I’ve talked about “removing the source” when it comes to detoxing many times. 

I won’t talk about detox this time, but rather about 3 common household items that are very toxic and if you have them, can greatly harm you.

When I tell you what they are, you may very well think “I’ve been using those for years! They’ve never harmed me.” 

But the thing with certain toxins is that they will accumulate in your body over time. 

Ironically, it is “nice” when we can have immediate repercussions to toxins because we can draw clear lines from cause to effect.

But the slow accumulation process makes that clear delineation impossible. 

Plus, a lot of the potential side effects are things you might not overtly notice, or they are being attributed to other factors. 

Item # 1 – Dryer Sheets 

Health Issues: carcinogenic, respiratory issues, skin problems, gastrointestinal issues, migraines, throat and eye irritation, hormone disrupters, dizzy spells

Alternative: organic wool dryer balls that you can put a few drops of your favorite essential oil on. These are eco and health friendly! 

Item # 2 – Scented candles, air fresheners, incense

(ok, technically that is 3, but they are kind of in the same category) 

Health Issues: carcinogenic, allergies, migraines, headaches, mutagenic (capable of changing your DNA), teratogenic (capable of causing birth defects and other abnormalities of physiological development), adverse birth outcomes

Alternative: 1. Organic essential oils in a diffuser
2. Open the windows daily – this actually serves many purposes including decreasing the toxic load of your home (yes, even in winter even for a few minutes, or depending on temperature, a few seconds)

Side note: children who live in homes that regularly burn incense can have up to 78% higher rates of asthma and wheezing

Item # 3 – Bleach 

Health Issues: asthma, COPD, chemical pneumonitis, pulmonary edema, vomiting, coma (if ingested), low level exposure can lead to skin reactions, coughing, chest pain, sore throat, damage to airway

Extra warning: 1. do not mix bleach with anything ever! Bleach becomes even more dangerous when mixed with certain other common products (even with vinegar, other cleaners, alcohol, water, etc). This could happen simply by using bleach on an area that you’ve used these others on before at some point. 

                            2. bleach may encourage toxic mold growth 

Keep in mind, bleach is a disinfectant, not a cleaner. That means it doesn’t actually clean anything in the first place. 

Alternative:  hydrogen peroxide 

This is a very abbreviated list of toxins hiding in plain sight. But these are an excellent starting point to decrease toxins in your home and improving your health! 

I purposefully chose items that are easy to swap out so that you can see this removing toxins from your life journey doesn’t have to be difficult or scary. 

Don’t get overwhelmed with how many things could be toxic in your home. Just start swapping to health friendly options and take it step by step. 

Want to Learn How to Handle Toxins?