Did you know that the air we breathe affects our health just as much as the food we eat?That's why it's so important to check the quality of the environment in our homes.Studies have shown that indoor air has up to 3 times more contamination than outdoor air, even if we live in the middle of a big city.How can this be?It's simply because we trap air in a small space, while simultaneously filling our space with unwanted substances from all kinds of sources.
5 common toxins in the home
Flame retardants from home textiles, carpets, clothes & furniture.
Surface treatment chemicals from all kinds of electronics (including appliances).
Artificial fragrances from conventional laundry detergents, fabric softeners, air fresheners, and cleaning products.
Hormone-disrupting substances from paint & wallpaper paste.
Unnatural chemicals from conventional skin and hair care products.
If you add all the chemicals we absorb through skin contact with clothes, furniture, cleaning products, conventional beauty products, non-organic bedding, etc., you can understand the need to "detox" your home.
4 things you can do to detox your home from toxins
Fortunately, there are several simple things we can do to improve our home environment, so that everyone living there can feel as good as possible.
1. Air out daily
The quickest and easiest way to improve indoor air quality is obviously to air out your home. Do it often and thoroughly – in other words, it's better to air out with cross ventilation for a short time than to keep a small window slightly open all day. A habit that is very beneficial is to leave your bedroom window slightly open overnight to improve both temperature and air quality.
2. Plant lots of greenery
Plants purify the air, so fill your home with as many as possible. Plants especially known for their purification abilities include Peace Lily (Fredskalla), Snake Plant (Svärmorstunga), Spider Plant (Ampelilja), Areca Palm (Findadelpalm), Ficus, Flamingo Lily, Bamboo Palm (Buskpalm), and Areca Palm (Guldpalm).
3. Replace your skin care and cleaning products
The two points above have a limited effect if we don't simultaneously address the source of the problem. You need to stop bringing toxic chemicals into our home as much as possible. Here is a list of the most important and easiest products you can replace:
Cleaning products can either be made yourself or you can buy natural ones like those you find with us.
There are now plenty of natural alternatives for skin and hair care products, see for example our wide range here.
Laundry and dishwashing detergents also have toxin-free alternatives, see our range here.
Fabric softener we recommend you simply stop using, it's not necessary. Invest in a natural, good laundry detergent instead.
With baking soda you can do a lot.
6 ways to use baking soda in your cleaning
Clean refrigerators and freezers with baking soda on a damp cloth. Rinse with clean water. The plastic parts of your refrigerator will look like new.
Bad odor in the refrigerator. Eliminate unpleasant odors in your refrigerator by placing a small bowl of baking soda (no lid) at the back of the fridge. Shake or stir the baking soda occasionally and replace it every other month.
You can reduce or completely eliminate odors from your kitchen trash bin by covering the bottom with baking soda before inserting a new trash bag.
Freshen up your dishwasher regularly by running a rinse cycle with a little baking soda in the bottom of the machine. This also removes stains and streaks caused by hard water.
Use baking soda to clean your wooden cutting boards. Scrub with a brush and rinse with warm water. The baking soda absorbs the dirt without damaging the wood.
Clear drains. Pour a few tablespoons of baking soda into the drain you want to clear, then pour about 1 dl (about 1/2 cup) of vinegar into the drain and let it work for about 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with hot water. Can be repeated if necessary.
You can read our DIY: Guide to toxin-free cleaning.
There are three different cleaning mixtures you can easily make in a spray bottle.
Extra tip for cleaning: Castile soap
We warmly recommend that you get a liquid Castile soap. The word Castile is a reference to La Castilla – a region in central Spain that is historically significant in the soap's history. This is not just a biodegradable and organic soap for the body but can also be used for dishes, floor cleaning, and as laundry detergent. Safe and non-toxic for humans, plants, and pets.
Read more in this blog post for recipes and what you can do with it.
4. Choose natural furniture, clothes & home textiles
A more long-term project to consider is purchasing new clothes, towels, sheets, and furniture. Are there natural or organic alternatives? Is there second hand? If you can't buy organic or second hand clothes, we recommend that you always wash them before using them. Carpets and mattresses can unfortunately contain high levels of flame retardants. We recommend only cotton rugs that can be washed or no rug at all. When it comes to bedding, it's very important to only buy organic products of good quality that you can use for a long time. Both organic cotton blankets and wool blankets work excellently in bed. Wool doesn't need to be washed often but can be hung out to air. Hope this gave you inspiration to create a healthier everyday life for you and those you love. Good luck!
