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5 Ways to Protect Your Kids from Chemicals in the Home

Author: Joel House
by Joel House
Posted: Feb 19, 2016

We do a lot to protect our children and we like to think they are safe when they are at home. But unfortunately, there are a number of harmful chemicals that have snuck into our houses in some of the most unlikely places. While many of us know some cleaning products shouldn't be used around children, even the water from our faucets or paper towels we use at snack time might have chemicals and toxins hiding away in them.

Being aware of where potential chemicals lie is extremely important to keeping our children safe from harm. Here are five ways to remove unwanted chemicals from your home and keep your children safe.

1. Use a Water Purifier

Did you know that there are over 300 chemicals in a glass of tap water? From heavy metals to fluoride, drinking unfiltered water is usually a poor choice. Even opting for a bottle of water might be a poor choice, as the chemicals from the plastic bottle have been known to find their way into the water.

If you want to provide your kids with good, clean water (and why wouldn't you?), you should be using a water purifier. Water purifiers, or water filters, come from a variety of companies in a variety of styles. You can get a big pitcher to keep in your fridge so you always have filtered water handy, or you can even buy individual refillable water bottles with a purifier built in.

2. Get Rid of Bleached Paper Products

It can seem impossible that paper towels or toilet paper can contain chemicals, but in fact, most of them are bleached to give their white appearance. The bleaching chemicals are actually carcinogens, which means they have the ability to cause cancer.

Something as small as paper towels or toilet paper are not worth getting cancer over, especially when it comes to our children. Cut this chemical out of your home by looking for products that are PCF or chlorine-free.

3. Stop Using Antibacterial Products

Bacteria gets a bad rep. It is important to understand that there are good forms of bacteria and bad forms of bacteria, but unfortunately, antibacterial soaps and products can't tell the difference. Instead, they remove every type of bacteria they come in contact with.

To make matters worse, when you mix the chemicals of antibacterial soap with chlorinated water, you will get the chemical chloroform. Chloroform is a carcinogenic gas you definitely want to keep away from your children.

Start buying hand soaps and dishwashing detergents that are natural and don't contain harmful chemicals like triclosan, chlorine, or phosphates.

4. Replace Your Home Cleaners

It's another false assumption that you need strong chemicals to clean your house. Usually, this isn't true. Cleaning with harmful chemicals, like bleach, leave fumes in the air that aren't good for you or your children to breathe. Many of these household cleaners contain a deadly mixture of chlorine and ammonia, which will keep your house clean but will also hurt you and your family.

Look for cleaning products that are natural and don't contain unnecessary chemical additives. We all want our houses to be spotless, but when it comes down to using products safe for our family, we can skip the chlorine and bleach.

5. Stop Spraying Air Deodorizers

When a room smells bad, it is usually our first step to grab a can of air deodorizer and spray the air. This usually only masks the smell and leaves a cloud of harmful chemicals floating in the air. The chemical associated with air deodorizers specifically is known as volatile organic compounds, which have been known to cause things like memory loss, headaches, and nausea.

Start deodorizing your home with more natural products, like a aromatherapy essential oils or natural air fresheners. Under the most natural circumstances, just open a window and let some fresh air in.

Keeping your kids safe from common chemicals in our homes doesn't have to be difficult, you just need to be aware of the products you are bringing into your home. For your safety and your children's, do your research before purchasing a product and giving it to your kid or using it around them. There are a lot of unnecessary additives to the things we use in our home, so be aware of the common additives that are out there!

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Online Visions provides SEO Services for clients across Australia specialising in eCommerce.

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Author: Joel House

Joel House

Member since: Dec 02, 2014
Published articles: 11

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