Reducing the chemicals in your home

These six simple swaps will help to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals in your home, says Joanna Evans.

Harsh chemical cleaning products for microfiber cloths

Conventional cleaning products are jam-packed with toxic chemicals—from hormone-disrupting parabens and phthalates to irritating phenols and artificial fragrances—and their use has been linked to asthma, heart problems, breast cancer and more.1

Microfiber cloths like those by E-Cloth (www.e-cloth.com) are a great alternative as they allow you to clean almost every surface in your home with nothing more than water and a bit of elbow grease. No chemicals or even natural cleaning agents are needed—you just use a few sprays of water, and the special fibers in the cloth will remove dirt, grime and even 99 percent of bacteria when you wipe or scrub with them. There’s a huge range of E-cloths available, including cloths for countertops, floors, mirrors and windows, stainless steel, ovens and hobs.

If you do need some extra help, look for natural cleaning products from companies like Attitude, ECOS, Miessence and Bio-D, or make your own solutions using ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and essential oils.

Tap water for filtered water

Tap water can contain a long list of potentially harmful chemicals including heavy metals like lead, which can cause a wide spectrum of health effects from hormone disruption to brain and nerve damage,2 and fluoride, linked to lowered IQ, ADHD, underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), bone fractures and bone cancer.3 ZeroWater jug filters (www.zerowater.com or www.zerowater.co.uk) remove virtually all dissolved solids from tap water including lead, mercury, chlorine and fluoride, so it’s a simple switch that could make a big difference.

Non-organic produce for organic produce

Diet is a major source of exposure to pesticides, which have been associated with a variety of health effects including asthma, cancer, reproductive problems and behavioral and attention problems in children. The good news is that switching to organically grown food can significantly reduce the levels of pesticides in the body after just one week.4 Eating organic food is also associated with a reduced risk of cancer.5

If you can’t afford to go fully organic, check out the ‘dirty dozen’ lists published by the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) in the US and the Pesticide Action Network (www.pan-uk.org) in the UK for the top 12 fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides, and prioritize these. Also wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly—adding a little baking soda can help get rid of pesticides.

Air fresheners for natural home fragrances

Do you have plug-ins pumping out artificial fragrances all day long? Or cover up bad odors with a spritz of synthetic scent? Air fresheners are among the most concentrated sources of pollution in the home, often containing benzene (a carcinogen and possible reproductive toxin), toluene (a skin irritant and liver/kidney toxin), terpenes (irritants and sensitizers) and phthalates (known hormone disruptors). Regular use of these products has been linked with earaches, diarrhea and vomiting in infants, as well as headaches and depression in their mothers.6

Swapping to natural home fragrance products from brands like Neom (www.neomorganics.com), whose products (candles, diffusers, home mists and more) are scented with pure essential oils, is a good option for your health.

Aluminum foil for parchment paper

Aluminum has been linked to a host of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, Gulf War syndrome and multiple sclerosis.7 Cooking with aluminum foil is one way you might get exposed to the metal, as it can leach into food. One study found that aluminum levels in red meat increased by 89 to 378 percent after it was cooked in aluminum foil, while poultry showed an increase of 76 to 215 percent.8

Parchment paper—preferably the unbleached kind like the products by If You Care (www.buyifyoucare.com)—is a good alternative. Also choose stainless steel and glass over aluminum cookware.

Conventional beauty products for all-natural beauty products

Standard beauty and personal care products contain all sorts of nasty chemicals that can end up in your bloodstream after being inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin. Hormone-disrupting phthalates and parabens are some of the key chemicals of concern. Phthalates have been linked to endometriosis and early menopause,9 while parabens have been implicated in breast cancer.10

Switch to 100 percent natural alternatives from brands like Weleda, Green People, Odylique, Neal’s Yard Remedies (all available from www.lovelula.com), Inlight Beauty (www.inlightbeauty.co.uk) and 100% Pure (www.100percentpure.com) to reduce your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

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