Three places toxins are hiding in your home

At griffin+row, we are passionate about cutting out unnecessary toxins and chemicals which flood the beauty and skincare industry. We are proud to promote products which are free of nasty ingredients and full of powerful natural ingredients. Switching your skincare to the griffin+row 5 step routine is one way to diminish your exposure to harsh toxins, yet there are many ways in which they hide within your day-to-day life. We thought you’d like to know the following places that toxins like to hide within your home. In your food packaging: Without even touching on the issue of soil contamination (what goes in the ground or is fed to animals that can and will end up in our stomachs), the packaging our food comes in is rarely toxin-free. BPA, or Bisphenol-A, is a chemical that has been widely researched for its ability to disrupt our endocrine systems. In other words, it wreaks havoc with our hormones. This chemical is found in the linings of our food cans and some plastic products. The best way to avoid BPA is to shop consciously. Try to opt for fresh or homemade versions of your favourite canned foods – it’s much tastier and a whole lot more satisfying as well! In your furniture: It would be safe to assume that most items in your home or office environment may contain flame retardants. As well as furniture and carpets, some of the major sources of exposure come from our electronics including TVs, phones, computers, and consoles. These toxic chemicals are understood to impact the thyroid as well as female infertility. One class of flame retardants which are known as PBDEs has even been thought to affect children’s IQ levels. Whilst PBDEs have been banned in some places or gradually phased out, there are always replacements which pose the same toxic threat. While it’s virtually impossible to avoid flame retardants entirely, dusting and vacuuming regularly might be your best defence to minimise exposure. In your pots and pans: It would be a lovely thought to think that the dishes made to cook our food with were free of harmful chemicals. Unfortunately, many of our non-stick pots and pans have been made with PFCs (perfluorinated chemicals). The most common names you will recognise are Teflon and Stainmaster. These endocrine disrupting chemicals can also be found in your clothes, carpets, and bags which are water-repellent. You’ll also find them used to repel grease in packaging such as pizza boxes, pet-food bags, and fast-food wrappers. Be mindful of any products which are water or grease repellent and feel free to contact companies to question whether they use PFCs or not. In the meantime, avoid anything with the above names to minimise your exposure! Is your home toxin-free? We’d love to hear your tips and advice on the subject! Share below how you try to make your house one step closer to being chemical free!