10 toxic items in your home that might surprise you
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s a surprising amount of toxicity in your living space. (And no, we’re not just talking about the bad vibes you have with your housemate.) Here are some things to be wary of, plus greener and cleaner alternatives.
Couch
Did you know your couch might be toxic? Many couches contain fire-retardant chemicals, which have been linked to higher rates of cancer among firefighters. In the absence of fires, these chemicals have been linked to thyroid and other endocrine problems. Some types, including PBDEs, have been phased out, but their replacements may be just as harmful. The Environmental Working Group recently compiled a list of stores that have started phasing them out entirely, including IKEA and West Elm.
Mothballs
Mothballs contain naphthalene or para-dichlorobenzene, which are both toxic fumigants that turn from solids to vapour and are known to cause cancer in rodents. When you smell them, you’re inhaling the insecticide. Try less toxic alternatives such as camphor, sandalwood or lavender.
Antibacterial soaps
According to the FDA, antibacterial products, such as hand sanitisers and wipes, could be harmful to your health as they contain the active ingredient triclosan, which has been linked to liver toxicity. Luckily, washing your hands for 30 seconds with regular soap and water is just as effective.
Pizza boxes
That shameful stack of pizza boxes that’s accumulated next to your bed? The wax paper bag that protects your microwave popcorn? Both potentially toxic. The FDA recently banned perfluoroalkyl ethyl – the chemical that makes paper containers resistant to oil and water – in response to a petition that linked it to poor reproductive health, birth defects and cancer.
Shower curtains
Know that plastic-y odour that hits you when you unravel and hang a new shower curtain? That’s the smell of PVC and the other 100 or so toxic ingredients that are in the liner, seeping into your home. Try hemp, polyester, linen or cotton curtains instead, or choose a material that’s been coated with beeswax to make them water repellent. NB This is DIY-able.
Carpet
Stain-resistant carpets are ace in theory – especially if you’re used to seeing what happens in infomercials – but the chemical PFOA used to repel the stains have been linked to a range of health problems, including cancer and thyroid problems. If you’re in the market for a new carpet, opt for untreated, natural materials such as sisal, hemp, corn husks or wool.
Non-stick cookware
Though it sounds like something you’d read in a fear-mongering internet forward, non-stick cookware may be harmful to your health. Like stain-resistant carpets, PFOA is used to make the non-stick coating on pots and pans, and when it’s overheated, it may be inhaled as toxic fumes.
Candles
Analysing candle emissions, experts from South Carolina State University found that candles made from paraffin wax release benzene and toluene – both known asthma triggers and carcinogens. Can’t take a bubble bath without them? Switch to beeswax, soy of vegetable oil-based candles with natural dyes and perfumes.
Oven cleaner
Many supermarket brands contain concentrated solutions of corrosive alkalis, which can impact upon your gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system if inhaled. Try this minty-fresh DIY alternative, containing baking soda, castile soap and essential oil, to cut through the grease instead.
Plastic takeaway containers
Phthalates – the group of chemicals found in plastics to make them flexible – are endocrine disrupters, which mean they mimic the body’s natural hormones and can therefore cause health problems. Unfortunately, they’re everywhere, but you can limit your exposure by avoiding reusable plastic bottles, supermarket food wrapped in cling wrap and transferring food from plastic takeaway containers to glassware when reheating.
Do you have any secret cleaning tips you’d like to share? Tell us in the comments below!
Written by Kathleen Lee-Joe. First appeared on Domain.com.au.
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