Unfortunately, harsh chemicals have a knack for hiding away in our everyday items.  Whether it’s our cleaning supplies, hair care products, or sometimes even our carpets (crazy, right?).  And what’s even scarier, harsh chemicals are masters of disguise, so it’s usually pretty hard to even recognize them. 

Luckily, we have a couple of red flags we look for when picking products, so we can choose something that’s going to get the job done without doing a job on the environment or our overall health.  Here’s a few pointers on how you can detox your home and keep those harsh chemicals from sneaking in, too. 

Ditch your old cleaning supplies

Isn’t it pretty ironic that the household items meant to keep our homes clean are actually one of the top contributors to indoor air pollution?  Funny how that works.  Most generic household cleaners are full of harsh chemicals.  And, even worse, most household cleaners’ product formulas are protected trade secrets, so they don’t even disclose the myriad of ingredients we probably couldn’t pronounce anyways, on the bottle.

Luckily, there’s a ton of natural cleaning alternatives available in stores now.  And, most of these brands are forthcoming with their ingredient list.  So, you’re not stuck playing the guessing game, wondering what you’re actually spreading across your home’s surfaces.  Or, if you really want to know exactly what’s cleaning your counter, opt in to making your own cleaning supplies.  There are tons of safe and effective cleaners that you can make with items you probably have in your cabinet already, like baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide.

 Go sulfate-free

You may have caught wind of the sulfate-free craze.  We’re definitely on board.  Sulfates are technically a pesticide and known skin irritant that are stowed away in things like our toothpastes, shampoos, and conditioners.  And, not only that, but sulfates pollute our ground water, and the manufacturing process is not so nice on our earth. 

But how can we avoid them, because we obviously still need to brush our teeth and wash our hair.  There are actually plenty of sulfate free options on the market now.  Most sulfate free toothpastes are naturally flavored, too, so you can stick to the traditional mint, or if you’re feeling adventurous: hello fennel toothpaste.  And, the hair care industry has been pretty ahead of the curve, seeing as sulfates aren’t super sweet to our hair anyways, so even most big line hair care companies provide sulfate free options.

Basically, the easiest wait to detox your home of harsh chemicals is to shop brands that disclose all of their ingredients.  Because there’s nowhere for these chemicals to hide when a brand is completely forthcoming.  These are the kinds of brands we trust.  And, these are the kinds of brands that aren’t using these chemicals, anyways.