8 Toxic Dangers You Have in Your Home Right Now

Your home is supposed to be a safe haven for you and your family, but the truth is that it’s probably one of the most toxic places to be.

There are a number of things you have in your home right now that are emitting toxins into the air. Poor indoor air quality is a high concern in America and is known for being one of the root causes of a lot of different health problems, like allergies, asthma attacks, weakened immune systems, breathing problems and so on.

If you’re worried about the toxic dangers lurking in your home, then it’s time to educate yourself about the different products you’re using and allow into your home.

Once you know the danger, you can get rid of it and the potential risks that it poses to you and your family members. So let’s get into the top 10 toxic dangers commonly found in American homes today.

Food containers made of plastic

I’m sure most of you have a stack of plastic containers in your kitchen to store food in. This is what we grew up with, so what could be so dangerous about them?

Plastic isn’t meant to be used for long periods of time because they start to break down and leach into your food, especially when you are consistently introducing them to heat (dishwashers, microwaves, hot dish water and even hot food).

One of the chemicals that is leaching into your food is called phthalates, which can cause disruption to your endocrine system. Then depending on the type of plastics you use, you could also be increasing your risk of cancer.

Alternative: Use glass containers instead.

Nonstick pots, pans and baking sheets

It was a great invention — no more wasting oil and butter to keep your food from sticking to your pots and pans. But what exactly are nonstick cooking ware made of?

Of course, it’s something chemical-based (teflon), but what’s worse is that it has traces of PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), which has been found to be cancer-causing in lab test animals. You’ll notice that over time, the non-stick portion will begin to peel off and guess where it ends ups…in your food!

Alternative: Start using olive or coconut oil to help keep your foods from sticking.

Artificial air fresheners

We all love for our homes to smell delightful, but not to the extent to where it’s damaging our health. Whether you’re trying to cover up smoke smells, body odors or just want a clean-smelling home, using plug-ins, aerosol sprays or even scented candles can be toxic.

These all have chemicals like phthlates, which we already discussed earlier as being toxic. Candles also release soot, which can coat your lungs and lead to respiratory issues down the road.

Alternative: Buy a diffuser and add essential oils.

Chemically-made perfumes

This brings us to the next addiction, especially for women. Wearing colognes and perfumes that are made with a list of ingredients we wouldn’t even recognize (nor do brands share them, since it’s not required of them to).

There are many products we use regularly that simply has the word “perfume” listed as an ingredient. These are typically made with as many as 300 different chemical ingredients.

Alternative: Make your own perfumes using water, witch hazel and your favorite essential oils. Or wear body butters laced with essential oils.

Commercial cleaning products

There are few cleaning products on the shelves today that aren’t made up with some type of chemical. This includes your dish detergents, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, bleaches and all-purpose cleaners.

Breathing these in and allowing them to soak into your skin can be harmful, since they are filled with chemical surfactants and phthalates, among other things.

Alternative: You can make your own cleaning products using lemon, vinegar and soap nuts, or you can purchase from brands like Seventh Generation, who makes botanical cleaning products.

Personal care products

This includes your everyday care products like lipstick, makeup, shampoo, lotion, etc. On average, women are known to wear up to 12 different cosmetic products daily, while men wear up to six different products daily.

If you add this up, it would mean they’re wearing up to 126 different ingredients (according to Environmental Working Group).

Alternative: Wear cosmetics that are made of natural oils and ingredients. Avoid synthetic fragrances and chemicals like triclosan.

There are also brands like Kirk’s Castile that you can purchase soap and shampoo from. Do your research on the ingredients before using a product!

Antiperspirants

Of course, no one wants to smell musty, but wearing an antiperspirant isn’t the way to avoid this. The idea of an antiperspirant is to prevent you from sweating.

This is an issue because sweating is your body’s way of detoxing. Put two and two together and you have clogged underarm pores that don’t sweat, which causes a buildup of toxins that can grow into cancerous growths (hence breast cancer, cysts and tumors). Then there is aluminum inside of antiperspirants, which causes other health problems.

Alternative: Use deodorant (yes, there is a difference) and make sure it doesn’t contain aluminum or parabens (like PEG-8 and PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil).

Toothpaste with fluoride

The unnatural fluoride that companies put into their toothpastes isn’t the same one that is made by nature. This fluoride is toxic and has been proven to cause adverse health effects in people.

It can cause issues with your reproductive system, brain development and function and even lead to your teeth falling out (what it claims to prevent).

Alternative: Rinse your mouth with coconut oil, choose a toothpaste that doesn’t have fluoride or brush with teeth whitening with activated charcoal powder.

Unfortunately, this is only some of the things in your home that are causing you harm. But this is a great starter list to help you turn things around. See if you can make the needed changes to give you and your family a home environment that is safer and healthier.