If you want to get started with clean living, your home is the perfect place to jump in with both feet. 

A lot of common household products contain harsh chemicals that can zap your energy, make you age faster, dry out your skin, and hurt your overall well being. Some toxic cleaners may even contribute to asthma and other chronic health problems[*]. 

The good news is that it’s easy to make non-toxic changes for yourself and your family. 

This guide covers 8 of the most common toxic household items, and what you can use in their place to create a clean, beautiful home. 

1. Cleaning Products

Many common cleaners contain harsh chemicals that can cause you serious harm. 

A lot of all-purpose cleaners, hand soaps, dishwashing detergents, laundry detergents, and other household cleaning products contain xenoestrogens, man-made compounds that behave like estrogen in your body[*][*]. 

These synthetic estrogens wreak havoc on your hormones. Researchers call them endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) because they rapidly change your body’s natural estrogen levels — which then affects your progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, and other hormone levels, too[*][*]. 

The worst offenders are phthalates and parabens, two hormone disruptors that are common in soaps and cleaning products. Phthalates have even been linked to rapid weight gain[*]. 

Always check your product labels for parabens (often listed as methylparaben, ethylparaben, or propylparaben), and avoid plastic containers — they typically contain phthalates. Use glass instead. 

2. Air Fresheners and Candles

Air fresheners and candles are also common sources of toxins. Most of them get their scent from synthetic fragrances, which are some of the most toxic compounds you can introduce into your home. 

A recent study found that 34.7% of people report health problems from inhaling synthetic fragrance[*]. It also found that synthetic fragrances damage indoor air quality and introduce chemical pollutants to your home. 

Fragrances can cause asthma[*], skin reactions like rashes or eczema[*], headaches or migraines[*], and hormone disruption[*]. 

Keep candles and air fresheners out of your home. Instead, diffuse pure, therapeutic grade essential oils — they smell wonderful, and they’re actively good for you. 

3. Deodorant

Many deodorants contain aluminum chlorohydrate, a chemical that blocks your pores to keep you from sweating. 

Aluminum is a toxic heavy metal, and if you use aluminum deodorant on a daily basis, the aluminum will build up in your breast tissue[*]. 

Studies have found that using aluminum-containing deodorant increases your risk of breast cancer[*][*][*]. 

Many deodorants also contain phthalates, parabens, and synthetic fragrances. Stay away from them and use a pure essential oil-based deodorant instead. 

4. Toothpaste

Commercial toothpaste brands often contain parabens and synthetic dyes. 

Many toothpastes also include triclosan, an antibacterial compound that the FDA banned from hand soap in 2016 because it may increase cancer risk and cause other long-term health problems[*]. 

In addition, a 2019 study found that triclosan creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria and reduces antibiotic efficacy up to 100-fold[*]. In other words, it creates bacteria that are harder to kill and more damaging.

Legally, triclosan is still allowed in toothpaste, but you’re better off avoiding it, along with parabens, dyes, and artificial flavors. 

5. Mouthwash

Like toothpaste, mouthwash also contains parabens, artificial colors and flavors, and triclosan. 

Mouthwash also usually contains alcohol, which can dry out your mouth and actually increase bacterial overgrowth. A 2019 study found that alcohol-based mouthwash is ineffective and may be a risk factor for oral cancer[*]. 

Ditch your commercial mouthwash and use a natural, alcohol-free mouthwash with no synthetic ingredients or antibiotics. 

6. Soap

Liquid soaps often contain artificial fragrances and hormone-disrupting parabens. Hand soaps and dishwashing soaps may also contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), an ingredient that makes soap lather more.

SLS can irritate and dry out your skin, and long-term use has been linked to skin sensitization — putting you at risk for developing skin allergies, rashes, eczema, and other skin conditions[*]. 

7. Makeup

Makeup and other cosmetics are particularly common sources of harsh chemicals and toxins. 

In addition to the usual suspects — phthalates, parabens, and artificial fragrances — makeup often contains formaldehyde-releasing chemicals like DMDM hydantoin and quaternium-15, quaternium-18, and quaternium-26[*][*]. 

The main risk with formaldehyde in makeup is inhalation. Formaldehyde is a probable carcinogen (it likely causes cancer)[*] and is very harsh on your skin. 

8. Cookware

The two main types of cookware to avoid are aluminum and nonstick pots and pans. 

Aluminum is a toxic heavy metal that can build up in your system over time, causing a variety of health problems, from cancer to dementia[*]. 

Aluminum is very sensitive to acid. In the presence of acidic ingredients, aluminum pots and pans leach large amounts of aluminum into food[*][*]. The same is true of acidic foods wrapped in aluminum foil[*]. 

Acidic foods like tomatoes, vinegars, citrus juices (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit), most fruits, pickles, fermented foods, beer, and wine can cause aluminum leaching.

You’ll also want to avoid nonstick pots and pans. Over time, they tend to scratch and flake, leaving bits of toxic nonstick coating in your food[*]. 

Buy high-quality stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast-iron pans instead. They’ll last you longer — and they’ll cook your food better, too. 

Steel-coated aluminum core pans are also fine. The aluminum just shouldn’t be on the outside surface of the cookware. 

Here’s A Toxin-Free Cleaning and Bodycare Kit For Your Home

One of our favorite home care bundles is the Thieves Kit. It’s a toxin free kit for your home that uses natural antimicrobial essential oils to fight bacteria and viruses and keep your home and body bright, fresh, and clean. It smells amazing, too!

Thieves cleaning products contain essential oils of:

• Eucalyptus
• Clove
• Lemon
• Cinnamon bark
• Rosemary

Each essential oil contains powerful antibacterial compounds. The combination together is perfect for cleaning and using on your body. 

The Thieves Kit contains:

• 1 bottle of pure Thieves essential oil
• 2 bottles of concentrated all-purpose household cleaner
• 2 bottles of waterless hand sanitizer
• 2 bottles of cleaning spray
• 2 bottles of hand soap
• 1 bottle of fresh essence Thieves mouthwash
• 1 tube of Thieves toothpaste

The Thieves Kit has everything you need to ditch all your toxic home products and replace them in one go. We use Thieves all over the house to keep things sparkling and support our bodies. These oil-infused products make the air always smell amazing, too! 

If you’re ready to take the first step toward a toxin-free home, get rid of all your harsh commercial cleaning and bodycare products and replace them with the Thieves Kit. You’ll notice a difference in how you feel within days — and your family will thank you, too!