What are toxic household chemicals?

Toxic household chemicals refer to substances commonly found in homes that can be harmful to human health and the environment. These chemicals are often present in cleaning products, pesticides, air fresheners, personal care products, and more.

What are the potential health risks associated with toxic household chemicals?

Exposure to toxic household chemicals can lead to various health issues, such as respiratory problems, skin irritation, allergies, hormonal disruptions, reproductive problems, and even long-term chronic conditions. Some chemicals may also be linked to cancer and other serious health concerns.

Which household chemicals should I be cautious of?

Common household chemicals to be cautious of include bleach, ammonia, formaldehyde, phthalates, parabens, triclosan, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These substances are often found in cleaning products, air fresheners, personal care items, and certain building materials.

How can I reduce my exposure to toxic household chemicals?

To reduce exposure to toxic household chemicals, consider using natural and eco-friendly alternatives for cleaning, personal care, and pest control. Read product labels, choose products with safer ingredients, properly ventilate your living space, and minimize the use of synthetic fragrances.

Are there any natural alternatives to toxic household chemicals?

Yes, there are many natural alternatives to toxic household chemicals. For cleaning, you can use ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and essential oils. For personal care products, look for organic and natural options without harmful additives. Additionally, consider using natural pest control methods instead of chemical pesticides.

Should I dispose of toxic household chemicals?

To dispose of toxic household chemicals, follow the proper guidelines provided by your local waste management or recycling facility. Do not pour chemicals down the drain or throw them in regular trash. Check if there are specific collection events or drop-off locations for hazardous waste in your area.

5 Chemicals to Avoid in your Household Products

by Rick Kaselj · Published November 2, 2021 · Updated November 27, 2024

Last updated on November 27th, 2024 at 03:44 pm

There are many Toxic Household Chemicals to avoid in your home products, especially in products that come into contact with your skin. The safety of most cosmetics and home products has raised significantly over the years. Federal guidelines have also been put in place to limit or ban many ingredients that have been deemed harmful to humans.

In Canada and the US, industry guidelines have been fixed for ingredient labeling. This includes listing any avoidable hazards such as contact with the eyes or ingesting internally. Even with these restrictions, some common chemicals in your daily household products can harm your health and wellness. Today we have shared five Toxic Household Chemicals you should try to avoid in your home.

Five Toxic Household Chemicals To Avoid

1. Fragrances

The number one ingredient to avoid is fragrances. Fragrances are found in every product you use in your home from floor cleaners to bathroom cleaners, room deodorizers, cosmetics, and perfumes. Sadly, even fragrance-free products can contain fragrance, which is crazy! It will help if you read product labels on any items you buy and do your best to avoid or lessen fragrances or perfumes.

Fragrances are tiny particles (like plastics) that get into the skin or the respiratory tract, which can then get into the bloodstream. These Toxic Household Chemicals are classified as carcinogens, meaning they can cause cancers, and are also hormone disruptors, which means they can interfere with your hormones. They can also be neurotoxic, leading to neuro symptoms of numbness, tingling, and tremors. You might also develop rashes, coughs, or asthma. If you like scents in your home, give essential oils a try. Non-toxic endured by most people.

2. Phthalates

Another chemical everyone should avoid is Phthalates, a component of fragrances. If you keep away from fragrances, you'll naturally be avoiding phthalates simultaneously. Phthalates make perfumes and their scents last longer. Not-regulated chemicals are sadly valid. Many Different household items add these chemicals.

As one of the Toxic Household Chemicals, Phthalates have been related to reproductive issues and developmental problems in unborn children. You can often find phthalates in certain plastics, so when you see plastic packaging or a plastic product, there's usually a number in the recycling or plastic symbol. You want to try and avoid plastic numbers 3, 6, and 7, as those are the resources of phthalates. Interestingly, some recent studies have found that phthalates exist in the blood of most Americans, especially women.

3. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

The third Toxic Household chemical you should try to avoid at home is Volatile Organic Compounds, also known as VOCs. VOCs are many significant organ dysfunctions such as asthma, cancer, liver, and kidney damage. You can find VOCs in scented petroleum-based laundry detergents, cleaners, disinfectants, air fresheners, and personal care products. It's not currently required that VOCs are listed on labels, so they can easily be added to many of your household products.

Help avoid VOCs by going fragrance-free and not using air fresheners. Instead, replace any air fresheners you might be operating with a diffuser with organic pure essential oils. Another benefit of essential oils is that they are naturally antimicrobial, killing odor-causing bacteria.

Note that not all essential oils are safe or beneficial for your pets' health, so do your research if you have pets.

4. Dyes

Different cleaning products often add dyes to make them vibrant blue and pink. Or yellow color you are familiar with. These dyes generally don't affect the performance of the products. They add it for aesthetics.

Why do they add blue water cleaner than a clear cleaner? I don't know, but it is currently the norm to dye many everyday household products. Unfortunately, these dyes can create significant health risks, such as respiratory issues like asthma, skin allergies like irritations, and neurotoxicity. It takes about 25 different Toxic Household Chemicals to make one artificial dye, so think about that the next time you look at your blue window cleaner. Try to use products that don't contain any color.

5. Bisphenol A (BPA)

The last Toxic Household Chemicals chemical you should avoid is Bisphenol A (BPA). Over the last few years, everyone has become more aware of the dangers of BPA. Bisphenol A used to be commonly found in water bottles and food storage box but has now, in most cases, been replaced with other types of plastics, mostly BPS or Bisphenol S. Scarily, Bisphenol S is not better than BPA. The best option is to move towards stainless steel or glass containers. Do not drink from plastic water bottles, even the reusable kind exposed to BPA and BPS. The plastics industry quickly alters and renames compounds to give the impression they are safe, but the safety data for new chemicals is pretty lacking.

Typically the standards for the chemical industry are not incredibly high, so it's easy for different plastics to be rolled out without adequate testing. Because of this, be cautious when approaching plastic products, and avoid them altogether if possible. BPS and BPA are endocrine disruptors, affecting our hormones, creating hormone imbalances, and impacting hormone production. Think of all those plastic products that babies put in their mouths! A recent study found that 93% of Americans had BPA in their urine, and if it's in the urine, it means it's also getting into your blood.

These Are The Chemicals To Avoid If Avoiding BPA/BPS:

Limonene, toluene, a-pinene, isoprene, methylene chloride, PERC, xylenes, methyl ethyl ketone, Trichloroethane (TCE), 1,4-dichlorobenzene, naphthalene, ethanol, formaldehyde, decane, butoxyethanol, isopentane, styrene, vinyl chloride, acetone, benzene, ethylene glycol, 1,3-butadiene, 2-butoxyethanol, heptane, butane, pentane.

Remember that BPA-free plastic products are not necessarily safe, so as much as possible, avoid plastics altogether. A good guideline is: If your products contain Toxic Household Chemicals and fancy words you can't pronounce and don't know what they are, I would warn you and assume that they are probably not good for your health.

Outlook

The good news is that there are many natural products that you can use to clean your home that does a good job. For example, old-school vinegar and baking soda can effectively clean products without Toxic Household Chemicals exposures, fumes, or solvents harmful to your health. Use natural dish soaps that are fragrance-free and biodegradable. Store leftovers in the fridge in ceramic or glass dishes rather than plastic. Stainless steel, glass, or non-treated wood containers are generally best.

In addition to avoiding toxic chemicals in your home, eating a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet is the best way to stay healthy. Learn more here!

Rick Kaselj

Rick Kaselj MS, is a leading kinesiologist and injury specialist as well as co-creator of the best-selling Unlock Your Hip Flexors program. Rick creates exercise programs that help people heal injuries and eliminate pain, so they can go back to living a full, active, healthy life.