One major thing I started thinking more about after my daughter was born was toxic chemicals – specifically ones that are in, or we use without knowing, inside my home. I’ve always been one for removing shoes inside the house, but I started thinking even more about what the floors & countertops were being cleaned with (and then I nerded out and went down a huge rabbit hole).
Here is what I promise in this post…
I am not going to insist that you pull up all your carpet, replace all of your furniture, and start from scratch. You can if you want, and you can totally build an eco, green home from the ground up, BUT for this post, I’m going to make it much easier than that.
I am sharing some low-effort, high-impact swaps that will help detox your home and have you feel pretty damn proud of yourself & excited for what’s good behind closed doors.
Choose 1 or choose all. You do you babe.
OK, let’s talk home detox.
Of course, our homes are meant to be a place where we can rejuvenate. Our safe space, happy place, and private sanctuaries. But I have some scary news to share with you… it’s been said that our homes are becoming MORE toxic than the outdoors! And some of the most popular cleaning products are to blame. CLEANING PRODUCTS, of all things – the stuff we think is going to make our home… cleaner? What’s meant- and advertised- to purify and cleanse your house could be compromising your health.
And once I saw the kind of things that kids get their mouth all over (countertops, gadgets, and yes even the damn floor?! I had no idea a small child would lick the floor…until my child licked the floor), I was immediately on a mission to throw out all the bad products that were hiding in our house, and as a mother, I feel morally obligated to share this with as many people as possible.
So in this post, I’m going to cover more than just cleaning products alone. It turns out that there are some major culprits of hidden toxins in our homes in EVERY room of the house. Swapping out cleaner products for toxic ones is an easy way to get kick start your home detox, and even if you only implement that one swap, it’ll do you and your family a world of good.
CLEAN DETOX products and why the hell this isn’t the norm.. Here’s why it’s happening; the multi-billion dollar household cleaning product industry is fairly unregulated. So they get away with putting “organic” and “green” labels on their products even if they contain hidden, potentially harmful ingredients. (it’s like how companies can put “farm fresh” or “natural” on a packaged food, that suggests it is of high nutritional content when really the product is not healthy enough to use the label “nutritious” or “heart healthy”)
But there are things you can do to take action and many of these are very easy.
If you’re ready to take back the reins, here are 10 easy ways to detox your home and make it your rejuvenating oasis again!
1. Kick off your shoes
Taking off your shoes at the door is the best & easiest way to keep the a healthier and cleaner house. Have everyone slip off their shoes and leave them by the door. You can choose to keep shoes on a shoe mat or a shoe cabinet next to the door (this is the one we have and love).
Dirt, pesticides, and bacteria, most disgusting of all, bodily fluids from public restrooms, come into your home on the bottom of your shoes, so why the fuck anyone has ever thought to wear a shoe indoors is beyond me, BUT there was one time in my life where I wore shoes in my house, so I guess when we know better we do better. It’s safe to say you’ll keep a lot of shit (literally) out of your home if your shoes don’t walk in. Go barefoot or have slippers handy for chilly days.
You may be wondering how do you handle this with guests. Is it rude to ask guests to remove their shoes? I do not think it’s rude at all, and really more so the opposite. If I had to choose, I personally find it more offensive that someone would walk through my house trailing shit and piss all over my floors, BUT then again, maybe I’m the weird one out here.
Martha Stewart has a great advice on “removing shoe etiquette,” and per her site it says it is kind and appropriate to let guests know beforehand that your home has a no shoes policy. (I think this an outstanding idea).
Last but not least, if you really want to wow (or annoy, however you look at it) your guests, have a basket of house slippers (we have these), grippy socks, or disposable shoe covers so they feel comfortable when they are shoe-less in your home.
2. Open your windows
Another easy one; open your windows.
Regular ventilation is vital! Opening your windows will allow fresh air to circulate throughout your house, while giving indoor pollution room to escape.
This is, of course, assuming that the outdoor air in your area is fresh and not heavily polluted or during a season of high allergens.
If so, something that we use daily is our Dyson Pure Cool; it is essential to us. I love all Dyson products, and this is no exception. What is cool is that it pairs with an app and it tells you the air quality of your room/home. For example, if I am cooking and something gets too smoky or burned, the air quality shows up as “poor” and we can instantly regulate it. Also when the allergens are high outside and I am sneezing from the blooms, I can shut my doors and purify the air inside. The Dyson Pure Cool is absolutely worth the investment if allergens and “stuffy air” bothers you inside your home.
3. Sage that shit
Open up your windows / doors and burn sage. This sounds like a woo-woo trend, but there’s hard science behind sage smoke. When I first discovered that sage was more than a funky bundle of herbs that people waved in the air to look cool, I leaned in and listened.
It turns out that sage is a super potent plant that, when burned, can clear up to 94% of airborne bacteria! 94%!! Making it an INCREDIBLY powerful natural disinfectant.
Sage is easy to find, inexpensive, and actually quite fun to twirl around in the air.
I like this sage set w/ the abalone shell to place the sage after burning.
4. Add Plants Galore
Since we’re talking plants… buy living plants for your house! Plants naturally detoxify the air. Plant remove pollutants like formaldehyde (which is a nasty carcinogen that seeps out of pressed wood products and other things), benzene, trichloroethylene and carbon monoxide.
Plants naturally improve the air quality in your home, so aim to have plants in every room if possible. 1 plant per average size room (13×16 ft) can improve the air quality by 25%. So the bigger the room, or the more purification you wish to have, the answer is… MORE PLANTS – The bigger the plant and leafier the plant, the better. This is because air purification is influenced by the surface area of leaves. Make sense? (For more plant nerdiness, I found this incredible breakdown & info from this article; its really good).
I have kind of become the crazy plant lady – like I love my plants like they’re pets. AND they’re been staying alive for years! (Tip: play jazz music for your plant friends; they love the vibes)
Ok so, There are so many indoor plants that purify the air. Many are low-maintenance and non-poisonous to children or pets if ingested. One of my personal faves is the snake plant! I love having one in my bedroom especially, because they produce oxygen at night (while most plants produce oxygen during the day). You only have to water snake plants once a month and they are just stunning to look at!
Even just a few live plants will bring huge benefits and improve the quality of your home’s atmosphere.
5. Swap Spray Cleaners
Some “clean” household products just are NOT clean. Instead of squeaky clean, they are SNEAKY CLEAN.
This requires some conscious shopping and really paying attention to the ingredients list! When you purchase a cleaning product, make sure it does NOT contain any of the following: chlorine, bleach, phosphates, petroleum, added fragrances.
Or better yet, make a quick & easy decision because I did the dirty work for ya, and to switch to what we use: Thieves Household cleaner.
We use it to clean EVERYTHING; it’s a multi-use, essential oil-powered cleaning product. Millions of other people swear by it too in the Young Living community. (truly, millions & millions of ppl, it’s that good.)
Prior to using Thieves, I was using Mrs Meyers countertop spray. Although I liked the way it smelled, it actually made me sneeze and made my nose itch, and I realized it wasn’t as clean as I believed it to be.
I switched to Thieves when Lily was born because I wanted the cleanliness of my home to come from a pure source, and there is nothing more pure than cleaning with essential oils. Thieves cleaner is truly the best on the market when it comes to pure & clean products for your home.
What the hell is a “thieves” anyway?! Thieves is an essential oil blend of 5 powerful Young Living oils (Clove, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Lemon, and Cinnamon). It’s is one of Young Living’s most famous & popular oils (it smells like Christmas to me, which makes me love it even more). The name “Thieves” comes from the legend of 4 actual thieves in France, circa the 1400’s at the time of the Bubonic Plague. These thieves were robbing graves and while doing so wore a special blend of vinegar, clove, rosemary and other botanicals that they believed provided protection from the plague. Soon their crimes caught up with them and the thieves were captured, but authorities were intrigued. Why had none of the thieves gotten the plague? As history has it, the group allegedly confessed their botanicals provided them protection against the plague while they robbed the bodies of the dead.
One bottle of Thieves can be used for virtually every area of your house; here is a video of 29 ways to clean w/thieves.
6. Say FU To Fake Fragrance
Eliminate synthetic fragrances when possible. This may not be something you can or want to do overnight, but even swapping out a couple of the major fragrance culprits would be fab for your home detox.
I NEVER thought I would be a person to not use fragrance – my first job was at Bath & Body Works, and I LOVED IT. I was all about some Cucumber Melon & Black Raspberry Vanilla body spritzers & lotion back then.
ALL. ABOUT. IT.
Even though the mention of those fragrances makes me feel slightly nostalgic, I have moved on & for good reason.
Synthetic fragrances emit tons of toxic chemicals into the air… and we are absolutely bombarded with them in day to day life.
From air “fresheners,” to candles, perfumes, body care products (but that’s for another post!), laundry detergents, and one of thes worst offender of them all: WALL PLUG-INS.
Holy shit y’all. PLEASE unplug that shit now from every outlet now. If this is all you take away from this post, I will be so thrilled that you unplugged that crap.
“Exposure to fragrance chemicals can cause headaches; eye, nose, and throat irritation; nausea; forgetfulness; loss of coordination; and other respiratory and/or neurotoxic symptoms. Many fragrance ingredients are respiratory irritants and sensitizers, which can trigger asthma attacks and aggravate sinus conditions.” (source)
“Synthetic chemicals in products like plastics and fragrances can mimic hormones and interfere with or disrupt the delicate endocrine dance.” (source)
The word “fragrance” on a label can contain 200+ chemicals…as a customer we really have no idea what a fragrance actually is. Look for essential oils on labels as a pure source of scent.
I found out firsthand how synthetic fragrances make me sick quite a few years back. I was on this “gingerbread cookie” candle kick, and I was living by my motto “more is more” and let’s just say that when it comes to fragrant candles that is not a good motto to live by. I had 3 candles burning in my room or about 3 hours while I was reading a book and I started to feel myself getting sick, and I could feel a tingle in my nose and I knew immediately it was from the damn candles. I threw them out the next day, along with all my fancy perfumes and never burned a synthetic candle or wore perfume again. End of story and my relationship with candles.
7. Swap Laundry Products
The laundry is unfortunately place where soooo many toxic chemicals and fragrances build up, and your clothes or bedding is not only emitting chemicals into the air, but it’s going directly next your skin, and perhaps even your baby’s skin!
If you wanted to pick just 1 area to detox your home first, I would choose cleaning / laundry. It will make such a huge impact on your body’s health by making a clean switch.
Conventional laundry soap, laundry softener, and dryer sheets are all toxic culprits. BUT YES, of course you can swap it out for good stuff that will help to detox your home.
You could switch to clean detergent, and instead of dryer sheets, you can use essential oils + wool dryer balls (TIP: you need multiple balls in the dryer, one is not enough).
I like to use Thieves Laundry Detergent + I add a few drops of orange or eucalyptus essential oil to a baby wipe and throw it in with the clothes to give the clothes a natural scent super boost.
I use 3-4 Dryer Balls + Young Living Citrus oils on the balls for the dryer.
This is why I use Young Living Thieves all around for cleaning. I use for every area of my home that requires cleaning, including the laundry and even the dishes.
8. Switch To Non-Toxic Bedding
Ever thought of using non-toxic sheets? I sure had not until this past year, yet we sleep in your bed for 7-8 hours nightly, and If you’re like me, sometimes more! (Hey, sleeping is important, k?!)
Using toxin-free bedding is another great way to ensure that your exposure to toxins is as minimal as possible. These are my fave chemical free sheets.
9. Diffuse Essential Oils
AKA Nature’s Perfume.
We’ve already talked about the power of plants + the harmful effects of synthetic fragrance, and essential oils are the answer to it all. They are plants in their most condensed form + they are pure, natural scent with zero of the bad stuff.
DIffusing oils in your home is not only the healthiest option for scents, but it’s really chic and beautiful. You can choose a diffuser that fits your home’s unique style and pair it with the type of oil you want to experience.
The Aria is my favorite luxe diffuser for my bedroom and office (it has a remote control, changes colors and gives off a vibey smoky mist while playing zen music), and the Desert Mist is my next favorite and more affordable diffuser for other rooms in the house (it’s lights up and changes colors). All Young Living diffusers come with a warranty, unlike many of the cheaper options online.
There are so many oils I love, but I typically lean toward oils with a hint of citrus, and the blends that are already pre-made.
Peace & Calming oil is a favorite for diffusing anytime of day.
I love to diffuse Grapefruit oil in the summer, Thieves during the fall or anytime colds are going around town.
I love Sensation oil, and Lavender for the bedroom.
Citrus Fresh for the bathrooms.
Transformation or Brain Power oil for affirmations and morning routine.
And Christmas Spirit oil for the holiday season. I stock up on this oil to be sure I am never out! It is one of the best things you’ll ever smell!
10. Water Filter
We often think that we are cleansing and removing toxins while in the shower, but that’s not always the case as the water may not pure as we’d like to think it is.
There are filters that remove fluoride, chemicals and heavy metals from your drinking water and your shower head.
If you own your home, you can install whole house filtration systems (we did this back when I was married and living in Texas, it’s about a $5K expense but worth it if you are investing in your home and plan to be there a long time). If you need a renter or more affordable option, check out filters you install on individual sink faucets & shower heads.
A shower filter can be an easy addition to detox your home + it may help with dry skin, eczema, and improve the softness and shine of your hair. There are basically no disadvantages to using a shower filter.
11. Glass over Plastic
A pretty easy, sustainable swap is to choose to drink out of and store your foods in glass containers over plastic. Not only can you safely reheat in glass, it’s also way more pleasing to the eye, AND it lasts longer.
“Some plastic containers can leach out a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA), which is known to tamper with hormones.
In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned BPA from infant bottles and cups. Then, in 2013, a review of research in the journal Endocrine Disruptors found that it may be associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease and other conditions in adults. So avoid plastics marked with a 7, which may contain BPA, and never put BPA-containing plastics in the microwave or dishwasher; BPAs are more likely to leach out when heated.
Doing so is especially important when it comes to acidic and oily foods, which can allow more BPA to leach out. The good news: BPA passes out of the body quickly, so it doesn’t take long to reduce your exposure.” (source)
I revamped all my containers and got these glass ones. I am really happy with them.
I also got these glass bottles for storing juices or smoothie leftovers. I am all about having sets that match, so I feel very pleased by this purchase.
OK, how do we feel rn? Which swap are you leaning toward making first?
BTW, If you really want to go clean with your home products, I’ve linked an entire cart full of all my Young Living Healthy Home Must-haves for you. 💜 It’s not every cleaning product, but it’s the ones I use the most and that are the most popular. You can add or delete anything you want/don’t want, and if you want to subscribe you save even more $. Dm me on Instagram if you grab the bundle, and let’s set up a time to chat about your healthy lifestyle goals.
xo, Ashley.