These are the swaps I'm making for a less toxic family home

Microplastics, 'forever chemicals', VOCs... they're in everything from my Apple watch to my saucepans – here are the swaps I'm making for a healthier home life

I’ve been doing some research for articles recently and product reviewing for my bread-and-butter journalism job and the thing that’s cropped up a lot, whether it’s mattresses, paints, detergents or saucepans, is there are SO many toxic chemicals in our day-to-day household essentials, which can be detrimental to our health and the planet.

Without scaremongering or getting overly geeky about it, it’s something I’ve become quite interested in recently (along with ultra-processed food and how to cut back), but ultimately I want a better, healthier home for our family.

So I’m inclined to make some swaps after becoming better informed and I thought I’d share some of my top ones – along with the reasons why it’s worth it.

PFAS-free cookware

GreenPan creates non-toxic PFAS-free cookware

You’ve probably heard about BPA-free plastic, but what about PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances)? This group of toxic manmade chemicals (nicknamed ‘forever chemicals’) are found in non-stick cookware among other things (while writing this I’ve just discovered my Apple Watch sports band has PFAS in it) and can take thousands of years to degrade, which means they leach into landfill and contaminate the soil, eventually ending up in our bodies (this article makes for sobering reading).

According to GreenPan, those with high PFAS concentrations in their blood are at greater risk of impaired immune systems and health problems, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, fertility problems and cancer. Brands including GreenPan, Joseph Joseph and Our Place have introduced toxic-free non-stick ceramic cookware and hopefully this will become the norm.

However, you can’t trump a classic stainless steel saucepan set for back-to-basics toxic-free cooking – they can also be bunged in the dishwasher and put straight in the oven from the hob.

VOC-free paint

Sophie used YesColours in her daughter’s room to give it a makeover

VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are chemicals found in paint that contribute to indoor air pollution and potential health issues including allergies, respiratory irritation and are suspected carcinogens.

Most VOCs dissipate within the first six months after painting, however, some VOCs can continue to off-gas for up to five years afterwards, so it’s worthwhile double-checking the paint tin before you buy.