Toxins in Dust

No matter how much you clean there are bound to be dust bunnies hidden away behind the door, cabinets or closets. Unfortunately those little dust bunnies contain phthalates, flame-retardants, fragrances and parabens.  100% of all samples tested in a 2016 analysis Toxins in Dustrevealed that 10 toxic chemicals (others included mixtures of 45)

Breathing in and touching these particles toxins can cause damage to the reproductive system, nervous system, hormone disruption, and insulin resistance. There is no way to eliminate every particle of dust in your home. What are some helpful, more doable solutions?

Phthalates originate from vinyl and fragrance. Do your best to eliminate all items in your home that contain fragrance (Essential Oils are a safer choice). This includes personal care products such as shampoo, perfume and lotions. Cleaning products are big offenders. They are often filled with “fragrances” to help your house smell clean.  I clean the majority of my house with vinegar, baking soda, essential oils and Dr. Bronners castile soap. It’s surprisingly effective, cheap, and non-toxic to use these several ingredients.

Flame-retardants are still hidden in odd places.  When I was a kid they were on all our pajamas (This is no longer the case). Unfortunately, pet beds, crib mattresses, memory foam, and upholstery still contain flame-retardants.

PFOA and PFOS are lurking in your non-stick cookware, fleece jackets and even water resistant clothing (see previous blog post).

Parabens are likely still in your shampoos and beauty care products (read your labels and make a switch!).

We all own some level of these things regardless of how conscious we try to be. You don’t need to go crazy and throw everything away. As old things wear out, replace these items with safer choices.  In the meantime, and when you do, a vacuum with a HEPA filter is the way to go. Personally I am a huge fan of the Dyson line. We owned one for many years and it finally gave out. I recently replaced it with the Dyson Ball Animal 2 and I can’t begin to tell you what we are pulling out of my frequently vacuumed (not that old and no shoes in the house) carpets.  It’s mind blowing (and gross) but it’s an extraordinary vacuum cleaner.

toxins in dust


 

DIY Non-Toxic Stain Remover

Over the past few weeks I replayed my journey in research in finding a laundry detergent that actually worked and wasn’t bringing non-toxic stain removertoxins into my home. It was by far one of the hardest products to find a worthy replacement for so hopefully I helped you skip some of the legwork.

Finding a good stain remover was slightly easier. I did try out several “natural” ones but they didn’t seem to actually work.

What’s in your average stain remover?

Many contain a petroleum base. We covered petroleum a few weeks back so you know that it is not biodegradable and non-sustainable.

Benzene, Toluene, Xylene: They are all neurotoxins that can do damage to the central nervous system.

Monoethanolamine: It can damage the liver, kidney, reproductive and central nervous systems.

Methylene chloride is a carcinogen and a neurotoxin that can also cause skin irritations, liver and brain damage as well reproductive issues.

Parabens are included in different versions which are known hormone disrupters. Some are carcinogenic.

Sodium Hypochlorite is a neurotoxin, liver damage and respiratory irritant.

My youngest gets dirty. He drinks a smoothie several times a day to get his special vitamins and supplements into him. Blueberries hide the taste of everything-but they also stain. We needed something that worked. I did not create this recipe. I have seen countless variations online so I am not sure where this one originated but it has been my go to:

Recipe:

1.5c water

¼ c Liquid castile soap

¼c vegetable glycerin

2TBSP baking soda

15 drops of lemon essential oil /product/lemon-essential-oil/

Note: You MUST use a stainless steel or glass spray bottle when adding a citrus essential oil. Plastic will not hold up.

non-toxic stain remover


 

The Difference Between Fragrance Free and Unscented

Toxins in fragrance can still be found in products labeled unscented!

We have come to love scents. Scented candles, a new car smell, perfumes, body washes, dryer sheets…almost any item you find in your house likely contains the simple word “fragrance” on the end of the Fragrance and Unscented Toxinsingredients.  About 95% of the chemicals in commercial fragrances contain petrochemicals.

What is in Fragrance?

Fragrance is one word, however it is not “one” ingredient. The word fragrance is trade protected (due to a loophole in the Federal Fair Packaging Act of 1973: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/27/toxic-perfume-chemicals.aspx) and can contain any number of over 3,100 chemicals. Many of these have never been tested for safety.

Is Fragrance Toxic?

Some are known to be toxic to the immune system, respiratory system, reproductive system and organ toxicity.  They can cause asthma, eczema, migraines, and other sensitivities. Many of the fragrance ingredients are phthalates (a known carcinogen). Phthalates can result in kidney and liver damage, early breast development, and birth defects. Parabens is another common possibility. Parabens are known to Does your products smell amazinginterfere with hormone production.

Knowing your body absorbs everything put on your skin within seconds you want to be careful about what you are applying. Toxins accumulate in our bodies over time so the key is to cut out and eliminate those we can control. Go through your daily routine in your head and consider how many items you have applied with toxic ingredients (shampoo, soap, hand soap, perfume, body lotion, detergent residue on clothing, cleaning products…the list is endless.

What can you do?

Read your labels. Next time you think about buying that can of air freshener, perfume, scented body lotion or wash-check the label.  If the bottle is scented by using essential oils that is what will appear on the label. If the bottle is scented with a combination (see previous blog post about lavender essential oil) you will find it written on the label.

What if your bottle says it’s Unscented?

This is tricky. Unscented means that fragrances have been added to cover up other scents. If you are looking for no toxic fragrances added you want your label to say “Fragrance Free”

There are simple solutions.

I make my own perfume with an essential oil combination I like. No toxins and I get the benefits of the aromatherapy my choice of oils brings. While some people still want a scent to their items some are safer than others.  Natural Fragrance Oils are produced using only pure essential oils and aromatic isolates derived solely from natural, raw botanical sources. They are free of phthalates, parabens, sulfates, glycols, petrochemicals and/or other solvents.  They can be plant based so they are vegan friendly as well.

It can be overwhelming to try and change too much at once.  Instead, think about the next time you need to purchase new soap, etc and replace it with a safer brand.

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