Here are my top 10 everyday products that contain toxic chemicals for sensitive people, especially kids. They are around us everywhere, but with a little knowledge, many can be avoided or swapped for a better, cleaner alternative. Reducing your toxic load is better for the whole family’s health and better for the environment too.
ordinary soaps can be damaging for sensitive skin
1. Soap and soap wash
Soaps can be full of strong perfumes and chemicals made from petroleum, and can be highly toxic for people with sensitive skin. Try swapping for soap-free alternatives, such as Sukin, or any other all natural, Australian brand available from chemists and healthfood shops.
2. Moisturiser
Here is another common, household product that is filled with heavy perfumes and far too many ingredients. Something like QV is good for sensitive skin, but is still full of chemicals. Try some natural ones like Moo Goo and see what works best on your kids’ skin. It’s best applied daily on eczema-prone skin, as an excellent preventer, especially before swimming, after baths or on windy, cold days.
indoor plants help to filter the air
3. Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)
These are the smells omitted by new carpets and furniture, fresh paint, even new cars and perfumed candles. Try getting things second-hand, as the smells have already dissipated, or move out for a few days if you’re having carpets laid or painting done. These days you can buy low-VOC paint online – it’s only a little more expensive and they will make up any colour. Try to avoid perfumed candles and essential oils, open windows to air out the house daily and get some indoor plants – they help to clean the air.
4. Air fresheners
It’s so important to avoid these – they are toxic to anyone, but especially for sensitive little people. Best to get a good extractor fan in the bathroom and kitchen instead. Even cooking odours can be troublesome, as food particles become airborne in water or fat droplets and can be inhaled or settle on benches. This is especially important for kids with allergies – airborne allergens can be just as toxic when inhaled.
5. Stinky, loving relatives
Let’s face it, some people just stink! I don’t mean in a BO kind of way, but in a too-many-perfumed-products kind of way. The worst culprits for sensitive kids (and adults) are some perfumes, spray deodorants, hairsprays, scented creams and cigarette smoke lingering on clothes. It’s best to nicely ask your carers to avoid these things if you notice them, or to wash off an offending perfume. It might seem rude, but for your child, a whole day being hugged by a toxic chemical smell is so much worse.
Make sure heaters are flued to the outside
6. Unflued gas heaters
Get your gas heater flued to the outside! Breathing in gas all night is especially bad for kids with asthma. If that’s not possible, some better heating options are air con, central heating and electric column heaters, but avoid cheap blow heaters. Also stay away from evaporative air conditioners and humidifiers as these add moisture to the air and create damp and mould and encourage growth of dust mites, making allergies worse.
7. Clothes wash
You wouldn’t think it, but clothes washing powders and liquids leave a residue on clothes, which can affect little people with sensitive skin. It’s better to choose a sensitive-skin product, and they’re easy to find in the big supermarkets. And try to use only cotton or bamboo clothing for these kids, as they are natural fibres that allow skin to breathe.
8. Medications
Why do they need to put artificial flavours and colours in all kids’ medicines?!? I mean, I know the answer, so the kids will take it, but couldn’t they use natural sweeteners instead? So, the best thing to do if your kids are intolerant to these additives, is to crush up plain white tablets of the medicine you’re after (panadol, for example), ensure the dose of paracetamol is correct for your child’s age/weight (as per the manufacturer’s instructions on the children’s version), then mix it with maple or rice malt syrup and serve it on a spoon. Remember, asprin is pure salicylate, so don’t give that for intolerant kids.
Cut grass is full of volatile organic chemicals – toxic for sensitive people
9. Freshly mown grass
This was my excuse for not helping in the garden as a kid! I hated the smell of freshly mown grass and did everything to avoid it. Now I know why – the volatile organic compounds released make many people feel very unwell. These VOCs are the same as those released from fresh paint, new cars, furniture and rugs. Keep doors and windows shut during mowing, and try to mow only on cool, breezy days.
10. Petrol (and petrol mowers and whipper snippers)
Petrol fumes can cause nasty headaches. Use a manual or electric mower and avoid filling up with petrol when you have sensitive kids in the car. Easy.
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