10 Not-So-Innocent Household Items that are Toxic
10 Household Items that are Toxic
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Your couch is dangerous; your shower curtain liner is, too. Because many household items that are toxic appear benign, we find ourselves holding onto the hazardous stuff despite the fact that healthier alternatives abound.
Most consumers assume that products are regulated in the United States, but that’s just not the case.
Indeed:
– While 62,000 chemicals are approved for use in the United States, less than 300 have been tested.
– Toxic chemical regulation in the United States is dramatically more lax than it is in the European Union. While 8 cosmetic ingredients have been banned in the US, the EU has banned more than 1,000.
The goal of this post is to help you create a home that’s decluttered, eco-friendly + – most importantly! – safe for you and your family. Read on to identify 10 not-so-benign household items that are toxic to your family’s health.
10 Household Items that are Toxic:
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1. Your shower curtain liner
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Plastic shower curtain liners are made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a compound consisting of phthalates, ethylene dichloride, lead, BPAs + more.
PVC is responsible for a variety of illnesses including cancer. It damages your heart, lungs, reproductive organs + more, too.
The shower’s high heat as well as its humidity break down the PVC; as a result, its chemicals are released into the air.
Is it time to replace your shower curtain? Know that nylon, cotton + help alternatives are both eco-friendly + safe.
I prefer nylon curtain liners like this one because nylon is mold + mildew resistant.
2. Your air fresheners
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Air fresheners contain a concoction of chemicals collectively known as phthalates.
Maybe you’ve heard of phthalates before. They’re everywhere: They’re in toys. They’re in hair spray. They’re in flooring.
But just because phthalates are everywhere doesn’t mean they’re safe: Phthalates cause hormonal abnormalities, reproductive problems + birth defects.
By design, air fresheners amplify phthalates’ toxicity because they are often used excessively in small, unventilated rooms.
If you want to make your home smell nice without the use of dangerous chemicals, here are 6 natural ideas:
– Bring home a fragrant, flowering house plant like Jasmine.
– Diffuse essential oils in a diffuser.
– Open the windows to let stale odors exit.
– Deodorize your carpets by sprinkling baking soda on them, letting the baking soda sit for 10 minutes, then vacuuming it up.
– Dab a Q-Tip in an essential oil + hide it in your toilet paper roll in the bathroom.
– Place baking soda jars around your home (just as you do in your refrigerator!).
3. Your canned food
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There are many benefits to purchasing canned food + that’s why many of us rely on it as an inexpensive way to stock the pantry.
But aluminum cans are one of those common household items that are toxic + that’s because cans are often lined with Bisphenol-A (BPA).
BPA binds to estrogen receptors + influences bodily processes including growth, cell repair, fetal development, energy levels + reproduction.
BPA is especially harmful to young, growing children.
Think the BPA in cans is a negligent amount? Think again. A study had people eat one serving of either fresh or canned soup daily for five days. Those who consumed canned soup had BPA levels 1221% higher than the control.
If you see cans in the supermarket boasting BPA-free lining, know that – in many products – BPA has been replaced by BPS. (BPS is also a known endocrine disruptor.)
While the jury’s still out on whether your BPA-free can is instead lined with BPS, I like to err on the side of caution. Buy dried or fresh food whenever possible, instead.
Did you know?
You can find The Sustainable Minimalists Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
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4. Your hand sanitizer
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I get it: germs are scary. But you know what’s scarier? Triclosan.
Triclosan is a carcinogen & hormone disruptor that also causes liver damage.
It’s in a multitude of products like antibacterial cleaners, toothpaste + deodorant. It’s probably in the liquid hand soap in your bathroom, too.
There is good news: If a product contains Triclosan, it will be listed somewhere on the container. And if it’s listed, you can easily avoid purchasing it.
5. Your nonstick pans
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Sure, they’re convenient. But nonstick pans are covered in Teflon, a.k.a. Polytetrafluoroethylene.
Polytetrafluoroethylene releases cancer-causing gases when it’s heated to approximately 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Another not-so-fun fact? Polytetrafluoroethylene is also found in microwave popcorn bags + pizza boxes.
It’s always best to opt for stainless steel or iron skillets over their nonstick counterparts.
6. Your dryer sheets + fabric softeners
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Research has found 12 chemicals in dryer sheets including camphor, chloroform + benzyl acetate.
Lingering chemical residues from dryer sheets + fabric softeners remain on your clothes + enter your body through your skin. They directly affect the nervous system + endocrine system; they contribute to the development of chronic illnesses, too.
Fabric softeners + dryer sheets are also made up of “fragrance”.
The term “fragrance” on a label can mean there’s hundreds of synthetic chemicals more inside.
Fragrance chemicals are particularly difficult to remove because they have been designed to cling to fabric in varying temperatures + humidities so the signature scent stays in the clothing.
To compound this further: the term “fragrance-free” may not mean that the product is free of fragarance chemicals. It may *actually* mean there’s a fragrance to cover up the chemical smell of the product!
Looking for an eco-friendly solution to dryer sheets? Toss a wool dryer ball (or an old sweater) in the dryer to eliminate wrinkles + static cling.
Replace fabric softener with 1/4 cup of baking soda to wash cycle. Alternately, add 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar to your rinse cycle (don’t use vinegar on delicates).
7. Your couch + your mattress
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It’s sad but true: Both your couch + your mattress are two beloved household items that are (probably) toxic.
Products made of foam often contain flame retardants, + flame retardant chemicals have been linked to infertility, birth defects, cancer, Diabetes + more.
In the case of our mattresses, flame retardants leach out foam + enter our bodies through our skin while we sleep. This is especially concerning considering we spend one third of our lives – 8 hours a day – lying on our mattresses.
Know that you can find flame retardant-free mattresses if you’re in the market to buy a new one.
If you have no plans to chuck your existing mattress, you can wrap it in an impermeable layer to prevent flame retardant exposure. (Note: It’s not recommended to wrap memory foam mattresses. They’re too toxic.)
In the market for a new couch? The Green Science Policy Institute has compiled a list of manufacturers that sell retardant-free furniture (please note that while this list is not comprehensive, it’s a solid starting point).
8. Your laser printer
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Think laser printers are safe? Think again: When the toner + paper pass over the hot printer roller, the printer releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air.
The printer releases ultra-fine particles into the air, too: Both VOCs as well as the ultra-fine particles have been linked to heart + lung disease.
If you spend most of your day near an always-printing laser printer:
- Place your printer in a well-ventilated room.
- Avoid standing over the printer as it prints.
- Try not to sit next to a printer all day, especially if you have asthma or heart disease.
9. Your mothballs
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No one appreciates holes in their clothes. But one active ingredient in some mothballs – paradichlorobenzene – causes cancer.
Another chemical – naphthalene – damages or destroy red blood cells + results in nausea, vomiting + diarrhea.
Keep moths away the eco-friendly way. Moths are repelled by the pheromones in cedar, so fill your closets + drawers with cedar or with cedar spray diluted with water in a spray bottle.
10. Your pesticides
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Got ants? Don’t rush to call the exterminator.
‘Pesticide’ is a broad term that encompasses many chemical formulas designed to kill pests up the the size of rodents.
While 90% of households in the United States use some form of pesticide, researchers have linked pesticides to a wide range of human health hazards including headaches + nausea to chronic diseases like cancer, reproductive harm + endocrine disruption.
If you have yourself a pest problem, go the green route first. Resort to chemicals only when you’ve exhausted all other options.
