When you hear the words “non-toxic” or “clean,” you might immediately picture a certain stereotype, maybe the almond moms of LA, or influencers with a fridge full of perfectly stacked organic vegetables. Sometimes, it can all feel too much: a bit privileged, a bit preachy, maybe even a bit fear-mongering.
But that’s not what I’m about. I’m not scared of every single food or product out there. I’m just mindful. I try to choose more organic, cleaner options and fewer synthetic ingredients, because even if some things aren’t harmful on their own, they might add up over time.
My thinking is: if I have a choice between something filled with unnecessary or even harmful ingredients and something cleaner, why should I not choose the better option?
It isn’t about throwing away everything you own or moving to a remote cabin, growing your food, and weaving your own clothes from sheep wool. It’s about making small, practical, and sustainable changes, guided by science, common sense, and a bit of technological help.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to reduce toxins in food, beauty, cleaning, and household products, without feeling overwhelmed.
PART 1:Getting Started with reducing toxins
Start Slow and Avoid Overwhelm
When I started my own journey into low-tox living, I was overwhelmed. I didn’t know where to begin. The idea here is to start slow, not to panic, and not to try to do it all at once. This isn’t a race. You’re not failing if you still have plastic Tupperware or a drugstore shampoo ( I was a Head & Shoulders girly for years) in your bathroom. The goal is to make better choices step by step.
Use Technology to Check Ingredients
Some great apps and websites make it easier to check the products and ingredients you’re using. My top recommendations are:
- Yuka
- Think Dirty
- EWG Healthy Living
- Consumerlab.com
My personal go-to is Yuka. I’ve been using it for years, especially helpful when I was abroad and couldn’t understand ingredient lists (Spanish cosmetics aisle, I’m looking at you). It helped me spot harmful ingredients quickly and make better choices, especially for beauty products.
Don’t obsess over getting a perfect score on every product. I used to do that at first and found it really stressful. Now, I just use the app to highlight the “red-flag” ingredients and avoid the worst ones. Aim for better, not perfect.
If you want to learn more, read my honest Yuka App Review.
PART 2: Everyday Sources of Toxins and How to Reduce Them
Let’s break this down into areas where toxins tend to sneak into our lives, and what we can do to minimise them.
Food and Drinks
- Eat fresh and unprocessed food as much as possible. Make sure to clean your fruit and veg thoroughly, especially if you buy non-organic.
- Reduce takeaways and pre-packaged meals. You can’t control the quality of ingredients in restaurants. Takeaway containers are coated with plastic to prevent the oil leacking out, but this means plastic leaching into the hot food.
- In packaged foods, check ingredients, avoid artificial additives and preservatives. (You can use Yuka or other food scaning app to help you).
Here’s a helpful list from EWG of the top food chemicals to avoid: EWG’s Dirty Dozen Guide
Organic vs. non-organic is always a big question. In my view, if you’re choosing a conventionally grown apple over a bag of crisps, you’re already winning. But if you can afford organic and local, it often has fewer pesticides and higher nutritional value.
You can read more about organic food in my article Is Organic Food Worth It?
Toxins to be aware of in food:
- PFAS (Forever Chemicals): These have been found in food packaging, especially fast food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags. PFAS are linked to hormone disruption, immune system effects, and even some cancers.
- BHA/BHT: Used to preserve shelf life in processed foods, these are potential endocrine disruptors and possible human carcinogens (National Toxicology Program).
- Artificial dyes (like Red 40, Yellow 5): Linked to hyperactivity in children and banned in some countries (EFSA).
Not all E numbers are bad for us, but these you want to avoid:
- E202 -potassium sorbate- suspected of being genotoxic
- E249 – potassium nitrite- preservative, could be carcinogenic when combined with meat
- E250 – Sodium nitrite – preservative, could be carcinogenic when combined with meat
- E339- Sodium phosphates- a texturing agent that might affect kidney health and impair bone mineralisation
- E407 – Carrageenan- a texturing agent, high instances could lead to breast cancer, and is suspected to disturb the microbiome
- E341- Calcium phosphates- a texturing agent that might affect kidney health and impair bone mineralisation
- E442 – Ammonium phosphatides- a texturing agent that might affect kidney health and impair bone mineralisation
- E466 – Cellulose gum- a texturing agent that might disturb gut microbiota and promote inflammation
- E450 – Diphosphates- a texturing agent that might affect kidney health and impair bone mineralisation
- E451- Triphosphates- a texturing agent that might affect kidney health and impair bone mineralisation
- E452- Polyphosphates- a texturing agent that might affect kidney health and impair bone mineralisation
- E471- mono and diglycerides of fatty acids – increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease
- E621- Monosodium glutamate – flavour enhancer – increases the risk of developing various diseases
- E637- Ethylmaltol – flavour enhancer – increases the risk of developing various diseases
Drinking tips:
- Use a refillable bottle instead of a single-use plastic bottle to prevent microplastic leaching into your water.
- You are a reusable coffee cup if you are ordering takeaway hot drinks. Same as with takeaway food boxes, paper cups are lined with plastic to prevent leaking. If you have a hot drink, plastics leach into your morning matcha.
- Filter your tap water (undersink or pitcher).
- Avoid drinks with artificial sweeteners and colours as they destroy your gut microbiome and spicke you glucose.
Beauty and Personal Care Products
I was shocked to learn how many toxic ingredients cosmetics contain. This is where it can get really overwhelming, so here’s my suggestion:
- Start with leave-on products you use daily, like moisturisers, foundation, sunscreen, and deodorant.
- Look into your Oral higene products and make sure you spit them out after cleaning and rince your mouth
- Use an app, like Yuka, to scan your current products and slowly replace them with better options as they run out.
Ingredients to avoid in cosmetics:
- BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene): potential endocrine-disrupting effects.
- Parabens like Propylparaben: Preservatives that may disrupt hormones.
- Benzophenone-3: potential endocrine disruptor
- Phthalates: Often found in fragrance and linked to reproductive harm.
- Triclosan: An antibacterial agent linked to thyroid disruption.
- BMHCA(Lilial): Synthetic fragrance that is classified as a CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic) substance
- Octinoxate: a UV filter that is a potential endocrine disruptor
There are many more toxic ingredients we should avoid, and we don’t need to learn them all, but we can use technology like Yuka to highlight their presence.
Also important: feminine hygiene products. I try to avoid tampons unless I really need them, and when I do use them, I go for organic cotton with no plastic coating or bleach. You can try period cups, which many women love as they are reusable. I personally tried it, but did not like the way it felt and how messy it was to remove.
What I have learned in my journey so far is that not all expensive products are good for us; some big brands still use ingredients that are potentially toxic for us. The good news is that you can buy very affordable products with clean formulations that your skin is going to love. So a little tip is not to buy products led by marketing buzzwords like “clean,” “anti-aging,” etc., but look at the ingredient list and do ingredient research before buying a new product. The good news is, once you find a clean product like a moisturizer that has great ingredients and suits your skin, you don’t need to worry about finding a new one for a long time.
Toxins In Cleaning Products
Reduce household toxins by swapping your harsh chemical cleaning products for safe cleaning products. You don’t need to replace everything in one go. Focus on these first:
- Kitchen surfaces and dishwashing products, as they touch the food you eat.
- Laundry detergent and fabric softeners (especially if they’re strongly fragranced).
- If you do need to use bleach or harsher chemicals, use gloves, ventilate well, and don’t mix products.
You might like:
Toxins to avoid:
- Ammonia and bleach (sodium hypochlorite): Strong irritants that can damage lungs and skin.
- Fragrance/parfum: Often a mix of undisclosed chemicals, including phthalates.
- Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats): Linked to asthma and skin irritation.
Kitchen Tools and Food Storage
Some materials can release toxins when heated or scratched. Here are some easy swaps:
- Gett rid of Teflon (non-stick) pans and opt for ceramic, stainless steel, or cast iron.
- Use glass containers to store your food instead of plastic.
- Avoid plastic utensils when cooking; switch to wood or steel.
Why avoid Teflon (PTFE/PFOA)?
Older non-stick cookware may contain PFOA, a forever chemical associated with cancer, liver damage, and developmental issues (EPA).
Household Products (Candles, Air Fresheners, Textiles)
- Use beeswax or soy candles instead of synthetic scented ones.
- Avoid artificial air fresheners, try essential oil diffusers, or open windows.
- Choose natural fabrics like cotton or wool for blankets, sheets, and throws.
I you want to get some non-toxic candles, check out
Toxins to note:
Formaldehyde: Often used in wrinkle-resistant fabrics and some air fresheners.
Synthetic fragrance: A common culprit behind indoor air pollution.
Clothing Choices
- Prioritise natural fabrics, especially for underwear and sleepwear.
- I still wear synthetic workout clothes, but I change out of them as soon as I’m done training.
Same as with cosmetic products, natural fibre clothing doesn’t have to be expensive. I do like to buy my everyday 100% organic cotton t-shirts and underwear in H&M. A secret is to read the label and see how the clothing feels – most of the time, if clothing has sheen, it will be made from polyester.
You might like:
Best Yoga Pants with Sustainable, Non-Toxic, and Recycled Materials
Improving Indoor Air Quality
According to the EPA, indoor air can be 2–5 times more polluted than outdoor air. There are a few things you can do to make sure the air you breathe in your home is as clean as possible. Here are my top indoor air quality tips:
- Get an air purifier, it’s honestly been life-changing for me. I keep it running overnight in the bedroom and while cooking. I was one of the first investments when I moved into a new house, and I do use it every day.
You can check out the best Air purifiers in 2025 here. - Use your kitchen extractor fan when cooking. Cooking releases gases, smoke, and fine particles into the air. Common pollutants include carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). If you are cooking without an extractor, you will be reathing them in and they will also linger in your house for longer.
- Open your windows regularly. In the summertime time try to leave them open as much as you can. In the Winter time, ventilate your house in the morning, in the evening, and after cooking.
- Add houseplants; they look great and help clean the air.
I have multiple snake plants in my bedroom as they are very easy to take care of. It removes benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene, and, unlike most plants, releases oxygen even at night. I recommend having multiple different kinds of plans in other areas of the house, as they can remove different toxins and can also regulate humidity in your home.
Part 3: Support Your Body’s Natural Detox
Our bodies are designed to detox every single day. But we can support that natural process with simple habits:
- Exercise – Sweat is one of the best natural detoxifiers.
- Sauna or hot baths – Another great way to help the body release toxins.
- Stay hydrated – The more you drink, the more your body can flush toxins through urine and digestion.
- Eat a healthy diet – rich in cruciferous vegetables, including antioxidants like berries, citrus fruits, green tea, and turmeric. Limit alcohol and processed foods.
Final Thoughts on Reducing Toxins
Reducing toxins in your environment is not about perfection and getting rid of every ingredient, as it is impossible in this age. It’s about doing your best with what you have. I still use products that aren’t perfect. I still eat things that aren’t organic. But I do what I can, and that’s enough. And the more I learn, the more little changes I make.
Slowly but surely, you’ll start to feel better without the overwhelm and stress. I hope you have enjoyed these non-toxic living tips!
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How to reduce Your exposure to microplastics
Silvija Meilunaite, PN1-NC, CSMC, is a certified nutrition and menopause coaching specialist who writes about midlife health, nutrition, and evidence-based wellness. She focuses on research-driven approaches to feeling better in your 40s and beyond, with a special interest in low-tox living and supportive daily habits.
