It's becoming increasingly more difficult to keep our homes healthy. The building envelope is more airtight than ever, so without efficient ventilation, off gassing from products remains inside your home.
Potential toxins are everywhere especially in home furnishings. Here are some safe and sustainable home interior products to help you make healthier choices for your home and mitigate exposure to your family, especially those who are immunosuppressed. This is not a comprehensive list, but it may get you started on the road to a healthier living environment.
Carpet, Drapery and Upholstery - choose wool for carpet which cleans easily and contains lanolin that naturally coats the fibers and repels stains. Cotton, silk, linen and natural hides are great choices as well, even though they may need more frequent laundering. Shorter carpet pile heights keep skin dander, dust mites and allergens from accumulating as much.
Fire Retardants - while mandatory in most commercial interiors, they do off gas and they don't wash out. You can find them in children's sleepwear as well as many fabrics used for upholstery and drapery. Check the labels.
Formaldehyde - found in foam cushions in upholstered items, carpet padding, pre-finished wood flooring from other countries, foam mattresses and many bed linens. Choose a natural organic latex mattress which is made from rubber trees instead. Be diligent about reading the labels.
Glass, Tile, Marble, Granite and Quartz - durable and sustainable choices for walls, countertops, backsplashes and flooring options. Many are recycled products like Kohler's WasteLab products. Easily cleaned with non-toxic cleaners. https://www.kohlercompany.com/sustainability/footprint-reduction/wastelab/
Indoor Vegetation - Indoor plants are workhorses at absorbing and filtering carbon dioxide in return for oxygen. Orchids do more than most plants and are great for bathrooms and bedrooms.
Paint - VOCs (volatile organic compounds) found in paints off gas for extended periods depending on the type of product used. Choose readily available "low" or "no" VOC paints. The prices are more competitive now than previously. https://www.sherwin-williams.com/architects-specifiers-designers/specifications/progs-and-voc-regs
Wood stains, varnishes, lacquers - spontaneous combustion fires have destroyed homes and lives when used rags are left unattended. Cabinetry, furniture, and flooring treated on site will off gas for extended periods. If possible, choose factory finishes items. Another option is to use natural oil or wax on wood floors, countertops or other wood surfaces. The oil seeps in to fill the porous wood grain, makes for easy repairs, looks beautiful, and no off gassing. Ebonizing combines vinegar and steel wood to darken a raw wood floor to produce a spectacular finish.
Indoor Air Fresheners- Just say "no". These are endocrine-fertility disruptors, can cause migraines, asthma attacks, respiratory issues and neurological problems. Keeping your spaces clean and well-ventilated, especially the kitchen ventilation, is superior to so called odor covering sprays. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arthicles/PMC5093181
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