Detox YOUR HOME

Transform your space into a true sanctuary by cutting down on the chemicals around you

- MELISSA FIELD

Have you ever wondered how environmentally friendly your home is?

Tracey Bailey, founder of eco-friendly store Biome, encourages shoppers to reconsider their reliance on chemical-based products.

‘We need to let go of our dependence on chemical cleansers and artificial products and go back to products our grandparents would recognise, like glass storage containers and natural cleaning products,’ she says.

Here’s how to reduce the use of harmful chemicals in your home…

REALLY READ LABELS

If you want to avoid bringing more chemicals into your home by buying organic, look for products covered by the Australian Certified Organic Standard (austorganic.com) which registers tens of thousands of products globally. From food and drink to cosmetics and household goods, all are guaranteed to have been grown, raised or manufactured without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, hormones and antibiotics.

But you don’t need to go 100 per cent organic to lower your chemical load. Ocean Spirit organic skincare creator and aromatherapist Jodie Sharp advises checking ingredients and looking out for labels calling out ‘toxin-free’ benefits.

‘Some businesses are too small to get an official organic accreditation so it’s worth knowing your ingredients,’ she says. ‘For instance, avoid anything derived from petrochemicals which can be called mineral oil or paraffin on the label.’