Well, I’ve made the jump! I now have a natural and non toxic kitchen. From the sink to the dishwasher, this kitchen is CLEAN.. Literally and figuratively. Here’s what I’ve switched to and why:
A lot of the “bad” things in household products are very similar and the same names seem to pop up continuously, but I will continue to individually list them! Remember, anything that is put on the skin goes DIRECTLY to the blood stream.. This is why it is SO important to acknowledge what is being put on it, as well as what complications it can cause.
First off, antibacterial soaps are not what they sound like.. The overuse of this can actually make you “drug-resistant” over time. This means if you get sick and go get antibiotics from the doctor, they won’t work. Also, Triclosan, the active ingredient in antibacterial soap does kill bacteria, but it has also been shown to kill HUMAN CELLS. If you have children, the use of them can wipe out common bacterias that, without being exposed to them to strengthen their immune systems, they could become prone to allergies and asthma. Triclosan can also disrupt hormone balance (aka endocrine disruptor).
Next, SLS (aka Sodium Lauryl Sulfate & Sodium Laureth Sulfate), another super common chemical is in 90% of personal care products. It damages cell membranes and can cause hair loss, it can irritate skin and eyes, is linked to organ toxicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, biochemical/cellular changes, ecotoxicological, and potentially mutations and cancer.
Parabens.. Yet another common chemical that is in SO many skin care products. They extend the shelf life of products and preserve ingredients. Parabens come in many forms: methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, you get the idea.. They are extremely damaging and have hormone-disrupting effects, they can decrease muscle mass and store extra fat, and have been detected in human breast tumors. These are bad, bad, bad and I bet if you go look at your shampoo bottle or hand soap, it’ll be in there.
Next up.. Ureas, these can release formaldehyde and cause heart irregularities, cause joint pain and weaken the immune system. Common names for them are: Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl, DMDM hydantoin and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate (that’s a mouth full).
Synthetic colors contain heavy metal salts from the coal tar they are made from. These deposit toxins onto the skin and into your blood stream. Most all of them are carcinogenic. Usually labeled FD&C or D&C, and are followed by a color and number.
DEA (Diethanolamine) is a wetting agent used in many, many products. This one is linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity and organ system toxicity.
The main ingredient in anti freeze, and listed by the FDA as a carcinogen, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Oxide and Polyethylene Glycol is found in many products and is shown to weaken skin cells. Also linked to all of the things that DEA (above) is linked to.
Fragrance.. This is a BIG one, and unless the label says it’s from essential oils, avoid it! Once you start looking at labels, you will see that it is on EVERYTHING! Make sure you avoid this as they often contain phthalates, which are endocrine disrupters (surprise!), and can even alter genital development.
1,4-Dioxane – known to the State of California to cause cancer. This is often not even on the ingredient link, but is a synthetic chemical with the following in their names: myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, other “eth”, polyethylene, polyethylene glyvol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol. This chemical is considered a contaminant of the ethoxylation process.
Ethyl Alcohol (also called Ethanol). See above.
Lastly, Benzalkonium Chloride or BAC is used in many hand sanitizers and is linked to cancer, allergies/immunotoxicity and organ system toxicity.
Hand Soap
Clean Switch: Mrs. Meyer’s Hand Soap.. Comes in several flavors, but currently obsessed with the lavender.
Dish Soap
Common chemicals in dish soap: Phosphates, Triclosan, 1,4-Dioxane, SLS, Fragrance, DEA, Synthetic colors, APE’s (akyl phenoxy ehtanols), Chlorine, Formaldehyde, and Ammonia.
Clean Switch: Mrs. Meyer’s Dish Soap and Planet Dishwashing Liquid. Again.. Lavender.. all day, every day!
Dishwasher Detergent
Common chemicals in dishwasher detergent: See dish soap above.
Clean Switch: Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent Packs. They also have liquid, but I personally have the packs and have been happy with them.
All-Purpose Cleaner
Common chemicals in all-purpose cleaner: Phthalates, PERCH (Perchloroethylene), Triclosan, QUATS (Quarternary Ammonium Compounds), 2-Butoxyethanol, Ammonia, Chlorine, and Sodium Hydroxide.
Clean Switch: Mrs. Meyer’s Multi-Surface cleaner.. Below is the lemon!
Paper Towels
Common chemicals in Paper Towels… Yes, even your paper towels have chemicals.. First off, they are bleached and that’s a red flag to start with. The other largely known chemical is ready… Formaldehyde! Chemicals are everywhere!
Clean Switch: Seventh Generation Recycled Paper Towels
I am proud to say that my kitchen is clean.. but you can see, these common chemicals are in everything and it takes a conscious effort to rid your household of them! While you can click on the above photos and get them on Amazon (who doesn’t love Prime?!), the prices on Thrive Market are impossible to beat. Literally a 1/3 of the price versus Amazon, but sometimes convenience wins with free 2-day shipping.. although Thrive never does take that long to get to me!
Hope this post encourages you to take a look at the products in your kitchen!
Til next time!
Leave a Reply