Everyone breathes. The question is: How safe is the air your family is breathing? Toxins lurking in every room could be in your lungs and on your skin. Change a few habits, and begin to breathe right.
Appliances
The stove is the heart of the kitchen. Whether gas or electric, it’s releasing toxic fumes or lung irritants, so turn on the exhaust hood every time you cook. If you don’t want to mess with PFAS in your cookware, turn to the classics, like stainless steel and cast iron. Avoid off-gassing from PVC by buying dishwashers with stainless steel tubs and nylon racks. Even small appliances can be detoxified, such as BPA-free blenders and coffee makers, and toaster ovens instead of microwaves. Throughout the house, air purifiers have become a must for energy-efficient, tightly built newer homes that can trap VOCs. Even for older homes, purifiers are indispensable for clean breathing on air-quality alert days.
Furniture
Be careful when buying new furniture made of medium-density fiberboard. Any older MDF pieces around the house have probably stopped spewing formaldehyde, but it could be lingering in new items. When you’re buying furniture, look for the Green Science Policy Institute’s list of PFAS-free products, but beware that other contaminants could have been used in production of that Ikea bookshelf. A Greenguard Gold Certification indicates low total emissions. An Oeko-Tex Standard 100 label promises textiles clear of harmful substances. Around the house, swap gas-spewing PVC shower curtains for cotton liners. Mattresses made before 2015 might contain harmful flame retardants, so consider replacing them with chemical-free certified organic mattresses or encasing them in washable organic cotton pads.
Flooring
What’s not to love about bamboo? Easy to clean. Durable. Sustainable. Stylish. And add nontoxic to the list. A high-quality bamboo flooring, such as Ambient, is made without formaldehyde and tested for product safety. Other excellent choices for nontoxicity with style include cork, natural hardwood, porcelain tile, natural stone and natural linoleum. Don’t forget to watch out for toxins in adhesives and underlayments. Avoid synthetic flooring, which can be made with plastics and harsh chemicals that linger for years. Carpet adds coziness, but beware of the synthetics. Natural options include Nature’s Carpet, made sustainably with 100% undyed wool. Look for the Sustainable Carpet Certification as a mark of a rug’s light footprint on the environment.
Home Fragrance
Have you heard? Fragrance is the new secondhand smoke. Many air fresheners and scented candles contain legal but toxic, illness-inducing synthetics. Even your pets aren’t immune. Swap the commercial fresheners and sprays for scents that are certified organic or crafted by a trusted local maker, such as Fontana Candle Company’s essential oil candles, wax melts and sprays. While you’re at it, take a tour of the laundry room, where synthetic fragrances can contaminate your clothes. Replace smelly detergents with fragrance-free concentrates, such as Branch Basics, or convenient Eco Clean Laundry Detergent Sheets, available from Refillism in York. Switch dryer sheets for wool dryer balls. Don’t forget that houseplants are natural air purifiers, removing pesky toxins and odors from the air.
Cleaning Products
Sorry to say, but many home cleaners labeled “green” or “safe” don’t make the grade, according to EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning. The guide offers a mother lode of tips, ratings and products verified or highly graded for purity. In the meantime, check your cupboard for natural classics such as vinegar, which can soften clothing naturally and add antimicrobial power. Use reliable hydrogen peroxide to clean the refrigerator, sanitize sponges, scrub the toilet and clean stains on carpet or clothes. To keep mold and bacteria out of your humidifier, pour a 4:1 mix of water and hydrogen peroxide into the tank, let it sit for 30 minutes, rinse out with clean water and let it air dry. Try Castile soap for laundry, countertops and sealed, nonporous hard flooring. A little goes a long way, so check with Castile soap makers for instructions.
