are alternatives to flame retardants in the works. Unfortunately, not one potential solution is perfect and comes with trade-offs where it may be better for one’s health but not the environment.
What to do?
Seek out furniture without flame retardants, since there are no current alternatives being spoken about.
The risk of a fire in your home is minimal compared to your health being affected by the chemicals in flame retardants.
VOC’S
Volatile organic compounds have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility. VOC’s are man-made chemicals that are used and produced mostly in paints and other finishes. VOCs are often elements of petroleum fuels, hydraulic fluids, paint thinners, and dry cleaning agents. They are also common ground-water contaminants. They are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids such as paints, cleaning products, building materials and furnishings, office materials, and many more. Some health issues related to VOC’s are headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and skin problems. Higher concentrations of VOC’s are linked to irritation of the lungs, as well as damage to the liver, kidney, or central nervous system.
What to do?
A great place to begin in cleaning out your home of VOC’ is by avoiding the use of aerosol consumer products such as hairspray and air fresheners, swapping out solvent-based paints with water-based paint, and investing in furniture without VOC’s. Take a look at our Instagram page for some options and inspiration.
Nothing better than a freshly painted home without the freshly painted smell.
Tip: A great place to begin going green in your home is by swapping out your pillow-case! You spend at least a third of your day breathing in anything and everything on it.
Have any questions about switching to a green home? Contact us. We’d love to help you create a space that is not only beautifully #casuallyhighstyle but healthy for you and your loved ones. Stay tuned for part 2 on toxins to look out for in your home.