Ecolosophy Academy · Free course

The Non-Toxic Home Swaps Master Checklist

Room by room, throw out the hidden toxins and swap to what actually loves your family back.

Free with an account 7 lessons 19 min Sources on every swap

You wipe down the high chair, the counter, the floor your baby crawls across, and you think you're protecting them. But a lot of what sits under the sink was never designed with small bodies in mind, and labels don't always tell you what's inside. This is the room-by-room guide I wish I'd had when I started paying attention.

About this course

Here's the honest truth: the word 'clean' on a bottle has no legal meaning, and 'fragrance' is a category that lets a brand skip listing what's in the blend. You don't need a chemistry degree to work with that. You need to know what to look for, why it matters, and what to put in its place. No fear-mongering, no guilt. I only lean on government and research sources, listed with the course.

A quick word about me. I'm not a doctor, and no cleaner treats Crohn's or any other condition. This is simply my own experience: after 23+ years of living with Crohn's, I started paying close attention to what I bring into my home, and that's what I changed.

Use this like a playbook. Go room by room, or start with the Quick Start and the under-sink cabinet. Replace things as they run out, swap the worst offenders first, and don't feel you have to do it in a day.

Lesson 1 of 7

Kitchen

It's the one room where cleaning chemicals land directly on the surfaces your kids eat off and the hands they put in their mouths.

  1. Swap 1 of 3

    Ditch

    Antibacterial spray cleaners & 'kills 99.9% of germs' wipes

    Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) — look for benzalkonium chloride or didecyldimethylammonium chloride

    Why

    Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) are common disinfectant ingredients, and a 2021 European multicenter cohort study documented occupational asthma caused by them in workers who use them regularly.

    Read the research

    Household exposure is lower than workplace exposure, but a film on the surface where you prep food is still worth avoiding when plain cleaning will do.

    PubMed: Occupational Asthma Caused by Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Migueres et al., 2021)
    Swap to

    A diluted concentrate that cleans by lifting grease and grime. Ecolosophy's All-Purpose Cleaning Concentrate works on counters, high chairs, and tables; as with any cleaner, wipe food-contact surfaces with a water-dampened cloth afterward. Cleaning removes germs and grime; if someone in the home is sick, follow the disinfecting guidance on your product's label.

    Super Concentrate Kit — Pure Serenity
    The Ecolosophy swap Super Concentrate Kit — Pure Serenity

    The cleaner for this kitchen step: one concentrate that replaces several single-purpose sprays, diluted as needed.

    $69.00
    Shop

  2. Swap 2 of 3

    Ditch

    Conventional dish soap with 'fragrance'

    'Fragrance'/'parfum' — a legal umbrella that can hide phthalates like DEP and DEHP

    Why

    Under U.S. law, 'fragrance' can be a blend of undisclosed ingredients and is treated as a trade secret.

    Read the research

    The EPA has described concerns with some phthalates, including hormone-related effects. Because the exact blend isn't listed, you can't tell what's in it.

    FDA: Fragrances in Cosmetics
    Swap to

    A fragrance-free dish soap, or one that names its scent ingredients on the label. If a brand won't say what's in its 'fragrance,' that's your cue to choose one that will.

  3. Swap 3 of 3

    Ditch

    Nonstick spray and scratched nonstick pans

    PFAS ('forever chemicals') — the coating that flakes off scratched pans

    Why

    PFAS are called 'forever chemicals' because they break down very slowly.

    Read the research

    The EPA lists reduced immune response (including reduced vaccine response), hormone interference, and increased risk of some cancers among the health effects being studied. Nonstick pans are one of several possible sources of exposure.

    EPA: Our Current Understanding of the Human Health Risks of PFAS
    Swap to

    Stainless steel, cast iron, or ceramic-coated pans. If a nonstick pan is chipped or badly scratched, retire it.

Tool for this roomEWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning Ingredient ratings for thousands of cleaners. Check here before you buy a new one. Look it up →

Sources for this lesson

  1. PubMed: Occupational Asthma Caused by Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Migueres et al., 2021)
  2. FDA: Fragrances in Cosmetics
  3. EPA: Our Current Understanding of the Human Health Risks of PFAS