Is your bathroom green and toxin free? Use this list to see how you score. 

Do you use air fresheners? Don’t. Most contain a number of toxic chemicals that contaminate the air you breathe. Using a natural, essential oil scented diffuser in the bathroom is a much better option. To keep your toilet smelling fresh drop a few drops of Green Goddess Loo-Ease into the bowl.

Is there “fragrance” listed as an ingredient in your personal care products? We don’t know what’s in “fragrance”, so it’s safer to choose all fragrance-free personal care products. Always check ingredient lists to be sure.

What kind of toothpaste do you use? Choose a paste that does not contain triclosan as there are concerns about how it reacts with the chlorine in water. Also avoid these nasties; titanium dioxide, FDC, Blue Dye, sodium lauryl sulfate, and sodium fluoride. We love the Maxwell & McIntyre range of natural toothpastes.

Do you use a liquid hand soap? If so, avoid anti-bacterials – the American Medial Association found that anti-bacterial soaps were no more effective in killing germs than normal soap and the anti-bacterial compounds used could contribute to the threat posed by antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. It recommends against using them at home.

Are there too many products in your cupboards? Less is more. Not using cosmetics such as commercial body sprays, moisturisers, powders and tanning lotions will not only be less expensive but will cut down on toxins you may be exposing yourself too, not to mention all that packaging. Try making your own products, there’s plenty of recipes on our site. Here’s one of my favourites Hemp & Lemon Creamed Body Butter.

What are you cleaning the toilet, bath, shower and bench tops with? Simplify your cleaning arsenal by only using a few natural cleaning products that you can make yourself. All you really need on hand are Premium Double Strength White Vinegar, Premium Baking Soda and Soda Ash.

And finally, what are you putting on your head? Are you using a natural shampoo and conditioner or is it one from the supermarket with a bunch of nasty chemicals? Be very careful when reading labels and particularly avoid Cocamide DEA, this is a known carcinogen that you do not want on your scalp. Why not try a Be Natural shampoo bar or a shampoo from the Holistic Hair range?

Tags: , , , , , ,