If you use common household products to wash yourself, dishes and clothes, clean benches, mop floors, deodorise rooms and polish windows, you are quite literally poisoning yourself. Heavy opening line, but this is one topic I will not beat around the bush about. I know what you are thinking. Supermarkets wouldn’t be allowed to sell us products if they weren’t safe. I only have one thing to say about that. Cigarettes.
Making the change to a less toxic household should be a priority for anyone seeking to improve their health. It only takes one day. I am going to teach you why and how you should eliminate all common cleaning and personal care products and switch to non-toxic alternatives.
Why you should go chemical free
Stop assuming all the products available to consumers are even close to safe. If you turn the bottle over and read the ingredients list, unless you are in industrial chemist you will have a hard time knowing what any of the chemicals are, or what they do to you. 10 minutes on Google researching some of the common ones turns up a disturbing list of side effects. Toxins build up in your body daily from pesticide residues in food, added chemicals (preservatives, colourings, flavours, thickeners) in food. If you add to this the exposure from breathing in or touching cleaning products it is definitely enough to show up on a blood screen as proven by researchers all over the world. I recently watched a UK documentary where the subjects had disturbingly high levels of parabens and other common chemicals in their blood from using normal shampoos and makeup. You don’t have to eat chemicals to get them into your bloodstream, tissues and organs. There is a reason why the factory workers handling the chemicals that go into these products are required to wear protective clothing and masks.
I personally made the switch when my son was born. I’d planned to do it as a bit of an experiment anyway, but when he started showing severe skin reactions to washing detergent and even synthetic fibers in blankets, I knew it was time to completely clear my house of nasty chemicals. I literally grabbed a garbage bag and threw out every bottle of shampoo, deodorant, floor cleaner, window cleaner, mould spray and dishwashing liquid I could find.
This may come as a shock to some people, but I also got rid of all the baby lotions and potions I was given because the list of ingredients on those was even more disturbing that what I could find in the laundry! I’m talking about trusted, traditional brands here as well as some newer “natural” ones – shampoo, wipes, nappy rash creams, the lot!
This is truly one area of your life and health you can immediately take control over. You have nothing to lose by going chemical free. I will explain in detail how to replace the products you are going to throw out. Not only will you significantly reduce your exposure to toxins, you are going to save a small fortune in expenses, and also save a lot of storage space by simplifying what you use. If you or your children have eczema or asthma you might notice your symptoms improve dramatically as you eliminate many triggers from your home.
Step 1: 15 minutes
The first step in this process is to grab a bag, box or basket and go around to every room in your home and collect every bottle and tube. Don’t think about doing it another day. Print this page out. Take this article with you, and get cracking, right now.
Examples:
Shampoo
Deoderant
Toothpaste
soap – liquid and bars
Dishwashing liquid
Laundry powder/detergent
Air freshener
Nail Polish
Makeup
Moisturiser
Baby creams
Baby wipes
Makeup remover wipes
Tanning lotions
Oven cleaner
Drain cleaner
Hair Dye
Hair spray
Step 2: 30 minutes
Lay them all out on a table or bed and start looking at the ingredients list on each bottle/tube. Below is a list of common chemicals and their side effects. If you have read this far and want to start making your home safer, if you see these chemicals on the back – throw that bottle into the bin. This is but a short list of common chemicals, I found some or all of these in everything in my house. Keep in mind you may only use the product every couple of days, but the chemical builds up in your body over time to toxic levels. Blood tests after single can show readable amounts!
If you are feeling particularly productive, and notice a chemical name popping up on most bottles that I don’t have listed here, do a quick internet search for it and take a moment to educate yourself on what the side effects of exposure are and whether it has been listed as carcinogenic or not.
Common Chemicals in Household/Personal Products
•Propylene Glycol (PG) and Butylene Glycol – Found commonly in deodorant. PG penetrates skin and weakens protein and cellular structure. It’s strong enough to remove barnacles from boats! The EPA considers PG so toxic that workers are required to wear protective clothing and to dispose of PG by burying it in the ground. PG penetrates the skin so quickly, the EPA warns against contact to prevent brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities, but there isn’t even a warning label on products such as stick deodorants, where the concentration is greater than in most industrial applications.
•Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) - Found in anything that foams up (soap, detergent, shampoo etc). Animals exposed to SLS experience eye damage, depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation, and even death. Young eyes may not develop properly if exposed to SLS. It may damage the skin’s immune system and can be transformed into a potent class of carcinogens. Your body may retain the SLS for up to five days and maintain residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs, and brain.
•1.4-dioxane (Also listed as xynol,’ ‘ceteareth’, and ‘oleth) Products with petrolum bases often contain this impurity which is a known carcinogen (cancer causing chemical).
•DEA (diethanolamine)
MEA (Monoethanolaniine)
TEA (triethanolamine) – Hormone-disrupting chemicals that can form cancer-causing nitrates. Restricted in Europe due to carcinogenic effects, yet they are still used in the U.S. Americans may be exposed 10-20 times per day with shampoos, shaving creams and bubble baths. Dr. Samuel Epstein (Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Illinois) says that repeated applications of DEA-based detergents result in major increase in liver and kidney cancer. The PDA’s John Bailey says, "The risk is significantly increased for children."
•Sodium Hydroxide - This is caustic lye found in drain cleaners, and is now found in our toothpaste! I even found this in an all-natural shaving cream.
•Triclosan – A synthetic "antibacterial" with a chemical structure similar to Agent Orange. It is widely used in soaps, toothpastes and deodorants, has been detected in breast milk, and one recent study found that it interferes with testosterone activity in cells. Toxic effects measured in the parts per trillion: That is only one drop in 300 Olympic-size swimming pools!
•DMDM & Urea (Imidazolidinyl) - Two of many preservatives that often release formaldehyde, and found in baby bath soap, nail polish, eyelash adhesive and hair dyes. They have a long list of adverse health effects, including immune-system toxicity, respiratory irritation and cancer in humans, and they can cause joint pain, skin reactions, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and loss of sleep.
•Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) - Carcinogenic petroleum ingredient that reduces the skin’s natural moisture. Increases the appearance of aging and leaves you vulnerable to bacteria. It’s also used in spray-on oven cleaners and cleansers to dissolve oil and grease.
•Parabens – (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-) – Parabens appear in a wide variety of toiletries. A study found that butylparaben damaged sperm formation in the testes of mice, and a relative, sodium methylparaben, is banned in cosmetics by the E.U. Parabens break down in the body into p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which has estrogenic activity in human breast-cancer cell cultures.
•Alcohol, Isopropyl (SD-40) – Made from a petroleum derivative, it’s found in shellac and antifreeze, as well as personal care products. A drying, irritating solvent that strips skin’s moisture and immune barrier, making you vulnerable to bacteria and viruses. Promotes brown spots and premature aging. Fatal ingested dose is one ounce or less.
•Mineral Oil - A petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic wrap, clogging the pores. It interferes with skin’s ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders. Slows down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging. Baby oil is 100% mineral oil!
•FD&C Color Pigments – Synthetic colors from coal tar are known human carcinogens used as active ingredients in dandruff shampoos and anti-itch creams. Coal-tar-based dyes such as FD&C Blue 1, are used in toothpastes, and FD&C Green 3, are used in mouthwash,
•Fragrances – The term "fragrance" may mask phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors and may cause obesity and reproductive and developmental harm. Can contain up to four thousand ingredients (including animal urine), many toxic or carcinogenic. Causes headaches, dizziness, allergic rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing, vomiting, and skin irritation. Fragrances also affect the nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes.
So, in our baby’s shampoo and bubble bath, that our babies and small toddlers are soaking in while they play, are fragrances, FD&C colors, parabens, sodium hydroxide, imidazolidinyl urea, among others.
* Natural or Organic products claiming to be green and safe still need careful consideration before purchase. Be sure to read every label, it only takes 10 seconds of your time!
Step 3: 1 hour
Purchase Alternatives
I personally avoid most commercial brands found in supermarkets because even the ones claiming to be organic and natural often still list many of the chemicals in question. For my personal care items, I shop at health food stores and also seek out online, home/handmade products that utilise essential oils and natural bases such as beeswax and almond oil.
Cleaning
I only use bicarb soda (you can make a paste with water and wipe) and/or vinegar. You can sprinkle the bicarb (ie on your stove top) then spray with vinegar and wipe/scrub as it fizzes. I use these methods for any marks around the house. I use a mix of 1 part vinegar, 1 part metho and 2 parts water to clean windows, soap scum on shower glass etc, works very well! There is a lot of detailed information out there on how to clean with bicarb and vinegar – I have 2 great books that I use for my chemical free cleaning. They are by Shannon Lush – “Spotless” and “Speed Cleaning”. Probably the two most useful books I own!
Vinegar as full strength or watered down is a fantastic, effective disinfectant that I use in the toilet, kitchen etc in a spray bottle. The smell will not linger once you wipe.
Essential Oils are great for scenting rooms/toilet bowls you can wipe with a damp cloth (using a drop or two) with any scent you like. Be sure to buy good quality oils, not the $2 bottles from discount stores!
Ecostore have a range of laundry and kitchen products that have no nasty chemicals which I’ve enjoyed using for washing clothes and dishes. http://www.ecostore.co.nz/
Personal Care
Your local health food store should stock plenty of chemical free, essential oil fragranced shampoos and conditioners that are free of the nasties. Same goes for sunscreen and makeup. You can get crystal stick deodorant that stops the smell, but you will still sweat. The salts in it neutralise the bacteria that causes body odour. You do need to wet to apply ad apply a little more often than normal deodorant. I’d prefer that than putting aluminum and other nasties on my bare skin to be absorbed every day. I also feel letting your skin perform its normal function is very important!
I’ve used raw honey applied directly to wounds and nappy rash/fungal infections with success. It is also very soothing. I’ve also used it on my horse who had a large open leg wound. I filled the hole daily with honey and bandaged it. The fist sized hole sealed up in 3 weeks to a small thin line. Amazing stuff! It has anti fungal and antibacterial properties. Plain untreated honey is just as good as the expensive manuka honey I’ve found. It soaks into skin well and excess when changing dressings etc can be washed off with water easily.
I use henna hair dyes (henna is a plant powder you mix with hot water to form a paste, then apply to your hair as per normal) as I react severely to normal hair dyes.
For baby wipes I have always used bamboo re-usable baby wipe cloths that I bought from my cloth nappy supplier (http://www.babybeehinds.com.au or http://www.naturescradle.com.au)
You simply wet the cloth, wipe, then pop into the nappy bucket for your next load of nappies. If you don’t use cloth nappies yet (I will convince you that you should in a future post!) just keep a little bucket with a lid handy and every 2nd day pop them in the washing machine and hang out to dry.
Here is a short list of ideas to restock your cupboards. There are many lovely websites where people make by hand soaps, shampoos, lotions and so on using natural oil or beeswax bases. These sites also have recipes and bases to create your own products which are great for gifts too. This online store is a great example of what you can get online to make your own:
http://www.heirloombodycare.com.au
If you just want to purchase products ready made, I love these beeswax based creams, shampoos and soaps!
http://www.beeswaxnhh.com.au
There are organic, chemical free toothpastes available also, which I am trialling at the moment. Will report back on this issue later.
Shopping List
Supermarket:
Bicarb Soda (cleaning, and can be used as a washing powder)
Vinegar (disinfecting spray, cleaning)
Scrubbing brush
Plastic spray bottle
Eco Store Washing Powder (the ONLY one that my son didn’t have skin reaction to!)
Eco Store dishwashing liquid is also plant based and no nasty chemicals
Health Food Store or Online:
Honey (use raw honey on wounds, burns (even large open wounds) to heal and soothe.
Handmade natural soaps
Beeswax based beauty/moisturising products
Shea butter based lotions/creams
Essential Oils (I like lavendar for toilet bowls and kitchen!)
Crystal Stick Deodorant
Organic Shampoo/Conditioner
Makeup
Step 4: 1 hour
Cleaning the toxic air in your home
Once you have removed some of the sources of contaminants in your home the next step is to do something to improve the quality of the air in your home.
The cheapest, most effective solution to this, which is also visually appealing, is to get some houseplants!
Measurable indoor toxins include emissions from gas appliances, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), air fresheners, furniture cleaners, shampoos, paints and glues.
Even low levels of pollutants can cause problems like headaches and nausea and can lead to chronic health problems in the long term. It’s been known for many years (even NASA in 1984 did a successful study) that plants purify air.
Recently, Margaret Burchett, a plant physiologist, biochemist and toxicologist from the University of Technology Sydney tested 6 plants in a range of Sydney office environments and found that extremely high levels of pollutants were reduced to negligible amounts.
Byrchett tested six plants:
• Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum ‘Petite’ and S. ‘Sensation’)
• Dracaena marginata
• Dracaena deremensis
• Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum aureum)
• Umbrella tree (Schefflera ‘Amate’).
She said however that any plant will serve the same purpose – the micro-organisms in the potting mix do all the hard work – the plant serves to keep this system operating. So, get out to your local nursery and find some indoor plants you like the look of and give them a new home!
So there you have it. In 2 hours and 45 minutes you can give your home a detox and begin a more natural way of caring for your skin and hair. Grab a garbage bag and get to it!
