Healthy Home Tips
Reports & Consumer Guides

Healthy Home Tips
Welcome to our Healthy Home Tips series
At EWG we’re committed to helping you create the best environment for your family — free of dangerous chemicals and wasteful material.
EWG’s fans and followers are constantly asking us for tips to help them create cleaner and greener homes that are good for their families and the planet.
With our guides, EWG is bringing it back to the basics.
Thank you for celebrating two decades of work by following our smart solutions to healthier living every day!
Read our Healthy Home Tips:
Ingredients in personal care products
Tip 1: Know the ingredients in your personal care products.
Just because a label says “gentle” or “natural” doesn’t mean it’s kid- safe. Look up your products on CosmeticsDatabase.com. Read the ingredients and avoid triclosan, BHA, fragrance, and oxybenzone.
Eat organic & fresh foods
Tip 2: Eat organic & fresh foods.
Opt for organic fruits and veggies, or use FoodNews.org to find conventionally grown produce with the least pesticides. Choose milk and meat without added growth hormones. Limit canned food and infant formula, as can linings contain bisphenol A (BPA).
Pick plastics carefully
Tip 3: Pick plastics carefully.
Some plastics contain BPA, which is linked to cancer. Avoid clear, hard plastics marked with a "7" or "PC" and choose baby bottles made from glass. Don't microwave plastic containers. Stay away from toys marked with a "3" or "PVC." Give your baby a frozen washcloth instead of vinyl teethers.
Avoid fire retardants
Tip 4: Avoid fire retardants.
Choose snug-fitting cotton pajamas for kids, and repair or replace worn out foam items.
Wash Hands & Avoid Triclosan
Tip 5: Wash those hands, but avoid Triclosan.
In addition to reducing illness, frequent hand washing will reduce kids' exposure to chemicals. Skip anti-bacterial soaps, since they can be bad for the environment, aren't any better than soap and water, and can contain pesticides that are absorbed through the skin.
Skip the non-stick
Tip 6: Skip the non-stick, the dangers of teflon.
When overheated, non-stick cookware can emit toxic fumes. Cook with cast iron or stainless steel and bake with oven-safe glass instead.
Filter your tap water
Tip 7: Filter your tap water.
Use a reverse osmosis system or carbon filter pitcher to reduce your family's exposure to impurities in water, like chlorine and lead. Don't drink bottled water, which isn't necessarily better. Mix infant formula with fluoride-free water.
Get rid of toxic dust
Tip 8: Get rid of that (toxic) dust.
Kids spend lots of time on the floor, and household dust can contain contaminants like lead and fire retardants. HEPA-filter vacuums capture the widest range of particles and get rid of allergens. Leave your shoes at the door so you don't bring more pollutants inside.
greener cleaners
Tip 9: Use greener cleaners and avoid pesticides.
Household cleaners, bug killers, pet treatments, and air fresheners can irritate kids' lungs, especially if your kids have asthma. Investigate less toxic alternatives. Use vinegar in place of bleach, baking soda to scrub your tiles, and hydrogen peroxide to remove stains.
green and healthy start
Tip 10: Give kids a green and healthy start.
Young children's developing bodies are especially vulnerable to toxic chemicals. You can take simple steps to protect them by opting for safer products and practices around the house, during pregnancy, and when feeding your baby.
EWG's Back-To-School Guide
Tip 11: EWG's Back-To-School Guide
Buying school supplies is an annual end-of-summer tradition. With a little time and attention, a backpack full of non-toxic school supplies is in reach. Get EWG's Back-To-School Guide and shopping tips!
EWG's Cancer Prevention Tips
Tip 12: EWG's Cancer Prevention Tips
Get EWG's practical tips to reduce your exposure to potential cancer-causing chemicals. Consumers simply can't wait for the government to take action or for companies to act responsibly by removing carcinogens from their products.
Green Holiday Kitchen
Tip 13: Your Green Holiday Kitchen.
Get tips for a healthy kitchen this holiday season.
Healthy Home Checklist
Tip 14: Your Healthy Home Checklist.
We created this Healthy Home Checklist for you to use as you walk through your home -- and open your bathroom cabinet, look under your sink, and check those laundry supplies. It's an easy, hands-on way to create a less toxic environment for your family.
Pregnancy Awareness
Tip 15: Pregnancy Awareness.
Follow these tips to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals during pregnancy.
