If you’re planning on refreshing your home in the new year, whether that means a new lick of paint or a top-to-bottom deep clean, it’s important to consider the many toxic chemicals you may be exposed to in the process. Here are five ways to refresh your space while reducing your risks.
1 Choose VOC-free paints
If you’re planning on getting your home decorated or doing some DIY, go for nontoxic paint, varnishes, fillers and other products with the lowest VOC levels you can find. VOCs—volatile organic compounds—are chemicals that readily release vapors at room temperature.
They’re a major contributor to indoor air pollution and have been linked to a range of to asthma, eczema and poor sperm quality. Several VOCs, such as benzene and formaldehyde, are recognized carcinogens, and others are suspected carcinogens. The good news is that a number of companies now offer paints and other decorating products that are free or virtually free of VOCs as well as other toxic chemicals like phthalates and heavy metals.
