Our space should be a calm retreat from the business of modern life and I believe that starts with an uncluttered home, free of toxins and chemicals. Detoxing your space is a great way to support your health and the others who live with you as well. Ayurveda teaches us that our space directly affects our mood, how we feel and our energy levels. With the new year approaching and maybe a couple days off in the midst, it is a great time to refresh your home to get ready for the new year.
This list is not exhaustive by any means, but I hope it inspires you to get curious about the products you are using and make one or two small changes to detox your space.
1. Read the Ingredients in the Products You Use
Often times ingredients labels are overlooked in products we have been using, or have always used. It is so important to know what we are putting onto our skin; our skin is our largest organ and that means what we put on it is going directly into our bloodstream.
This can be overwhelming, so I recommend starting small. Years ago when I began to learn about common toxic ingredients in so many of the daily products myself or my family uses, I started simple: every time I ran out of a product, I would replace it with a cleaner version. It does not have to be all or nothing; I also don't recommend throwing away everything you currently use if that is not a financially appropriate decision. With consistent replacement, eventually all of your products will be cleaner and safer.
I recommend spending some time looking up products on the Environmental Working Group site to learn more about potential concerns of common household products. Take this study on Tide Detergent for example; the EWG gives this very common household product a D-rating due to potential negative effects on our endocrine, nervous and reproductive systems!
2. Avoid "Fragrance" in Your Products
Unfortunately the word "fragrance" on your product's ingredient list is a blanket term. Fragrance is not just one thing- it could be hundreds of unspecified chemicals! Companies do not have to share what "fragrance" is comprised of on their ingredient list. What are these chemicals? Sometimes they are phthalates - studies have shown so many issues with these chemicals including higher risk of cancer including breast and childhood cancers, decreased fertility, developmental issues, obesity and asthma.
The key here is to always read your ingredient labels, and focus on scenting through pure, organic essential oils vs. synthetic or so-called "natural" fragrance.
3. Open the Windows (when you can!)
A free thing to do to purify your air, even for just a couple of minutes a day in the winter. So much power in fresh air, even for short bursts of time! Keep air fresh, remove stagnation and any toxins in the air. Other great ideas: diffuse naturally air-purifying diffuser blends like Restore, add some plants to your space, and always take your shoes off before walking around indoors.
4. Save Money with Healthy Swaps
Often times, it does not need to be more expensive to find a healthier, cleaner home alternative. Take for example, dryer sheets; dryer sheets are full of toxins. A recent study shows that most dryer sheets contain up to 15 endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Not great and not something you want on all of your clothes, your towels, your bedding, etc.
What is the replacement? Meet budget-friendly wool dryer balls! You can purchase these from many sites online and use them over and over. To provide a subtle, pure scent to your clothes, simply add a couple drops of your favorite diffuser blend to each ball before turning your dryer on. Our customers love the Divine or Soothe blend for this!
Resources
Here some additional resources that I use often and hope you will find helpful in learning more about what is in your products: EWG Cleaning Supplies, EWG Personal Care Products, and ThinkDirty (an app!).
Working to detox your home is a great step towards better health and wellness for you and your family - I am happy to be on the journey with you! If you have any questions for me, I would love to hear from you in the comments!
