We carefully watch what goes into our mouths and on our bodies - organic this, petroleum-free that. But when it comes to keeping a healthy home,
knowing what to do isn't so easy. In fact, the average house may
contain as many as 400 chemicals, some of them toxic, many untested,
according to a 2009 study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Short-term contact with one toxin in small amounts isn't going to kill
you. But with so many questionable chemicals swirling around us you
definitely want to take simple measures whenever possible to lower your
exposure.
And reducing your contact with chemicals - even a little - can yield clear
benefits. Depending on your sensitivities, you might experience fewer
allergy and asthma symptoms, headaches and skin irritations. Long-term, you may even lower your risk of infertility and cancer.
I know what you're thinking: Where the heck do I start? And how much work is this going to take?
While some people would have you ripping up carpeting and chucking
furniture, Health talked to environmental health experts to find low-effort,
high-impact ways to minimize your toxic load and boost your health,
then ranked them from the super easy to the more ambitious. Try a couple
of these, or more, to really clear the air.
1: Kick off your kicks
Leave shoes at the door to
keep out 80% of the crud they track in, per ISSA/Interclean. That
can include nasty stuff like road sealant, pesticides and lead dust.
2: Crack the windows
Indoor air can be 5x as polluted as outdoor air, so open the windows whenever the weather - and your AC or heating budget - permit.
3: Dump the dryer sheets
Most coat clothes with
chemicals like quaternary ammonium compounds - which have been linked to
the development of asthma - and acetone, also found in nail polish
remover. Plus, your towels will be more absorbent sans the chemical
covering.
4: Detox your dry cleaning
Remove the bags and air out
clothes in the garage or hall for a day or two to shed some of the
solvent, called perchloroethylene, that sticks to the fibers. Inhaling
it can trigger respiratory and eye irritation, headaches, dizziness and
vision problems. You also could go to a "green"
cleaner - just make sure they use liquid carbon dioxide or the
wet-cleaning method, since other eco-alternatives can be just as toxic.
5: Veto VOCs
Trade your vinyl shower curtain
for one made of cotton, nylon, polyester or EVA or PEVA plastic. (Not
sure if it's vinyl? Look for the number 3 printed on the recycling seal
on the curtain or its packaging, or the letters PVC.) In a 2008 study,
vinyl curtains were found to release 108 volatile organic compounds
(VOCs), chemicals that become gaseous at room temperature, potentially
triggering headaches, nausea, dizziness and irritated eyes and throat.
They're also found in most paint, so look for cans labeled as low or
zero VOC.
6: Toss your pesticides
Contact with some formulations may lead to nerve, skin and eye damage, headaches and nausea. (They are
designed to kill rats and bugs, after all.) So when you have a pest
issue, ask yourself whether it's a nuisance or a health concern. If
you've got ants, plug holes in your walls and keep counters cleaner. For agents that cause disease - such as rodents or fleas - call a
professional who knows how to properly fumigate and air out your home.
If you must DIY, try to buy less toxic pesticide brands, such as
EcoSmart, and note label warnings. They go from "caution" to "warning"
to "danger," in order of toxicity.
7: Know your plastics
Some plastic containers can
leach out a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA), which is known to tamper
with our hormones. In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
banned BPA from infant bottles and sippy cups. Then, in 2013, a review
of research in the journal Endocrine Disruptors found that it may
be associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease and other conditions
in adults. So avoid plastics marked with a 7, which may contain BPA,
and never put BPA-containing plastics in the microwave or dishwasher;
BPAs are more likely to leach out when heated. Buy fresh or frozen
foods, and look for glass or cardboard packaging when possible (the
lining of cans could contain BPA, too). Doing so is especially important
when it comes to acidic and oily foods, which can allow more BPA to
leach out. The good news: BPA passes out of the body quickly, so it
doesn't take long to reduce your exposure.
8: Make your own cleaner
For an all-purpose, nontoxic
cleaner that gets counters sparkling, try this DIY formula from Lisa
Beres, author of Just Green It!: Mix a ½ teaspoon washing soda (found in
grocery stores), 1 teaspoon natural liquid dish soap and 2 cups hot
water in a spray bottle.
9: Dust differently
Instead of sprays (which add to
your chemical load) or feathers (which just kick up more dust), use
dry, unscented microfiber cloths, which attract dirty particles instead
of scattering them.
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