On average, we will spend half of our lives inside our homes. And unfortunately, there are thousands to tens of thousands of chemicals inside the average home that are linked to diseases. Many of those diseases take years to manifest.
There are now 85,000 industrial chemicals now registered in the United States that are slowly finding their ways into our homes and eventually our body's systems. These chemicals are targeting major systems such as the immune, neurological, respiratory and more. Children, with still-developing bodies and immature immune systems, may be the ones most vulnerable to their effects.
When I start to research all the ways that chemicals can infiltrate our lives, I am left feeling overwhelmed, frightened and usually discouraged. But when it comes to the safety and well-being of my (four) children, I'm ready to fight... mentally, that is :)
Although we cannot do everything to avoid toxins in our homes, there certainly are ways to minimize our exposure to them. Here are just a few ways we can.
1. Ventilate often... daily if possible.
2. Be educated on your family's exposure to VOC's ~ you can learn more about VOC's here.
3. Establish a "no shoe" rule in your home. By doing this, you can cut down on bringing toxins in by 60%.
4. Keep the temperature and humidity low.
5. Drink filtered water.
6. Rethink your cookware. Teflon pans release at
least six toxic gases, including
two carcinogens, two global
pollutants, and MFA, a
chemical lethal to humans at
low doses.
7. Stop using air fresheners, including fabric softeners.
8. Avoid anything "anti-bacterial"... embrace your dirty side. Read more here.
9. Try to cut down on your use of plastics... and please don't microwave your food in plastic containers.
10. Google phthalates and dioxins. Get to know where they show up and avoid them.
11. Invite toxin-reduce plants into your home.
12. If your cleaning products have a warning label on it, then it's probably not good to use. I stopped buying commercial household cleaners awhile ago and have never looked back. I love making my own laundry detergent... found here. One thing I do invest in is my Seventh Generation dishwasher detergent. It is hands down the best. I tried making my own and it didn't work.... maybe because my dishwasher is 15 years old, but regardless, Seventh Generation has made my life much brighter and shinier :)
The one thing I do make and love is a general, household cleaner. I use this on my toilets, stains, faucets, stainless steel appliances, sticky messes on the floor and more. The vinegar may take your nose a little getting use to, but there definitely won't be any toxins to affect you or your children's health.
Here's the simple, easy recipe for an All Natural & Toxic-free household cleaner:
Equal parts of water to white vinegar.
20-30 drops of tea tree oil
1 tsp of natural dish soap (I love Seventh Generation Lavender Floral and Mint)
Shake and use.
What other ways do you keep your house free from toxins?
