5 Simple Ways to Reduce Exposure to Toxic Chemicals in the Home
You may or may not have already realised it, but our homes can become an area that leaves us susceptible to the detrimental health effects caused by being exposed to too many toxic chemicals. A comprehensive study conducted in the US https://www.nrdc.org/resources/not-just-dirt-toxic-chemicals-indoor-dust) shows that when analysing samples of household dust, over 90% of these samples returned positive to containing some form of chemicals. These included toxic chemicals including: phthalates, fragrance, flame retardants, and phenols.
Regardless if you live on your own, with a dog or with your partner and children, no one is immune from the impact that these chemicals can have on our health. It is therefore imperative that important steps are taken to help reduce the number of toxic chemicals that you and your family are exposed to. In this article, we will be highlighting 5 simpleways that you can reduce exposure to toxic chemicals in the home as of today!
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Don’t forget to wash your hands!
Washing your hands is not only great for killing germs, but it also plays a role in removing chemicals from them. Chemicals which they’re exposed to every day such as toxins, heavy metals and phthalates.
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Store your chemicals properly
If you’re reading this article and feel that there are certain toxic chemicals you can’t give up such as chlorine for the pool or petrol for the lawn mower, you should instead find a way to store them properly. Ensuring that these types of chemicals are stored securely and away from children is extremely important. You should also try to find the least dangerous product that will be suitable for the job.
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Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter
A High Efficiency Particulate Airfilter (HEPA) is extremely effective in helping to reduce the number of chemicals in your home. It acts by trapping the toxic chemicals in the filter and therefore prevents you from breathing them back in. As we mentioned before, chemicals such as fire retardants are quite common to find in homes. Using a suitable machine to suck-in all those nasty toxins as they drift around the house with dust particles is a big step towards creating a healthier home.
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Take your shoes off
The professional cleaning industry estimates that we track 85% of the dirt in our homes from the outside on our shoes or on the paws of our pets. In a recent warning about lead exposure, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that shoes remain outside the house. According to a report called The Door Mat Study, lead-contaminated soil from the outside causes almost all the lead dust found inside of homes. The study revealed that wiping shoes on a mat and/or removing them at the door cuts lead-dust by 60 percent. The study also explained that limiting the amount of dust and track-in may also help reduce exposure to lawn and garden pesticides, wood smoke and industrial toxins, mutagens, dust mites and allergens.
5. Using chemical-free cleaning products
A major way to reduce exposure to chemicals in the home is to switch to chemical-free cleaning products. Regardless if you’re using kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner or glass cleaner, chances are that if it doesn’t claim otherwise it may contain some less than desirable chemicals.
At Koala Eco, we strive to provide our customers with a safer and more effective method of keeping their homes clean without being exposed to toxic chemicals. All of our cleaning products have been carefully produced to ensure they’re not hurting the environment or you and your family.