Share some tips on how to use simple, effective swaps to detoxify your home to reduce toxic chemicals, improve indoor air and create healthier living spaces.
Hi, friends! What happened this week? I have a morning full of customers’ phone calls and dates, but later today, the P Planetarium is looking forward to it.
Today, I want to talk about the health changes we can make at home and some of my favorite steps to create a cleaner living space. One of the biggest sources of toxins is not the food we eat in our kitchen. It’s in our home environment.
From the cleaning products we use to lit candles, they often contain toxic chemicals that can irritate our skin, destroy hormones and cause long-term health problems. These compounds can also affect the earth, affect waterways, soil and even indoor air quality.
A healthier home doesn’t mean throwing everything away overnight. Today, I’m going to share some tips on how to detox your home so that you can reduce exposure to harmful substances while staying practical, affordable and sustainable. Of course, I always like to hear your favorite tips and products, so don’t be afraid to yell in the comments below!
How to detox your home
Some things I want to talk about:
The most common environmental toxin in our home
Easy way to identify and test them
Actual swaps and habits to reduce your exposure
The goal is not perfect; it is progress. It’s so easy to be overwhelmed, but the reality is that even some small changes can have a huge impact over time. If you’re also working on shortening screen time and stress triggers, pair it with my digital detox tips for a quieter, less toxic home.
What is the most common environmental toxin in our home
Here are some of the biggest culprits involving our daily habits:
Toxic chemicals in cleaning products: Harsh detergents, ammonia, bleach and chemical disinfectants.
Volatile organic compounds (VOC): Release from certain adhesives, sealants and traditional paints.
Flame retardant: Add sofas, mattresses, curtains and carpets to reduce the fire – but are often associated with hormone damage.
Plasticizers such as BPA and phthalates: Found in plastic food containers, disposable water bottles and fixed packages.
Pesticide residues: Treat from lawns, spray pests, and even put on shoes.
Synthetic perfume: In candles, plug-ins, air fresheners and personal care products such as body lotions or hair loss.
Heavy Metals: It may occur in older pipes, imported ceramics or manufactured stainless steel cookware.
Indoor air pollution: Caused by dust, cooking smoke, smoke, disintegration of furniture and poor ventilation.
How to test toxins at home
Check labels and ingredients
First read the labels on your home and care products. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) provides excellent resources. Their personal product “deep skin” database and its health cleaning guide for household products. These tools rate products based on toxicity, so you know it’s safer to buy. I also heard great information about the olive whole food scanner app.
Using the at-home test kit
Affordable kits can test common hazards such as lead, ra and mold. These are especially important for old houses or basements that tend to collect moisture. This is a mold test that changed my life. That’s why the day we opened the hockey, we towed the sofa away and replaced the carpet with engineered wood floors.
Assessment of indoor air quality
Humidity monitors and at-home air quality sensors can help detect high particulate matter or VOC. If you cook regularly or keep a pet, you may notice more particles circulating in the air.
Looking for certification
Look for green guard gold certified furniture and paint with low VOC or zero voc. For food storage and water bottles, look for BPA-free or high-quality glass and stainless steel options.
How to detox your home
Switch to safer cleaning products
One of your cleaning products is one of the easiest and most affordable places to start. Replace heavy-duty chemical sprays with plant-based formulas made of vinegar, baking soda and essential oils. If you want a shortcut, look for highly rated brands in the EWG Health Cleaning Guide. Almost everything I like best is branch basics. A bottle of concentrate can last for a long time! I also like Thrive Market’s Rosey brand< - This link is available for 40% off on your first order.
Improve indoor air quality
Indoor air pollution can accumulate rapidly. Open windows every day (even only 10 minutes to help), avoid using synthetic air fresheners, and consider adding an air purifier with a HEPA filter to capture allergens, dust and other fine particles. There are two types of houses in our house: Aerial Doctor and JASPR. For some reason, I’m worried about setting them up before buying the air filters. You actually remove them from the box, remove the filter, and insert them.
Plus, you don’t need to get a large amount of air filters right away; over time, we’ve purchased our products. Start with the room you spend the most time (such as a living room or office). Keep it in the bedroom about an hour before going to bed so you can be there while you sleep. They can be moved until you buy more; ideally, one of each bedroom and main living space.
Exchange cooking utensils
Instead of using aluminum pans and cookware, try stainless steel and uncoated ceramics. I love our Place Pots, Pans, Caraway Cookware and baked dishes.
Choose natural materials
Whenever you change furniture, carpet, bedding or curtains, choose natural materials such as untreated wood, organic cotton, linen and wool. These items usually contain fewer flame retardant therapies and disintegrating chemicals.
Exchange glass or stainless steel plastic food storage
BPA and phthalate contact is reduced by storing leftovers in glass containers or high-quality stainless steel lunch boxes and water bottles. These are my favorite glass meal preparation containers.
Regular ventilation and dust
Ventilating your home helps reduce humidity and flush out the VOC. Regularly vacuum and vacuum with HEPA filters, reducing allergens and toxin accumulation in flame retardants and household dust.
Update old paint and refurbished materials
If your home has older paint, it’s worth testing them for lead or VOC. Hire professionals to safely remove or use sealant to lock down harmful particles until you are ready to undergo a renovation.
Pay attention to personal care products
Our care products (from bathing to makeup) often contain hidden toxic chemicals that are absorbed through the skin. Use EWG’s skin deep database to find safer alternatives. My to be the olive tree man and skin.
Other tips for healthier home environments
Keep the humidity between 40-50% to reduce the growth of mold.
Wash fresh clothes and linen before use to remove manufacturing residue.
Avoid using paraffin candles or plug-in air fresheners; no synthetic perfume is required, choose beeswax or soy candles. I also like oil diffusers; now have the best essential oils (my code is Fitnessista).
Add indoor plants such as Peace Lily, Spider Plants or Snake Plants to naturally improve indoor air.
Take off your shoes at the door to avoid tracking in pesticides and heavy metals outdoors.
When I type everything, it seems a lot. But you don’t have to do everything at once.
Start with an area – maybe your cleaning product or water bottle – and then build from there. I also like to wait until I run out of stuff to replace it with safer options. Over time, these small changes add up to cleaner indoor air, less exposure to toxic chemicals, and less potential health problems for the home.
Tell me, friend: What was the first exchange you were excited about? What huge changes do you think are happening to the swap in your home?
XO
Gina
Also, if you want a full list of my favorite health brands and products (+ discount codes), you can download Freeee here.
