10 Steps to Reducing Toxins in Your Home

Resolve to make your home healthier
By Debra Lynn Dadd

Here are ten suggestions that will help you accomplish both of these goals. By resolving to make your home as unpolluted as you can make it, you can make your family and yourself healthier by removing damaging toxins from your environment.

It's possible to live in a completely nontoxic home. Changing everything at once however, can be a daunting and difficult task.

Start by making the commitment to reduce toxic exposures in your home. It's not about being perfect; it's about moving in a direction. When faced with a choice about a household product, ask yourself, "How can I use this in a nontoxic way?" Over time, you can transform your house into a healthy home.

Here are 10 simple and inexpensive resolutions you can follow to reduce household toxins in your home:

1. Nix ammonia. Ammonia can cause eye and respiratory tract irritation and burn your skin. Instead, mix one part white or apple cider vinegar with one part water in a spray bottle for a glass cleaner.

2. Formaldehyde Free. Polyester/cotton blend sheets and no-iron cotton sheets are typically treated with formaldehyde, which can cause insomnia and respiratory problems. Opt for cotton flannel or untreated cotton percale sheets.

3. Install carbon-monoxide detectors. Homes with gas appliances or heaters should have carbon-monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide starves the body and brain of oxygen and can be fatal. Symptoms include sleepiness, headache, dizziness, flushed skin and disorientation.

4. Replace mothballs with sweet sachets. Mothballs are made of paradichlorobenzene, a chemical that can cause headaches and irritation to nose, throat and lungs. Prolonged exposure can cause liver and kidney damage. Protect woolens by making sachets from dried lavender and equal parts dried rosemary and mind. Cedar products are also effective.

5. Use soap-based cleaning products instead of detergents. Soap is made from natural oils and minerals. Detergents are petrochemical-based products responsible for more household poisonings than any other substance.

6. Remove chloroform from your shower water. Hot water containing chlorine (which covers all municipal tap water) releases chloroform, which has been identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a dangerous indoor air pollutant. Chlorine can be removed from shower water by using a water filter specifically designed for this purpose.

7. Use organically grown produce. Most food sold in supermarkets is sprayed heavily with pesticides, many of which can cause cancer. Buy pesticide-free, organically grown food. Purchase what looks good and is in season.

8. Take a botanical bath. Many bath products contain detergents and artificial fragrances that can be irritating to sensitive areas. Instead, use natural substances such as fragrant dried or fresh herbs (lavender, rosemary, peppermint), a quart of buttermilk or one cup Epsom salts.

9. Use water-based pens and markers. Dispose of permanent ink pens and markers, which contain toxic volatile solvents. Office and art supply stores carry water based pens and markets in every size and color.

10. Get houseplants. They freshen the air by absorbing carbon dioxide we exhale and release the oxygen that's vital for us to breathe. Some plants, like the spider plant remove some air pollutants.