Last week we tackled the kitchen, so this week we are moving down the hall to the bathroom. It is a small room, but it is a sneaky one. It stays humid, it is often poorly ventilated, and it is packed with products we use every single day. That combination of heat, steam, and a small enclosed space can actually pull more chemicals out of certain materials than you would get anywhere else in the house. The good news is that the bathroom is one of the cheapest and easiest rooms to clean up. Here is where I would start.
QUIZ OF THE WEEK
That strong "new shower curtain" smell when you first hang a vinyl one. What is it, really?
A️. Harmless plastic scent
B️. Over 100 different VOCs off-gassing into your bathroom air
C️. Leftover packaging
D️. Nothing, all shower curtains smell like that
🤔 Think you know the answer?
👇 Scroll to the bottom of this week's newsletter to see if you got it right!
Did you catch my recent reel on why I started drinking and storing water in copper?
| Ayurvedic tradition has used copper vessels for thousands of years, a practice known as Tamra Jal, and some research suggests that storing water in copper for several hours can reduce certain bacteria, such as E. coli. In the reel, I walk through why we made the switch, what the science does and does not say, and how we use it at home. Send it to someone obsessed with their water quality, and watch the full video below. |
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: The Our Place Wonder Oven
| I’ve been testing the Our Place Wonder Oven lately and am really impressed. It’s a versatile 6-in-1 countertop appliance that air fries, bakes, roasts, toasts, broils, and reheats, all from one compact countertop unit. Right now, you can take advantage of their end-of-summer sale to snag a deal. |
Non-Toxic Tip of the Week
A Non-Toxic Bathroom Makeover
The bathroom rewards a few simple swaps more than almost any room, because heat and humidity make it easy for chemicals to end up in the air you breathe. Start with the items you use daily and work down the list.
☐ Switch to bamboo or unbleached toilet paper: This is the one bathroom product literally everyone uses every day. Independent testing has found PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals, in a number of major toilet paper brands, along with chlorine bleach and formaldehyde-based strengtheners in some conventional rolls. Here is the surprising part: recycled toilet paper, which sounds like the greener choice, can actually concentrate BPA and other chemicals pulled in from the recycling stream. Bamboo is processed with fewer chemical inputs and is the lower-risk pick. Look for unbleached, chlorine-free bamboo, and when a roll claims to be PFAS-free, look for one that is actually lab-tested.
☐ Ditch the PVC shower curtain and liner: That sharp "new shower curtain" smell is the giveaway. A well-known study found that a new PVC, or vinyl, shower curtain released as many as 108 different VOCs into the air, at total levels many times higher than indoor air quality guidelines, and the off-gassing lingered for weeks. The heat and steam of a shower only make it worse. Swap to a curtain and liner made from organic cotton, hemp, or linen. If you want a budget option, PEVA and EVA liners are a step up from PVC, though they are still a plastic.
☐ Simplify your cleaning supplies: Bathroom cleaners are some of the harshest products in the house, loaded with synthetic fragrance, strong disinfectants, and VOCs that build up fast in a small, poorly ventilated room. The truth is, you can clean almost the entire bathroom with a few simple things: vinegar, baking soda, and castile soap. If you would rather buy, look for fragrance-free options or ones that are third-party verified. Homemade scrub recipe below.
☐ Rethink your towels: Many conventional towels are finished with formaldehyde-based resins for softness and wrinkle resistance, and the cheaper ones are made from polyester or microfiber that sheds microplastics every time you wash them. Choose organic cotton or linen, look for an OEKO-TEX or GOTS certification, and always wash new towels a couple of times before the first use to rinse out the manufacturing residue.
☐ Open a window or run the fan: This one is completely free. Bathrooms trap humidity along with whatever is off-gassing in that small space. Running the exhaust fan or cracking a window during and after a shower clears the air and reduces both moisture and chemical buildup.
You do not need to do it all at once. Even switching your toilet paper and your shower curtain is a meaningful upgrade for two things you are exposed to every single day.
I go deeper on all of this in my latest blog post, including my full non-toxic bathroom swap list and the upgrades worth doing first:
🔗 NON-TOXIC DAD MYSTERY LINK OF THE DAY 🔗
| Always something useful! Could be a handy non-toxic reference guide, a favorite product we are loving lately, a huge discount, a helpful health tool, or a link packed with resources you probably have not seen before. You never know what might show up.
Click to find out.
|
Recipe of the Week
Homemade Soft Scrub: An Easy Non-Toxic Cleaner
You do not need a cabinet full of harsh sprays to get a bathroom sparkling. This homemade soft scrub cleans tubs, sinks, tile, and grout with a couple of simple ingredients and none of the fragrance or fumes.
You stir baking soda together with a little castile soap until it forms a smooth paste, add a few drops of an essential oil like tea tree or lemon if you like, and scoop it onto a sponge or brush. It cuts through soap scum and grime, rinses clean, and costs a fraction of what the store-bought stuff does. Mix up a small jar and keep it under the sink for the week.
The bathroom is proof that a healthier home does not have to be expensive or complicated. Swapping your toilet paper, your shower curtain, your towels, and your cleaning supplies chips away at the everyday toxic load your family carries, and most of those swaps cost about the same as what you were already buying. Start with one this week and build from there. Thanks for being part of the Non-Toxic Dad community and for making the practical changes that add up to a healthier home over time. See you next week!
✅ B: Over 100 different VOCs are off-gassing into your bathroom air
That "new shower curtain" smell is not harmless. When researchers tested a new PVC vinyl shower curtain, they found it released as many as 108 different volatile organic compounds into the air, with total levels many times higher than recommended indoor air quality guidelines, and some of it kept off-gassing for close to a month. The warmth and steam of a shower pull even more of it out. That is why a curtain made from organic cotton, hemp, or linen is such an easy win, and why running the fan makes a real difference in the meantime.
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