Non-toxic living is catching many people’s eyes as the light continues to shed on harmful ingredients in U.S. products. And research is finding only more damaging effects of many components we’re exposed to.
So, what are the first 5 things to do when going non-toxic?
1. Investing in a Water Filter
According to the Water Quality Association, some harmful chemicals that may be present in tap water includes [1]:
- Aluminum
- Ammonia
- Arsenic
- Barium
- Cadmium
- Chloramine
- Chromium
- Copper
- Fluoride
- Bacteria & Viruses
- Lead
- Nitrates/Nitrites
- Mercury
- Perchlorate
- Radium
- Selenium
- Silver
- Uranium
Additionally, EWG has a Tap Water Base last updated in 2021, where you can put in your zip code and check the tap water safety and contaminants present in the tap water in your area.
My family and I use a Brita water filter which I highly recommend as it tells you when it’s time to replace the water filter inside, and it is incredibly easy to do. Also, when buying our water filter, we bought 12 filter replacements, and we have only gone through about 2.5 of them in the last year!
We use filtered water for our drinks, our dog’s water, coffee, and cooking!
2. Ditch the Candles for Essential Oils
Most conventional candles in the United States are made with fragrance (linked to developmental and reproductive harm) and paraffin wax, a petroleum product that is chemically bleached and creates the toxic chemicals formaldehyde and benzene, which are both known carcinogens.
Learn more about endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) by checking out Toxic Chemicals You Need to Avoid for Your Fertility.
Additionally, check out Why I Avoid Petroleum Jelly in Baby Care Products for more about petroleum products.
Instead of burning conventional candles, diffuse essential oils in your home when you’re looking to enhance yummy scents in your home. I love using Plant Therapy Essential Oils because you can find exactly what batch they were tested, they’re affordable, and they have a broad range of oils and products I love using.
Lastly, the only option for candles I know of that are non-toxic is using beeswax candles with organic cotton wicks.
3. Swap Your Dryer Sheets for Non-Toxic Wool Dryer Balls
Common ingredients in dryer sheets (at least in the U.S.) include:
- Dipalmethyl hydroxyethyl ammonium methosulfate, a softening and antistatic agent
- Fatty acid, a softening agent
- Polyester substrate, a carrier
- Clay
- Fragrance
As mentioned in “Toxic Chemicals You Need to Avoid for Your Fertility,” when companies in the U.S. use the term “fragrance” listed in the ingredients of products, the Consumer Product Safety Commission doesn’t require manufacturers to disclose the ingredients used in their products on the label. Therefore, this is a label you should try to stay away from to avoid toxins.
The ingredients in dryer sheets that research has found issues with include:
- Fragrance
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Fragrance:
Regarding fragrance, a 2011 study found that breathing in products with fragrance caused [2]:
- Irritation to the eyes and airways
- Allergic skin reactions
- Migraine attacks
- Asthma attacks
And another study found up to 12.5% of adults reported adverse effects such as asthma attacks, skin problems, and migraine attacks from the fragrance of laundry products coming from their dryer vent [3].
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Now regarding volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in a 2011 study, researchers discovered that dryer vents emitted more than 25 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) [4].
VOCs are gases released into the air from the use of toxic products, and they may be harmful by themselves, or they may react with other gases in the air to create harmful air pollutants. Additionally, VOCs have been linked to respiratory illnesses, including asthma and cancer [5].
Essential Oil Dryer Ball Spray Recipe:
Instead of dryer sheets, we use organic wool dryer balls with this essential oil dryer ball spray:
- Use a 2-ounce glass spray bottle
- Next, add 20 drops of essential oil (you can use one kind like lavender or make a blend such as lavender and orange essential oil)
- Lastly, add a teaspoon of alcohol-free witch hazel
4. My DIY Non-Toxic Essential Oil Hand Soap Recipe
Rather than using store-bought hand soap, which again, at least in the U.S., often contains fragrance and artificial colors, we make our own non-toxic and effective essential oil hand soap.
Several essential oils have studies supporting their antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects [6, 7, 8, 9]
Some of our favorite effective essential oils for hand soap include:
- The Thieves/Germ Fighter blend which contains Cinnamon Cassia, Lemon, Eucalyptus, Clove, and Rosemary
- Lavender
- Tea Tree
- Oregano
Additionally, if breastfeeding, consider adding some breastmilk to your hand soap! Breastmilk is ultra-moisturizing and contains antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties [10-18].
My DIY Essential Oil Hand Soap:
- First, use ½ cup of liquid castile soap in a glass soap dispenser with either a foaming soap pump or a regular one
- Add 25 drops of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral essential oils
- Add a tsp of vitamin e oil (optional)
- ¼ cup of almond oil, jojoba oil, or vegetable glycerin
- Lastly, pour in ½ cup of distilled water
5. Non-Toxic Hair Products
Avoid fragrance and phthalates by switching your hair products to non-toxic options!
Check out “New Discovery Made on Phthalates and Preterm Birth” here.
The non-toxic shampoo and conditioner myself and my family use are Avalon Organics Lavender Shampoo and Conditioner.
If you felt like this post was helpful to start or further your non-toxic journey, please share it with a friend or on your Facebook!
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DISCLAIMER: This post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding you or your baby’s health. Please read my Medical Disclaimer for more info
DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may get a commission if you decide to purchase something through my links at no cost to you. Please read my Disclaimer for more info.
Sources:
[1] https://wqa.org/learn-about-water/common-contaminants
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3226517/
[3] Steinemann, A. Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions. Air Qual Atmos Health 9, 861–866 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-016-0442-z
[4] Steinemann, A.C., Gallagher, L.G., Davis, A.L. et al. Chemical emissions from residential dryer vents during use of fragranced laundry products. Air Qual Atmos Health 6, 151–156 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-011-0156-1
[5] https://www.lung.org/clean-air/at-home/indoor-air-pollutants/volatile-organic-compounds
[6] Brochot A, Guilbot A, Haddioui L, Roques C. Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. Microbiologyopen. 2017 Aug;6(4):e00459. doi: 10.1002/mbo3.459. Epub 2017 Mar 14. PMID: 28296357; PMCID: PMC5552930.
[7] Nostro A, Papalia T. Antimicrobial activity of carvacrol: current progress and future prospectives. Recent Pat Antiinfect Drug Discov. 2012 Apr;7(1):28-35. doi: 10.2174/157489112799829684. PMID: 22044355.
[8] de Castro, R.D., de Souza, T.M.P.A., Bezerra, L.M.D. et al. Antifungal activity and mode of action of thymol and its synergism with nystatin against Candida species involved with infections in the oral cavity: an in vitro study. BMC Complement Altern Med 15, 417 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-015-0947-2
[9] Carson CF, Hammer KA, Riley TV. Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) oil: a review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2006 Jan;19(1):50-62. doi: 10.1128/CMR.19.1.50-62.2006. PMID: 16418522; PMCID: PMC1360273.
[10] Daniela Morniroli, Alessandra Consales, Beatrice Letizia Crippa, Giulia Vizzari, Federica Ceroni, Jacopo Cerasani, Lorenzo Colombo, Fabio Mosca, Maria Lorella Giannì. Nutrients. 2021 Feb; 13(2): 694. Published online 2021 Feb 22. doi: 10.3390/nu13020694. PMCID: PMC7926697
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[11] Civra A, Leoni V, Caccia C, Sottemano S, Tonetto P, Coscia A, et al. Antiviral oxysterols are present in human milk at diverse stages of lactation. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. (2019) 193. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2019.105424
[12] Lembo D, Cagno V, Civra A, Poli G. Oxysterols: An emerging class of broad spectrum antiviral effectors. Mol Aspects Med.(2016) 49:23–30. doi: 10.1016/j.mam.2016.04.003
[13] Palmeira P, Carneiro-Sampaio M. Immunology of breast milk. Revista Associacao Med Brasileira. (2016) 62:584–93. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.62.06.584
Koletzko B. Human milk lipids. Annals Nutrition Metabolism. (2017) 69:28–40. doi: 10.1159/000452819
[14] Isaacs CE. The antimicrobial function of milk lipids. Adv Nutr Res. (2001) 10:271–85. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4615-0661-4_13
[15] Pfaender S, Heyden J, Friesland M, Ciesek S, Ejaz A, Steinmann J, et al. Inactivation of hepatitis C virus infectivity by human breast milk. J Infect Dis. (2013) 208:1943–52. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jit519
[16] Jhaveri R. Protection against hepatitis C and other enveloped viruses? Another reason why “breast is best”. J Infect Dis. (2013) 208:1932–3. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jit521
[17] Mete E, Bavbek N, Dayi S, Erkmen M, Andiran F. In vitro antifungal effect of human milk. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2006 Sep-Oct;27(5):412-4. doi: 10.2500/aap.2006.27.2889. PMID: 17063672.
[18] Dorothy L. Ackerman, Ryan S. Doster, Jorn-Hendrik Weitkamp, David M. Arnoff, Jennifer A. Gaddy, and Steven D. Townsend. Human Milk Oligosaccharides Exhibit Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Properties against Group B Streptococcus. ACS Infect. Dis. 2017, 3, 8, 595–605. Publication Date:June 1, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.7b00064.
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