5 Hidden Toxins in Your Home and How to Remove Them

Let’s be real— unless you are the most environmentally-conscious individual on the planet, chances are, you sometimes bring substances into your home that might not be the healthiest for you or your family.

Of course, none of us set out to expose ourselves and our loved ones to hazardous toxins, but it can be tricky to keep up with all of those EPA and CDC recommendations, especially when so many dangerous elements stay relatively hidden.

Lucky for us, though, there are plenty of doctors, scientists, and innovative entrepreneurs out there who are dedicated to both educating us on the problem and providing us with safe alternatives to buy instead of the toxin-riddled options.

One of these experts is Rob Brown, M.D., a radiologist who is also the author of Toxic Home | Conscious Home: A Mindful Approach to Wellness at Home. In his groundbreaking book, he gives readers a unique insight into the things that we all routinely bring into our homes that could end up making us sick in the future.

Let’s take a look at some of his most surprising revelations:

  1. Refillable water bottles: Believe it or not, even the plastic refillable bottles that are labeled as being “BPA-free” are not necessarily safe for you or your family to drink from. According to Dr. Brown, even BPA-free bottles contain BPS, BPF, and other compounds that could be used instead of BPA. If the bottle wasn’t made or isn’t maintained effectively, estrogen-mimicking properties could seep into your drinking water. Not good!
  2. Paraffin-based candles: When it comes to candles, all-natural is best! Dr. Brown says that candles made from 100% beeswax or soy are completely fine to burn in a home, but those made with paraffin can emit harmful chemicals.
  3. Water for fruit-washing: Apparently, running your fruit and veggies under a stream of water before eating them does not do enough to remove toxins. As it turns out, most produce is sealed with an outer-wax layer that is riddled with pesticides, which can cause major issues for your intestines down the road.
  4. Plastic wraps and aluminum foil: These two wraps can be found in practically any home or commercial kitchen, but using them could mean that you are exposing yourself to dangerous chemical compounds that might leach into the food that the seals are “protecting.”
  5. Bleached paper products: This goes for bleached paper towels and napkins, in particular. The problem with these products is that after they are bleached in the production process, chemicals can seep from the paper into the skin, mouth, or even your food. Just think of all the ways you use paper towels in your home. Scary!

So, now that you know all about the 5 items that you should ditch, let’s get to know their toxin-free alternatives. To get a list of these items from Dr. Brown himself, be sure to watch the video below!

What are your thoughts on these common toxins? Do you have any of them in your home currently? Do you know of any others that should be added to the list?