Part 1: Cleaning Out the Toxic Products at Home

I've decided to do a several part series on how I am slowly getting rid of the toxic products in my home and life. The first three parts will examine the biggest reasons (in my opinion) why we have so many toxic products in our lives and how to deal with each issue. 

Here are the biggest reasons why our lives are full of toxins:

1. It takes a lot of time and devotion to research products, companies, ingredients, and options.

2. It is expensive. 

3. We live blindly with the belief that if a doctor recommends it or if it's sold at Target, it must be fine for us.

Part 1 will address the first reason and my suggestions. 

1. It takes a lot of time and devotion to research products, companies, ingredients, and options. 

Believe it or not, companies know that the appeal of green or organic can help sell their products and they take advantage of that by adding leaves to their packaging and throwing around terms like "all natural", "simple", "pure", "clean and clear" and on and on.

Do those words mean a thing? No, not really. Some words are regulated like "low fat" when used on food packaging but for the most part, it's all marketing. Luckily, the internet is on our side. The Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) is a good place to start. They have shopping guides, eating recommendations, and a product database with a rating system. (ewg.org/skindeep)  Please visit the database and take it for a spin. All you need to do is type in the brand name of a product you use or know about and see what the EWG has to say. One shampoo I recently looked at, for example, rates as a 2 which means that overall, it's a fairly safe product. A perfectly safe product rates ZERO.

Sample of a shampoo that claims to be VERY safe and non-toxic on the EWG database. Note the score of 2 in the upper left corner. This means that it is actually a relatively safe product, but has some issues.

 Please also note something very important about EWG ratings: the EWG often doesn't have very much information to go off of when rating a product. They are very clear about this and display it right below the safety score. This particular product has a RED "limited" rating which means the EWG is scoring this product based on incomplete or changing data. Basically, they're encouraging you to take it with a grain of salt. Scroll down for more information on the product or to see why they gave it the rating that they did.

In this case, this shampoo has one ingredient of concern.

You can see that this shampoo has one ingredient of concern, potassium sorbate. Again, the EWG lists beneath the rating of  "2" that their data is limited which means there isn't a lot of information about the particular ingredient. It is known to be an allergen/immunotoxin.

Full disclosure, I actually use this product right now. Once it's gone, I will not be replacing it, but that's a whole different post. Overall, I think that it's a safe product. I like how it smells and how it performs, but I'm phasing shampoo out of my life completely so I will have no need for it.

If you have a smart phone and need to buy a product ASAP, it can be worth a few minutes of your time to step into a quiet aisle and look up what you are thinking about buying. Alternatively, you can do you research once you get home if you are OK with returning the item. Most of us don't have the time for this.

Besides the EWG, dozens of great websites exist for researching your options. I personally love this site http://ecofriendlyusa.wordpress.com/ because it is run by a mama who doesn't have any agenda other than to find great, safe products for her family that are made in the USA. She also has a facebook page and is amazing about offering up suggestions if you can't find an answer on her site.




I often find myself just flat-out googing a product, brand, company, or ingredient to see what arises. Case in point? California Baby....they make mostly safe stuff but as a company have done some things that are ethically questionable. Will I be buying their products? Sadly no.  It really does make me sad because their products are some of the few available locally at box stores like Target. I learned this by googling one of their products which led directly to a blog.

Slanted Information: Above all else, always, always keep in mind where your information is coming from because anyone can publish anything on the internet. Don't believe something until you can find it in multiple sources that are reputable AND backed by legitimate science. Generally legitimate science comes in the form of a peer-reviewed, published journal article that is older than a year but no older than 10. Oh, and while I'm on this soapbox, screw Dr. Oz and any other celebrity doctors who make claims. Unless they provide you with sources and science publications to back what they spew, FORGET them and forget what they have to say.

I always check out consumer reviews on amazon.com for any product I'm considering. I worry less about the "star rating" and more about what people are actually listing as pros and cons for a product. As a general rule, ignore the worst and the best and focus on the average. Keep in mind that honest reviews should play a role in your decision making but should also be taken lightly.

I still don't have time for this! OK, now that I've given you some good leads on where to start your product search, you're realizing that they're worthless because you still don't have time to look up every product in your house. Well, don't. My solution is for you to keep an eye on products you use frequently. As they hit about the halfway point, start your research. Grab a notebook and take notes so you don't confuse yourself and have to repeat research. You'll find some products are harder to flesh out than others. They joy of starting research early is that you get to quit and come back to it the next time you have a few minutes.  Keep track of products you have ruled out, products you are considering, and their prices. Keep track of ingredients you've looked up and whether you've determined them safe for your home or not. I got tired of having tiny pieces of paper everywhere that said things like "sodium cocyl isethionate is a coconut oil-based salt that is used as a surfactant. probably ok" and have finally started just using one notebook!

Remind yourself that it's worth it. Really, it is. There are great products out there that are safe and effective. If you're pregnant like me, you'll be comforted knowing you're keeping your baby safe from things that will hurt it down the road. The benefits are not immediately apparent but can mean the difference between your child developing asthma or some other disease years from now.

I'll touch more on this when I get to part three, but be open minded when it comes to alternatives. You don't need to buy a product off of the shelf for all of your needs. 99% of my cleaning issues are handled by one or a combination of the following:
-white vinegar
-apple cider vinegar
-citrus vinegar (white vinegar with citrus rinds in it)
-blue dawn dish soap
-baking soda
-bleach
-ammonia
-rubbing alcohol

And I only use the last three in dire situations! 

Safe Bathtub Products

Well, we are pretty much ready for baby to be here! All of the big components are in place including the crib, the name, and the layette! It's too early to pack my hospital bag completely, but I'm starting slowly. I have this weird, nagging feeling that she's going to be here early. Might as well be as prepared as we can, right?

My latest nesting phase has been bath stuff! I know, I know, we won't be needing much of it right away. But then, all of a sudden, we will!

AND....here's the thing about trying to rid your house of toxins....you can trust NO ONE. Every purchase you make has to be well-researched. It takes time. It takes energy. It takes mental acuity. I will have none of these things while living with a newborn. Heck, I barely have them now! Honestly, I'm sitting in my bathrobe drinking a cup of coffee just to make it through this post. So I'm trying to be proactive now.

Here's how it's going so far:

1. Oh, here's a great product! It has no BPA, pthalates, PVC, or other ickies in it! 
2. Sweet, I can afford it.
3. Poop! It has horrible reviews! Next!
4. Oh, here's a swell looking thing.
5. It has great reviews and I can afford it!
6. SHIT, it's full of toxins.
7. Where's Don at? He's better at this than I am.
8. Why is my coffee cup empty?
9. Why is it a called a "mug" most of the time, but when it holds coffee, it's a "coffee cup?"
10. Why haven't I bought a baby bath yet?
11. This is dumb.
12. Do kids even need baths?
13. Let's just hose her off in the back yard.
14. SHIT, that means I need to find a lead-free, pvc-free garden hose.
15. Forget this. I'll just go back to finding a baby bath.

So what I'm trying to say, is that the easiest way to buy baby products will likely bring lots of ickies into your home. If you are OK with that, then please, just buy the top rated item on amazon and call it good. If you are like me and are very worried about plastics and your infant (especially plastics that undergo thermal cycles with hot water) then I hope that I make your life a TINY bit easier. Maybe.

Baby Baths:

What to avoid: 
-Plastics with the number 3,6,7. These contain BPA, PVC, polystyrene based plastics, or chlorine.
-Anything inflatable....inflatables are made with PVC. Even pthalate-free PVC varieties still off-gas toxins and are not worth it.
-Anything with other physical safety hazards, usually found in customer reviews.
-Anything that doesn't fit your life-style. (See "other notes" below for examples.)

Necessary features:
-For newborns, the bath needs to be soft and cushiony. No newborn will appreciate being set on rigid plastic.
-For newborns, the bath needs to provide good head support.
-The bath needs to work for you. Think about if you want to bathe in the sink, bathtub, or both. Some models are even stand-alone models that work on the floor or counter. Many moms appreciate the sink models so they don't need to bend over AND so that they can bathe baby in the sink while an older child gets clean in the tub.
-The bath needs to be easy to clean and dry. Many come with drain plugs or are machine washable. However, read the reviews as some seem to mildew no matter how often you wash them!
-The bath needs to work with the size of your house/bathroom so consider where you will store it.
-Consider the life of the bath. Is it meant for newborns only or older babies only? Is it important to you to be able to bathe two children in it?

Other notes:
-We are looking for a newborn bath. Obviously the longer it works for baby, the better, but something that works well, right away, is key for us.
-We are looking for something that will not mildew.
-The bath must be easy to store and not take up too much space.
-Obviously the bath must be non-toxic. Something plastic free would be perfect.

Recommended products:
Up for consideration:
1. Puj Flyte: This handy guy is $34.99 on Amazon with an average rating of 4.5 stars. It is only available in white but is a Prime item. It is free of BPA, PVC, and pthalates and has been independently verified to be non-toxic. Biggest complaints are that it doesn't work with some sink/faucet combos, and that it's pretty shallow. We have very tall faucets that swing out of the way, so this is currently my first choice. Biggest complements are that it hangs flat to dry, is TINY, and works with tiny newborns.

Puj Flyte

2. Leachco Safer Bather: This bathing cushion is less than $16 and replaces the old-school foam pad. It has an average rating of 4.5 stars with hundreds of reviews. It seems to be pretty non-toxic but exact specifications are lacking. The biggest complaints are that it mildews no matter how many times you wash it and that the stuffing bunches up. People also disliked the way it cradles small babies. The pros for this item are that it is machine washable, cute, lightweight, small, and can be used as a seat cushion in the tub as baby grows bigger and more independent. I think we will end up with the Puj Flyte because out here, it is so humid that this thing will never dry out.

Leachco Safer Bather

 3. Puj Tub: Sells on Amazon for $45 with 3.5 star average rating. Made of the same safe material as option #1, but it folds up in an origami-type fold and is bigger than the Flyte. The biggest cons (and the reason we aren't getting it) are that the magnetic folds don't always stay secure (scary!) and that baby slides down into the bottom. The perks are the non-toxic material and the fact that it unfolds flat to dry.

Puj Tub

 4. Well, that's pretty much all of the ones I strongly considered. Everything else out there is made of questionable materials and I'm just not comfortable with a plastic tub. We have also considered buying NO tub, but if there are any birth complications, then I won't be able to sit in the bath with baby which then makes everything difficult.

Faucet Covers:

There are dozens of models out there, but I found them much easier to shop for than bath tubs!

What to avoid: 
-It seems like it's impossible to completely avoid plastic products in this case, so look for manufacturers who advertise "safe" plastics that are free of BPA, PVC, and pthalates. Your child will not be chewing on this product, but they are soaking in water that passes through this product when fairly warm. You can bet that if there are chemicals in the product, some of it will leach into the bathwater.

Necessary features:
-Must stay securely fastened.
-Must be easy to remove and replace for cleaning.
-Must be easy to clean!
-Must be soft and rounded to avoid knee and head-owies.

Other notes:
-I love the options that make your faucet into a gentle waterfall for playing and rinsing hair.
-Some dispense bubble products. We will not be using bubble products until baby is old enough to enjoy them because they're not necessary and safe, non-toxic bubbles are pricey. Also, surfactants and foaming agents can be hard on baby's skin and genitals. However, when she's old enough to have fun with bubbles, a dispenser could be awesome or a nightmare depending on how easy it is to fill and how often she decides to push the button. I'll report back in a few years!

Recommended products:
1. Boon Flo - $13.50 on Amazon with average 3.5 star rating. Many people said that the bubble dispenser just filled with water and then mold/mildew, but people love the soft waterfall it makes and the rounded design available in three colors. It is free of all the toxins listed above.

Boon Flo

2. Skip Hop Bath Spout Cover - $12.50 on Amazon with average 4.5 star rating. Customers complained that it slipped off the faucet too easily and that it gets moldy quickly. Others love the design, how well it protects, and how easy it is to use. It comes in a whale or duck shape and is non-toxic.

Skip Hop Bath Faucet Cover

Honestly, we'll wait on a faucet cover and see if a better option arises in the next year or so. I just want something protective, non-toxic, and mildew resistant that makes a soft flow.

Other bath items:

There are lots of good, non-toxic choices out there. We won't have a ton of bath toys because they aren't necessary, but Boon makes some great options that are all free of BPA, PVC, and pthalates including adorable scrubbies, floating "bugs" that you scoop up with a net, and submarine appliques! It'll be fun to stock up as I find them on sale.

Boon Scrubbles

Boon Floating Water Bugs and Net

Boon Bath Tub Appliques in "Dive"

Boon Duckies **The ONLY non-toxic duckies I've found so far!

Disclaimer:  Always confirm and verify information on products that I suggest.