Researchers estimate that the average home can have 400 or more chemicals. Your home may look clean, but it can be filled with chemicals and toxins you can’t see.
These toxins can come from cleaning detergents, furniture, and other items. Toxins can also come from the paint on your walls or the type of floors you use.
These toxins may be invisible, but they have a big impact on health.

They can cause asthma and other respiratory challenges. They can affect allergies. Some experts suggest that many other serious health issues, such as autoimmune diseases, and even behavioral issues, stem from the large amount of chemicals in our homes.

How can you reduce the toxins in your home?

Consider these 5 actions that help detox your home:

1. Open the windows. Researchers estimate that the air inside a home is five times more polluted than the outside.
   • Discussions about air pollution are common for the outside, but what about the inside of your home? Your house can have more toxins and chemicals in the air than your backyard.
   • Opening the windows is a simple way to circulate the air and reduce the amount of toxins inside.
2. Leave your shoes outside or in a specific area. Your shoes can track more than just dirt into the house. The shoes you wear outside can also bring toxins and chemicals indoors.
   • You may want to leave your shoes outside or designate a specific area at the front of the house to keep them. You don’t want to wear your outdoor shoes through your home.
3. Consider your dry cleaning. Dry cleaning also brings extra chemicals into your life. With dry cleaning, your “clean” clothes are covered in chemicals, which get on you the next time you put them on.
   • Dry cleaners use perchloroethylene, and this chemical can affect allergy and asthma patients. It can also lead to headaches and dizziness in large amounts.
   • Try to avoid dry cleaning or use natural or green dry cleaner services that don’t use perchloroethylene.
4. Replace your cleaning supplies. Do you have an entire cabinet filled with cleaning supplies and detergents? How many chemicals are in these supplies, and do you know how they affect your health?
   • To detox, try green or natural cleaning supplies.
   • You can also make your own cleaning supplies with vinegar, baking soda, and other natural ingredients. You can find multiple recipes online for natural DIY cleaners that only require a few ingredients.
   • While you’re checking your cleaning supplies, also evaluate how often you clean. Cleaning more often can also help reduce the toxins in the air.
5. Replace your personal care items. Personal care items are a large source of chemicals and toxins. They can fill the air, and you may also be wearing them on your body. Your skin is your largest organ! What are you putting on it that it drinks in each day?
   • Look at the labels. How many chemicals and toxins are in your hair spray, lotion, shampoo, and other personal care items? Even your favorite perfume can be filled with toxins that stay in the air of your house.
   • To detox, research natural, organic, and green alternatives and use these instead of your chemical-filled items.

It’s possible to detox your home with or without the help of professionals. These steps will get you started on a cleaner, healthier home. Research this issue some more and you’ll find lots of ideas that you can adopt to further detox your most precious space.