Detox Your Home by Going Green This Holiday Season

This year, why not give your family the gift of health?  Keeping your home free from toxins is a great place to start!

Here are some ideas for keeping your home and your family healthier:

Avoid chemical house cleaning products by choosing natural ones. Baking soda, vinegar or orange oil can replace almost any chemical cleaner.

Avoid chemical pesticides at home. Use baking soda with sugar or peppermint oil instead.

Avoid synthetic chemicals in personal care products and cosmetics. Read labels and avoid those ingredients with which you’re unfamiliar.  Avoid products that contain parabens, diethanolamine (DEA), or phthalates.

Try not to use mothballs. Mothballs contain paradichlorobenzene, which is very toxic. Instead choose sachets made with natural herbs and essential oils like rosemary, lavender, thyme and mint, which are natural moth repellants.

Avoid heating food or storing it in plastic. Most plastic contains bisphenol-A (BPA) that migrates into the food stored in these containers. BPA has been linked to thyroid and other hormonal problems.

Reduce your fragrances. Most perfumes and colognes, scented candles, plug-in air “fresheners,” pot pourri, laundry soap, fabric softeners, dryer sheets and house cleaning products are loaded with toxic ingredients that have been linked to hormonal imbalances, mood swings, fatigue, brain damage and many other symptoms.

Switch from sponges to natural cloths for cleaning. Most sponges have been treated with a chemical called triclosan, which is toxic to the skin and immune system.

Eliminate mold with tea tree oil.  A few drops of tea tree oil can be used on a cloth to wipe down walls, floors and other surfaces to help kill mold.

Choose "VOC-free" paints for your home. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are linked to cancer.

Toss the non-stick pans. Teflon, Silverstone and other coatings emit harmful perflourochemicals (PFCs). The EPA classifies them as carcinogens.