Without going into too much detail (you can find a plethora of information oin each toxin by googling the word), here's a list of the chemicals to avoid using in your home and most certainly on your children.
Skincare, haircare, etc.:
- Sodium Lauryl (or Lauryth) Sulfate (SLS)
- Parabens (methyparaben, ethylparabel, propylparaben, butylparaben, etc)
- pthalates
- EDTA
- petro-chemicals (mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin)
cleaners:
- surfactants
- EDTA
- anything with strong fumes
- anything without full disclosure of ingredients on package
- SLS
- bleach
- formeldahyde
- ammonia
- propylene glycol
laundry:
- fabric softener (weakens fire retardancy on kids clothing and is toxic), use laundry balls instead
- brighteners
- synthetic fragrances
- enzymes
- chlorine bleach
I make most of the cleaners I use around my home. My two year old picked up a bottle of all-purpose cleaner one morning that had been sitting on the counter and sprayed himself in the face. It was my own recipe (made of lemon juice, vinegar, castile soap, lavender oil, and water). I was never so grateful that I no longer use harsh cleaners or bleach. Not to say it wouldn't sting to get my cleaner in your eye (which, thank goodness, he didn't), but it wouldn't seriously hurt him. That was an eye-opening moment for me, to say the least. Besides keeping toxins out of the air you (and your kids) breathe, natural cleaners are also safer to have around. That's not to say you don't still have to be careful...you should always keep cleaners out of reach, but I'd much rather my kids swallow vinegar and lemon juice than bleach or ammonia.
If you're like me, you need to know the facts about why these chemicals are dangerous in order to really feel motivated to make changes in your home. Feel free to get the facts about why they're bad, but then move on. Don't spend hours online reading horror stories or beat yourself up about what your kids have been exposed to (been there, done that). Just be grateful that you now know.
