With just a few changes, a home can feel and look different. Having a sustainable and toxin-free home is beneficial in many ways and provides a positive environment for you and your family. Too many toxins can cause allergic reactions and other health-related problems, so making even small changes can have an impact. In each of our vacation rentals, we have gone to great lengths to reduce toxins and make sustainable selections. Read more about those HERE.
Keep on reading to find interesting ways to make sustainable and toxin free selections for your own home.
What are Common Household Toxins?
It may surprise you to find that a lot of common cleaning products contain toxins. Do you know what those toxins are? Listed below are common household toxins to watch out for:
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Mold
Heavy Metals
Pesticides
Lead
Mercury
The Benefits of Creating a Sustainable and Toxin Free Home
Not everyone reacts the same way to the chemicals, however, removing the toxins regardless will reap many benefits. First, your body will thank you for creating a safe, sustainable, and toxin free home. Not only are there numerous health benefits, but sustainable materials and items are built to last and contribute to a better environment.
7 Ways to Make your Home Sustainable and Toxin Free
Ready to discover seven ways to make your home sustainable and toxin free? Keep on reading!
1 Swap Out Plastic Items
The first way to make your home sustainable and toxin free is to swap out your plastic items with sustainable materials. Recycled plastic and glass are great materials since you can reuse them. Plastic breaks down over time, making it hard to remain sustainable.
2 Use Eco-Friendly Paints
When redesigning your home, it doesn’t hurt to use eco-friendly paint. Some paints use lead and other toxins that can affect your health. Transitional paints high in VOC can harm your health as the toxins pass through the air. Breathing this in is not good for your health.
There are zero VOC paints on the market that are affordable, easy to use, and safe! We recommend the use of Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint with Air Purifying Technology. With its innovative technology and zero VOC formula, the paint actually works to improve the overall quality of air in your home. Other paints and wallpapers use environmentally friendly and sustainably sourced materials to secure vibrant colors.
3 Use Reusable Items Instead of Paper Items
It is tempting to purchase paper items like paper towels, toilet paper, and napkins, but they hurt our environment. Paper items often have some traces of plastic and plastic never really goes away. Choosing to use reusable materials can help your wallet as well since paper items are single use only.
4 Install a Bidet
Saving water, energy, and time has never been easier with the bidet. A bidet is a system attached to your toilet's water line. It uses water amongst different settings to clean your body once you are done using the restroom. When using a bidet, paper products are no longer as necessary.
5 Sustainable Flooring
Did you know you can install sustainable flooring into a home? Finding a beautiful color is also easy. Some sustainable flooring makers have various designs to choose from, including warm and inviting chestnut colors.
Placing down flooring that is recycled helps the environment and provides you with a sustainable home and space. Bamboo is also a great material since companies can ethically source it and it lasts a long time.
6 SMART Programmable Thermostats
Many people forget that living a sustainable life is also saving as much energy as possible. To do
so, using a SMART and programmable thermostat is a wonderful way. There are affordable options online and installation only takes a few minutes. The best part about SMART and programmable thermostats is you can set your home to a specific temperature from the comfort of your home.
7 Organic and Sustainable Furniture
Furniture and decorative pieces give a home personality. It is not enough just to paint your walls and add flooring. Organic furniture that is 100% sustainable and vegan is great because it lasts longer and adds a touch of beauty to your home.
Sustainable decorations using organic materials are void of dirty toxins that pollute your home. Rugs, for example, when cheaply made, use various types of fabrics containing harmful dyes and plastics.
Conclusion
Making a home sustainable and toxin free does not have to be hard, and it’s certainly not impossible. There are many additions to your home that can replace common products to get rid of toxins causing headaches, allergic reactions, and lung irritation. Additionally, you’ll be supporting a more sustainable environment for the planet around you!