Last Updated on November 14, 2023 by Cathy
Environmental toxins are everywhere, it is impossible to avoid them. Cleaning up environmental toxins around your home will help your body heal faster.
Your body absorbs thousands of toxic substances daily. Including what you put in your body, the air you breathe, and the water you drink. No one can avoid these toxins 100%. Even as a newborn baby you already had industrial chemicals in your blood. Depending on when you were born, you could have had over 200 environmental toxins inside you.
People don’t think about the dangers these chemicals are doing to their bodies. They not only affect your skin but every organ including your brain.
Protect Yourself From Environmental Toxins
Cleaning up environmental toxins 100% is impossible. That doesn’t mean you should give up. Every little improvement you make is fewer toxins your body has to deal with. It’s like a drop of water falling into a bucket eventually the bucket will be overflowing.
You are probably experiencing symptoms from these toxins right now and don’t realize it.
Symptoms from toxins include (some but not all):
- Allergies
- Anxiety
- Brain fog
- Eye irritation
- Hair loss
- Headaches and migraines
- Pain
- Skin issues such as eczema and rashes
- Trouble breathing
- Weakness
Below are things you can do when it comes to cleaning up environmental toxins around your home.
Air
Exposure to pollutants in indoor air causes serious health effects. Don’t take the cleanliness of the air you breathe indoors for granted. Using commercial air cleaners and scented candles also exposes you to toxic chemicals.
You can clean up the air in your home by using air filters. Make sure you use HEPA filters and change them out at the most every three months. Changing them on the first day of a new season is an easy reminder.
Seasons include:
- Spring
- Summer
- Autumn
- Winter
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG):
- For a central air system, use a filter rated MERV 10 or higher
- Clean and replace air filters regularly
- For portable air filters, choose one with a high-efficiency or HEPA filter
- Check the California Air Resources Board’s list of certified air cleaners
Body Care Products
Conventional body care products have chemicals that harm your health. Think about when you get up in the morning and how many toxins you are putting on your body.
Toxic commercial products include:
- Bath oils
- Body sprays
- Bubble bath
- Cosmetics
- Deodorant
- Hair dyes
- Hair spray
- Lip balm
- Moisturizer’s
- Mouthwash
- Nail polish
- Perfumes and Colognes
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Soap
- Sunscreen
- Tanning lotions and bronzers
- Toothpaste
This is only a small list. Instead of toxic products choose products that are free from harmful chemicals. The best place to find toxic-free products is from EWG’s Skin Deep.
To make it easy to find clean products EWG has an app for your smartphone called Skin Deep.
Carpet and Furniture
Brand new carpet contains toxic chemicals such as fungicides and solvents. Plus the glue that is often used also has toxic chemicals. Older carpets aren’t any better, as they break down they release toxins into the air. Plus, they harbor harmful bacteria and mold.
Even with regular vacuuming, carpets trap:
- Dirt
- Household dust
- Pet dander
- Mold spores
- Pesticides tracked in from outside
Outdoors, and pesticides break down after a few days in the sun. But indoors, they can last for years on your carpet.
Avoid cleaning your carpet with conventional cleaners, they contain large amounts of chemicals. When you walk barefoot on newly cleaned carpets your body is absorbing these toxins. Plus, that “fresh smell” is toxic air you are breathing.
Instead of carpets use tile or wood floors. If you do choose to buy a new carpet consider a wool carpet as a healthier alternative. Also, look for felt or wool carpet padding. For synthetic carpets, choose “Green Label Plus” or “Greenguard certification” carpet and padding.
Not everyone can afford to swap out their toxic carpets but you can change how you clean them. Vacuum several times a week using a vacuum cleaner that comes with a HEPA filter. Use a carpet cleaner that has fewer chemicals such as Simple Green Carpet Cleaner.
Cars and Furniture
Toxic solvents create that new “car smell.” New furniture most likely has fungicides and a performance fabric called nanotechnology. By sitting in a new car or on a new piece of furniture you are slowing your healing process.
To lessen the toxic load on new cars:
- Air your vehicle out by opening the vents and windows (weather permitting)
- Clean the inside often using microfiber clothes
- Replace the toxic air fresheners with essential oils on cotton balls or in a diffuser such as XXXX
- Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet to absorb smells then vacuum
Avoid furniture with:
- Chemical-treated fabrics
- Faux leather
- Flame retardants
- Formaldehyde
- Memory foam mattress with polyurethane foam
- Particleboard
- Synthetic fabrics
Instead of toxic furniture, choose:
- Bamboo
- Cushions filled with cotton, coconut fibers, down, hemp, and wool
- Eco-friendly, non-toxic alternatives to polyurethane foam mattresses
- Non-toxic furniture with “Green Label Plus” or “Greenguard-certified”
- Solid wood with non-toxic stains and paints
Clothes
The clothes and footwear you are wearing also have toxic chemicals. It’s not only your clothes, it also includes sheets, blankets, quilts, and bath towels.
Here are some tips to lessen your toxic load:
- Avoid traditional dry cleaners
- Buy second-hand and vintage
- Don’t buy products made from synthetic or petroleum-based fibers
- Look for organic fibers and organic products
- Buy real leather
- Wash them before using them
When buying organic look for natural fibers such as:
- Bamboo
- Hemp
- Linen
- Organic cotton
- Silk
- Wool
Be aware of how you wash them. Use a natural detergent such as AspenClean or Molly’s Suds. Avoid toxic dryer sheets instead use Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Dryer Sheets or wool dryer balls.
Use white distilled vinegar in your washer to:
- Brighten clothes
- Prevent static cling
- Remove odors
- Soften fabrics
- Stop colors from fading
- Plus… it cleans your washing machine
Food
Most food in grocery stores is full of artificial and toxic ingredients. When buying food avoid heavily processed foods with unrecognized ingredients. Always read the ingredient labels before buying any food item.
When buying food choose:
- Fresh, whole foods
- Organic produce as much as possible
- Grass-fed meats
- Pasture-raised poultry
- Wild-caught fish
Water
If you are on city water you are drinking chemicals. Even if you are on a private well you still need to get your water checked occasionally. If you live near a farm they could be spraying harmful herbicides and pesticides on their crops. This seeps into the ground and into the water aquifer.
It’s not only the water you drink but the water you wash your hands with. And the water you use to take a bath or shower.
To help clean your water use a filter on your faucet or better yet a whole house water filtration system.
Cleaning Up Environmental Toxins
Toxins are everywhere and it is impossible to avoid them. A lot of times you can’t control them such as at work or in a park that uses huge amounts of pesticides. But when it comes to your home do the best you can when cleaning up environmental toxins.
You don’t need to do everything at once. Every little step is a step in the right direction when it comes to your health.
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Cleaning Up Environmental Toxins
