We come in contact with a lot of chemicals in our daily lives, including the products we use to shower, the food we eat, and the air we breathe during our commutes. Not all chemicals are bad for people, but some can seriously hurt our health. Things like lead, formaldehyde, PFAS, and phthalates have health impacts ranging from allergic reactions and cancer to harm to brain development and the reproductive system.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by this, but there are many things that people can do individually, at low or no cost, to reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals. I got top tips from Dr. Shirlee Tan, Senior Toxicologist at Public Health, on how we can protect ourselves from harmful chemicals.
5 top tips to protect yourself from harmful chemicals
- Keep it simple. Choose products that have fewer ingredients. Whether it’s a personal care product like lotion or packaged food like cookies, it’s usually a safe bet that products with fewer ingredients have fewer harmful chemicals. For personal care products, you can also use apps like Yuka, Skin Deep, and Clearya to check for harmful ingredients in specific products and find safer alternatives.
For cleaning products, you can make simple, safer cleaners with ingredients you already have at home. When you do purchase cleaning products, look for ones with the SaferChoice logo, which are designed to be safer.
2. Reduce your exposure to dust. Dust contains a lot of chemicals. Keep your home as dust free as possible by vacuuming or moping with a damp or microfiber cloth, cleaning frequently, leaving your shoes at the door, and keeping your indoor air clean. To reduce exposure to harmful microplastics and chemicals from your dust, you can also purchase natural or non-treated fibers for upholstery, clothing, and bedding. Lastly, don’t breathe in when you’re getting the dryer lint out of the dryer – this dust is full of chemicals.
3. Use safer cookware and food containers. For making food, avoid non-stick surfaces which often contain PFAS chemicals. Instead, use glass, stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast-iron for cooking. For reheating food, try to avoid plastic and use glass instead.
Switching out your cookware and containers for safer options doesn’t need to happen all at once! Take your time with replacing your products, and remember that it’s worth it for your wallet and health to buy better quality products that you can keep for longer (like that awesome cast iron pan you’ll have the rest of your life).
4. Buy organic when possible and when it makes the most difference. Organic food has fewer pesticides than conventionally grown food. Because organic is often more expensive, focus on buying organic when the product is on sale or for items that are known to have the most pesticides (such as berries and grapes). Check out the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen lists for more information and tips for when to buy organic.
5. Avoid scented products and fragrances. If you’re smelling something, that means you’re inhaling it. And there’s a lot of potentially harmful chemicals in scented products – not just what makes the product smell nice, but also what makes the nice smell last a long time. As much as possible, avoid fragrances and scented products. If you’re trying to get rid of bad smells in your home, open your windows and doors to bring some fresh air in (as long as the air outside is clean). If you like scents, try to naturally scent your home by boiling orange peels and cloves or through fresh flowers and pine arrangements.
One more piece of advice from Dr. Tan: It can be tricky to make these changes, and it’s normal for it to take a bit of time. It took years even for Dr. Tan to change her habits with personal care products, food, and other sources of chemical exposure.
Remember to take it one step at a time, talk to people to share what you know, and learn from others.
Originally published on 7/7/25.