Top 10 tips for detoxing your home

By James Kane
Translated by S. Ying

A lot has been written on keeping our bodies healthy, but what about keeping our homes toxin-free and safe? From household cleaning products to cosmetics and cooking tools, our homes contain many chemicals that infiltrate our bodies and can lead to health problems.

Here is a list of some simple, effective measures you can take to maintain a healthier living space.

1) No shoes in the house. Most pesticides, household dirt and lead come in on your shoes.

2) Keep the air clean. Open those windows as much as possible to ventilate. Indoor air can be five times as polluted as outdoor air. Add indoor plants around your home to increase oxygen levels.

3) Switch from standard household cleaning products to cleaner, greener ones made by environmentally-responsible companies. Make your own cleaner with natural everyday ingredients like white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, Castile (olive oil-based) soap, baking soda, lemon juice, and just plain water.

4) Pay attention to plastics and their recycling symbols. As much as possible, avoid numbers 1, 3 and 6, as well as clear plastics labelled with number 7. This will reduce your exposure to BPA, phthalates and styrene. Don't heat or store food in plastic.

5) Look for natural cosmetics and personal-care products that don't contain dangerous toxic ingredients like mercury, lead, toluene, formaldehyde, parabens, placenta, phthalates, and triclosan.

6) Avoid dry cleaning your clothes to limit your exposure to chemicals or, if you do, then use alternative, eco-friendly products.

7) Reduce your risk of endocrine and immune-system damage by replacing non-stick cookware with chemical-free cookware such as iron porcelain-coated, stainless steel, or glass pots and pans.

8) Stop using air fresheners and other synthetic fragrances to reduce your exposure to phthalates. Instead use fresh flowers or bowls of herbs to add a nice fragrance.

9) Give your body a rest from electromagnetic fields encountered throughout the day. At night, turn off your Wi-Fi, unplug electrical devices near your bed, and adjust the location of your bed away from elevated magnetic fields.

10) Keep house dust to a minimum (as more dust means more toxins). Ensure all surfaces are mopped at least once a week.