Did you know that synthetic musks from your laundry powder can now be detected in rainfall? What we thought was clean and pure has been contaminated by the act of cleaning. Ironic, isn’t it?
It’s not longer just a nice, boujee idea to have a low-tox home, but an imperative for all of us. In order to take care of our kids, our health and our world, we all need to do better with the choices we make in our every day products.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? IT'S NO BIG DEAL.
There's a funny thing about human nature - when we smell smoke, we know there's fire; but if we don't immediately smell the smoke, we assume everything is okey dokey, and there is no danger. But what about where the danger is invisible, slow moving, accumulative? What about if the danger smells beautiful? Surely something fresh, sweet, or fruity can't be harming me?
This is the problem with synthetic fragrance and cleaning agents - we think they are safe because they smell amazing. Its a false sense of security. In reality, every day synthetic chemicals found in artificial fragrance, commercial household cleaners, candles, diffusers and room sprays are contributing in no small part to the rise in hormone-related disease, including reproductive cancers, depression, anxiety, obesity and even ADHD.
So it is a big deal. A very big and urgent deal.
OUR TOP 5 TIPS TO MAKE CHANGE TODAY
You don't have to build a log cabin in a Tasmanian rainforest to make a big difference to your health, your home and your planet. Here's out top 5 tips that you can start implementing today.
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Get rid of synthetic scent.
This means candles, perfumes, diffusers, washing powders - anything in your home that is scented with synthetics. (You'll know because if its truly natural, the label will clearly state "100% natural" or "No synthetic fragrance".) I don't mean pack them away and give them to your friends - that's just passing on the problem. I mean literally put everything in to a box and dispose of it. Even the expensive things. After all, the cost of keeping them around is likely to be hugely more than the money you spent to buy them. Draw a line in the sand today. -
Swap out your home cleaners for natural ones.
Or as close to natural as you can get. It's not easy to start with- you'll have to be a sleuth as you work through ingredient labels and packaging claims. Most of these products won't be found at your supermarket, but there are a couple of supermarket brands we like: Eco Store (NZ made) and Koala Eco. Otherwise, pop down to your local health food store or whole food market. But please do read the labels even there; sometimes the marketing even fools the buyers at these stores. -
Get handy and make your own.
It's not hard to make the majority of home cleaning products yourself with 3-4 simple ingredients. Just bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and a few essential oils will already tackle several jobs with ease - cleaning windows, toilets, sinks, baths, basins and drains. -
Tell your friends you don't want the smell stuff any more.
Most of us are gifted candles, perfumes and bath salts for birthday, Christmas or Mother's Day. But tell your friends and family you no longer use them (or tell them about your favourite brands like Laundrette!). That way you'll avoid the awkwardness of holding on to the gifts until you can secretly toss them, or the even worse scenario of having to use them so you don't offend anyone. -
Use less of everything.
Sometimes we get into the habit of using too much, too often. Do you need that much washing powder? A booster? Oxygen whitener in every load? Do you have to keep the diffuser running, or a candle burning every time you're home? If the other tips ate too hard to implement just yet, then using less product less often is a super simple place to start to lessen the chemical burden in your home.
