20 Easy ways to Avoid Toxic Chemicals in Our Homes

This post is part of an ongoing series on Avoiding Toxins in our Lives.  To read more on how to avoid toxins click here.




 

1. Use BPA – free refillable water bottles. Aluminum ones such as.  a Sigg, or Kleen Kanteen  Kleen Kanteen. Also change out your kids’ water bottles. They are exposed to a higher rate of chemicals such as BPA pound for pound.
2. Ditch the clear plastic baby bottles, right now. All the research that says there are problems point at the effect of the estrogen-like BPA on children as being the most significant.
3. Take your shoes off at the door. At the risk of tracking in grime and harmful chemicals from outdoors. In many parts of the world this is the norm. You can provide “inside shoes” for those who want them.
4. Use organic gardening on your yard. So that chemicals are not tracked in. Better yet reconsider you lawn.
5. Avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in your personal products
6. Make your own natural cleaners.  No need to to worry about the ingredients in them, You know exactly what is in them.
7. Grow your own food, shop at the Farmer’s Market, buy more Organic Foods.  The Daily Green has some great info on what foods should be purchased organic and what ones are safe in conventional farming.
8. Wash your cloth shopping bags. They will harbor germs and pesticide residue. It is very important that you have dedicated bags for meat. You don not want to cross contaminate your produce with meat juice dripping.
9. Buy Antique or older furniture. This will limit your exposure to formaldehyde
10. If you have pets try one of the natural remedies for ticks and fleas instead of potentially harmful chemical one. If your kids are like mine they play with the dogs by rolling on the floor with them.  And if your dogs are like mine they sneak up on the furniture when no one is looking. The chemicals you put on the dogs end up on your kids and furniture.
11. Avoid processed foods – these can can be a real alphabet soup  of chemical additives.
12. Use Guinea hens to fight the bugs in the yard.
13. Use natural plants like Silver Mound (Artemisia) to repel bugs
14. Check your Kitchen for garden remedies. How many chemicals do you have in your garage that are designed to be used in the yard? Did you know that you can find remedies in your kitchen?
15. Replace your non-stick Teflon pans.  Seasoned cast iron is a great alternative. I love finding them in all sizes at yard sales and thrift stores.
16. Store your food in glass jars- Leftovers too! Mason jars are great for this.  You can even freeze in them. (just be sure to leave some head room)
17. Limit canned food – Many if not most cans are lined with BPA – a chemical linked to cancer and other health problems.
18. Drink filtered water. You can install a filter on your kitchen sink.
19. Use a filter in the shower. You absorb more chlorine through your skin then you ingest.
20. Check EWG database on cosmetics and other health  and beauty products

You are probably doing some of these already. I hope you choose to take on a few more of these.  Do you have a favorite way of avoiding toxins in your life? I would love to hear from you and how you avoid toxins.

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