- Open windows as much as possible. Welcome in fresh air. The EPA finds that indoor air is more polluted than the air outside.
- Eliminate use of pesticides. Use traps and non-toxic sprays. (Brands).
- Take shoes off at the door to prevent tracking in of outdoor pollutants.
- Use greener cleaners
- Do NOT use air fresheners or artificial fragrances (use baking soda to absorb odors).
- Wet clean garments (instead of dry cleaning). (Read: H20 Cleaners).
- Avoid anti-bacterial soaps and products labeled with claims to “kill germs”. They most often contain the harmful active ingredient triclosan. (Read: Soapy Solutions to Antibacterials). Alternatives:
- White vinegar is a food grade antimicrobial. Use it as a surface spray.
- Wash hands for 20-30 seconds with warm water and mild soap to effectively remove germs.
- Clean Well™ soaps utilize thyme oil as the active antibacterial ingredient.
- Rely on baking soda, vinegar, and mild soap for home-made cleaners. (Home Cleaning Recipes).
- Avoid products labeled “Danger”, “Poison”, “Flammable.”
- Minimize exposures to PBDEs and other flame retardants
- Use a moist cloth when dusting at home. Dry dusting simply distributes particles into the air, making them easier to breathe.
- Wash hands after touching dryer lint, which can be concentrated with toxins.
- Cover or replace furniture cushions where the foam pads are exposed.
- Remove the fat from fish when preparing or cooking. Toxins build up in fat.
- Minimize harmful chemicals in food
- Eat organic when possible.
- Minimize pesticides in produce. Apples, celery, and bell peppers are highest in pesticides. Onions, corn, and pineapples are lowest. Check foodnews.org for more.
- Eat safe fish. Avoid large predatory fish such as shark, swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel. Go to the Michigan Department of Community Health’s Eat Safe Fish site & ewg.org/tunacalculator.
- Choose hormone-free/ rGBH-free dairy products.
- Avoid BPA in plastics (Read: BPA Update).
- Avoid canned food (especially liquid baby formula; opt for powdered instead).
- Use glass or stainless steel reusable drinking bottles (avoid #7 plastics).
- Avoid vinyl (PVC) in toys, blinds, flooring, and shower curtains. (avoid #3 plastics). (For more info, visit: healthystuff.org).
- Use latex or water-based paint products instead of oil-based. Look for VOC-free. (Read: Paint Pure).
- Reduce formaldehyde releases: avoid (or seal) particle board and pressed wood.
Printable pdf: Top 10 Tips to Avoid Toxins at Home
-Melissa Cooper Sargent
July 2012, updated September 2012
