8 Non Toxic Living Swaps for your Home
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Protecting your family from harmful toxins can feel overwhelming but making simple swaps in your home and life can keep the toxins out of your home and give you peace of mind to use the products in your home with ease.
The health of our family should be of the utmost importance. Today it is more important than ever to take a look at not just what you're eating, but to also look at what you use in your home on a daily basis, and the safety of those products.
Clean & Cook with ease (knowing your family is safe from harmful toxins)
I have been on a journey in this myself, I am in no way perfect, or judging anyone who may be using these items, as sadly I've used them all at one point or another.
On my journey towards a more minimal life and clean living I have been taking a hard look at what I use in my own home. Specifically what I can swap out for safer options.
If you're interested in clean living, then I hope this can be of some use to you. I've made most of these swaps in my own home. So I know the benefits of switching, but it took time for me to get here.
If you're looking to change what you bring into your home, this is not an extensive list. It's what I recently have been able to implement. I hope you can take what is useful to you and leave the rest.
1)Non stick pans for Stainless Steel & Cast Iron
Many of us know about the dangers of nonstick pans, but just in case you don't, here's a quick explanation. Used at high heats, non-stick pans can release toxic chemicals into the air we breath, not to mention that we are ingesting small flakes of non-stick coating from daily use.
Switching to non toxic options is better for your health, and can also be a lot more fun to cook with.
For me it felt slightly overwhelming , for a long time. I was worried about my food sticking and not knowing how to properly take care of cast iron.
I finally made the plunge and now I mainly use stainless steel, cast iron and enamelware.
Except for the occasional muffin pan but hey no one's perfect, and i'm still working towards this when it comes to my baking supplies.
Using these pans and caring for them took a little bit of research and trial and error , but I am convinced now that they cook food way better than any non-stick ever could and are safe to use.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006JSUA/ref=nosim?tag=thehomeboundh-20
Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet
2. Candles/wax melts for essential oils
I was entirely shocked to learn how toxic candles actually are, from carcinogens, to fragrance that is linked to developmental and reproductive harm, all causing indoor air pollution, you can read all about the dangers of candles at madesafe.org
I had no idea the harmful effects of the pretty smelling candles we bring into our homes.That's why essential oils in my opinion have become so popular , from making your own cleaners & massage oils, to diffusing in your home.
There are a couple other alternatives to candles but oils are my first pick to a safer home.
These non- toxic all natural extracts produced from plants are not only versatile but smell amazing and are beyond worth the money, just make sure you are buying high quality therapeutic grade oils.
3. Chemical cleaners for Homemade or All Natural cleaners
Many of today's cleaning products according to lung.org contain harmful chemicals that can cause throat irritation, respiratory issues or worse. They also often contain fragrance which as stated above can cause reproductive harm.
But luckily making your own household cleaner is super simple, and can usually be done with what you already have in your pantry. If you want to make your own cleaner, here's the recipe I use for an effective all-purpose household cleaner.
But if you don't want to you can always use soap & water, it's just as effective.
4. Plastic food storage for glass food storage
There are many chemicals in plastics that are concerning, according to an article from the guardian the CDC has found measurable levels of phthalates within the US population, which has been linked to infertility & reproductive issues, & neurodevelopmental issues as well as asthma .
There's a lot more info in the article linked above that I would suggest reading, if you wanna know more about the effects of plastic.
It's safe to say the better route for your family is to switch to glass. Glass food storage is safe to use and doesn't leach any harmful chemicals into your food, plus it's often prettier.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y99Z8RD/ref=nosim?tag=thehomeboundh-20
DE Glass Food Storage Containers with Bamboo Lids (4 Pack, 36 Ounce) Eco Friendly Meal Prep Containers Reusable – Airtight, Plastic Free, BPA Free
5. Cat litter for wood pellets
I recently started using wood pellets as a replacement for cat litter. I have ferrets and they have sensitive respiratory systems and while there are some eco friendly options for cat litter they can be quite expensive.
Respiratory issues due to cat litter is not just a risk for ferrets but also for your cats and for humans.
Pellets are made entirely from recycled wood, often pine. So it's safe to use and you're also helping the environment in the process.
6. Plastic water bottles for metal
For similar reasons #4
Plastic water bottles contain chemicals, such as carcinogens, that can degrade into the water itself and be ingested causing us to digest chemicals, the same way that plastic gets into our food through plastic containers it also gets into our water.
A safe and effective swap is metal, specifically culinary-grade stainless steel.
It's safe to use, keeps your water cold, and lasts way longer than plastic.
Plus this reduces the amount of single use plastic ending up in our landfills.
7. Rubber Sponges for Wood Dish Scrubbers
This is probably my favorite swap in my home. Wood scrubbers are environmentally friendly and safe to use in your home, and they look adorable.
They degrade naturally and are all around better for the environment than your basic sponge, there are some environment friendly options for household sponges if you would prefer to still use a sponge for your dishes, you can find biodegradable options online.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYZ1VVWZ/ref=nosim?tag=thehomeboundh-20
GREENTH PRO 10 Pack Nature Dish Sponge - Natural Kitchen Sponge - Eco Friendly Coconut Fiber and Wood Cellulose Scrubber Sponge
8. Dryer sheets & softener for Wool dryer balls
This falls in the same category, it's an environmentally friendly swap to make.
Wool dryer balls naturally soften your clothes and help the air to circulate better while drying
It's a sustainable alternative to save money as unlike dryer sheets they last much longer and aren't just for a single use.
Dryer sheets are usually scented and as I discussed earlier in the post, fragrances have been linked to reproductive harm as the scents contain dangerous chemicals.
This also works as a replacement for softener as it naturally softens your clothes as well as getting rid of the static that the dryer often causes.
Which saves you money in the long run as well.
You can take control of your health
I hope there are a couple helpful swaps here that you can use, for a safer & healthier home for you & your family. Remember to do your own research and come to your own conclusions, it is our responsibility to take our health into our own hands. If you have any great swaps to share, go ahead and leave a comment below, so we can keep the conversation going. I would love to here your ideas!
