This post will provide you with simple household swaps that you can make to start your journey towards non-toxic living. If you want to detox your home and start living a less toxic lifestyle then here are some ideas to get you started.
Think about the items that you come into contact with most regularly around your home. Many of these household items are probably adding to your toxic load. This article will provide you with non-toxic alternatives that you can easily switch to using instead.
The idea here is to get back to basics. Perhaps you’ve had a recent health scare, or maybe you just want to get ahead of the curve and start living a healthier lifestyle. It can quickly become overwhelming, so go easy on yourself and aim to just make one switch at a time.

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10 Simple ways to reduce the amount of toxins in your home:
- Avoid storing and heating food in plastic storage containers
- Avoid using pans with non-stick coatings such as Teflon
- Filter your tap water
- Try and buy organic food to avoid pesticide exposure
- Try to avoid seed oils such as vegetable, sunflower and canola/rapeseed oils, which can cause inflammation
- Cook from scratch and avoid processed foods with ingredients that you don’t recognise
- Remove your shoes when you enter your home. The soles of your shoes can track in dirt, petrol and other nasty chemicals. Wear slippers or house shoes instead.
- Open your windows for at least 10 minutes each day to help ventilate your home
- Dust using a damp cloth and vacuum floors regularly
- Ditch the air fresheners and anything else containing artificial fragrance
Read on for examples of the best non-toxic products that you can easily switch to using instead.
Fragrance
Artificial fragrance is one of the worst toxins in your home and probably one of the easiest to eliminate. According to the EWG, synthetic fragrances contain endocrine disruptors, which can wreak havoc with our hormonal system and cause a wide range of health problems.
Fragrance to avoid
Here are a few examples of products containing synthetic fragrance which you are better off avoiding altogether:
- Air fresheners (aerosol sprays, gels and plug ins)
- Scented candles (especially those made from paraffin wax)
- Reed diffusers
- Dryer sheets
Non-toxic ways to make your home smell good
Here are some non-toxic ways to make your home smell good. In addition to the items below, don’t forget to open your windows each day to help ventilate your home with fresh air. Introducing indoor plants such as snake plants, peace lilies and aloe vera will also help to purify the air inside of your home.
Beeswax Candles
Beeswax candles are a natural way to purify the air in your home, as they release negative ions when lit. They are the cleanest and most non-toxic way to enjoy candles. They have a very mild scent and are perfect for creating a cosy atmosphere in your home.

Essential Oils
Using good quality organic essential oils in a diffuser is a fantastic way to add scent to your home. You can also use essential oils in homemade cleaners, add them to your laundry detergent and use them in DIY candle making.

Essential Oil Diffusers
These ceramic essential oil diffusers look elegant in any home and are really effective at dispersing essential oil scents. All you need to do is add water and a few drops of your essential oil of choice and it will create a mist that will make any room smell great. We often plug ours in after an evening meal, especially if there is a strong food smell lingering.

Cleaning Products
Switching to non-toxic cleaning products, especially those that you use almost everyday, is a great way to reduce the amount of toxins in your home. You can keep things simple and cost effective by making most of your own household cleaners. It is surprisingly simple to create your own cleaning solutions and have control over exactly what goes into them.
DIY Household Cleaners
Here is the recipe for the All-Purpose Cleaner that I use on a daily basis. You only need four ingredients; water, vinegar, rubbing alcohol and an essential oil. I use this to clean the surfaces in my kitchen and bathroom, as well as the mirrors and glass around my home.
I also have a recipe for a Toilet Bowl Cleaner, which completely replaces the need for chlorine bleach.

Hard floors can be cleaned with a mop and bucket filled with hot soapy water and vinegar to sanitise.
Non-Toxic Cleaning Brands
If you don’t fancy making your own household cleaners then brands like Attitude and Blueland are EWG Verified and safer options to use around your home.
EWG Verified means that the product meets EWG’s strictest standards for health and safety. It avoids any of the ingredients on EWG’s “Unacceptable List” and provides full transparency of ingredients, including fragrance.
You want to look for products with ingredients that are free from chlorine bleach, ammonia, parabens, dyes, and phthalates.
I love that the Blueland range is designed in tablet form to reduce plastic and make it easy to refill.
All-Purpose Cleaners



Dish Soap / Washing Up Liquid

Miniml is not currently available in the US unfortunately. They are a great British non-toxic brand who are focused on sustainability. Once you have finished your refill bottle you can return it to them for free and they will wash it and use it again.

Dishwasher Tablets

Laundry Detergent
Switching to a non-toxic laundry detergent is another simple solution when you want to reduce your toxic load. This will have an impact of all of your clothes, bedding, towels and kitchen cloths, which come into contact with your skin and food on a daily basis.
If you are based in the US then one of the safest laundry detergent brands available is Blueland.

Molly’s Suds is also a good non-toxic brand. The EWG rate their laundry powder as ‘A – Low Concern’. This brand is available in the UK and the US.

I am based in the UK and use either Greenscents or Miniml laundry liquid, which I buy from my local refill shop. If you don’t have a refill shop near you, then Miniml is also available to buy on Amazon in the UK. When you have emptied your container, you can return it to Miniml for free and they will wash and reuse it.

I also have an Eco Egg laundry egg, which I use if I run out of laundry liquid. The laundry egg works well and lasts for a long time, but it can sometimes be a bit noisy when it’s in the washing machine. I like that it can be refilled though and it is a very affordable option.

What about fabric softener?
I personally no longer use fabric softener and I have got used to my clothes not having a strong scent. Most brands are full of artificial fragrance, which I can no longer tolerate. If I was to go back to buying fabric softener then I would opt for one of the brands I have listed above.
If your clothes or towels smell like they need an extra bit of freshening up then try adding some vinegar and bicarb in with your wash load. These ingredients will help neutralise any bad smells.
Dryer sheets are also full of artificial fragrance and best to be avoided altogether. If you want to add scent to your laundry during the drying process then adding some essential oil to a wool dryer ball is a non-toxic alternative.
Non-Toxic Cookware
In order to detox your home you will want to stop using any cookware that is coated in non-stick or Teflon. When heated at high temperature these non-stick surfaces can leach “forever chemicals” that remain in your body indefinitely and can cause serious health issues.
Switch to stainless steel, glass, ceramic or enamel coated pots and pans instead. Cast iron skillets are also a great option, although they can be a bit trickier to look after.
Cooking utensils made from wood or stainless steel are safer options. I do sometimes use a silicone spatula, but I’m conscious of not letting it get too hot and would not leave it to sit in a pan.
Here are some non-toxic options if you are looking to upgrade your cookware.
This enamel coated cast iron Dutch oven / casserole dish is beautifully designed and would be a stunning and practical addition to any kitchen. It’s available in many different colours, but I love the elegant cream colour of the one below.

This set of stainless steel pots and pans are a good option if you are looking replace all of your cookware in one go.

Non-Toxic Food Storage
Plastic storage containers will leach mircoplastics over time, especially when they are reheated and washed. Glass storage containers such as Pyrex with lids can be stored in the fridge, freezer and used to reheat food safely. If you opt for glass storage containers with plastic lids, please ensure that the plastic is BPA free.

Silicone lids are also a great option for covering up leftovers. I prefer these to beeswax wraps as they last longer and form a tighter seal.

Filter Your Water
Most tap water in the UK and the US will contain some level of contaminants such as chlorine, lead, mercury, pesticides, arsenic and pharmaceuticals. In order to reduce your exposure to these chemicals you will need to filter your tap water. This not only includes the tap water you drink, but also wash and cook food with and make into ice cubes.
I have the Phox V2 Water Filter. I like that the main chamber (where the water sits) is made of glass and the cartridge is refillable. This model doesn’t fit into my fridge door though unfortunately, but they do have a slimmer model that is designed to go in the fridge.

This Brita water filter has good reviews and is another good option, especially if you are just starting out and want the most affordable option.

I hope you have found this article helpful, especially if you are just starting out at living a less toxic lifestyle. It can be overwhelming, but try not to let it be a source of stress and just make small changes whenever you can.
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