A lot of things including cleaning stuff at home contain harmful chemicals. Among the common harmful chemicals found at home are flame retardants. These harmful chemicals can lead to thyroid dysfunction1 and male infertility.
Although harmful chemicals are very common in cleaning stuff, flame retardants, on the other hand, are commonly found in electronics and various household furniture. Flame retardants are endocrine disruptors2 3.
Washing Hands Is Helpful In Eliminating Flame Retardants
Probably, the best way to eliminate harmful chemicals like flame retardants is to get rid of all the things that have it. This means removing all your electronics and furniture inside your house and replace them with ones free of flame retardants.
While it is possible, most homes won’t be able to achieve at once. Of course, little by little it is possible. Fortunately, one thing people need to know is that frequent washing of hands can help reduce exposure to flame retardants.
One study4 in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology proves it. In this study, researchers say that frequent washing of hands reduces exposure by half in some cases.
This achievement of a reduction in exposure to flame retardants is possible with just a week of increasing hand washing. Moreover, combining hand washing with frequent cleaning to remove dust further improves the benefits.
Using Appropriate Soap
When it comes to washing hands, many people are still using anti-bacterial soap. However, instead of thinking it is doing good, it might be doing harm instead. Even the FDA recommends skipping anti-bacterial soaps and simply use plain water.
In fact, it is not new and triclosan harmful effects are known since the 70s.
What is even more shocking, some toothpaste aside from containing fluoride also contains triclosan. Moreover, you may not find triclosan on some anti-bacterial soaps but you may find a different chemical, triclocarban.
And, while in the study there is no mention of the type of soap for hand washing, it would be a better and healthier idea to avoid anti-bacterial soaps. Instead, opt for an organic soap option with ingredients that are safe in contact with human skin.
Doing so, not only you will avoid and reduce exposure to flame retardants but also reduces exposure to other chemicals. And, one more thing to consider.
Another source of harmful chemicals are pesticides, which are used in growing the foods we eat. Hence, to further reduce exposure to harmful chemicals, wash fruits and vegetables appropriately before consumption.