How To Reduce Your Flame Retardants Exposure Drastically?

Flame retardants are a class of compounds used to minimize the flammability of furniture, fabrics, electronic gadgets, appliances, building materials, and automobiles. These compounds are found in almost every foam, fabric, rubber, and plastic product, and while many of them are safe and serve to keep you safe, others are cause for concern.

Steps to reduce your flame retardants exposure

Here’s what you can do according to the study’s findings:

Wash your hands.

This is a good rule of thumb to follow because it minimizes your chances of contracting a virus or bacteria. Hand washing removes dust particles off the skin, keeping flame retardants from entering your mouth. When you return home, wash your hands before eating, going to the toilet, and handling food. 

Any reason to wash your hands is a good reason to do so. Switch to a natural, moisturizing soap if your hands become dry.

Vacuum instead of sweeping.

Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum to clean your floors, but be sure it has a True HEPA filter. A HEPA-certified filter and a HEPA-certified vacuum are the two levels of HEPA certification for vacuums.

A true HEPA system will be airtight, meaning that the suction will capture and keep the smallest particles as air passes through it. Sweeping simply returns little particles to the air, so vacuum at least once a week.

Wet mop afterward.

After vacuuming away as much dust as possible from hard surfaces and carpets, wash them with a bar of light soap and warm water. The key to wet mopping well is to employ the perfect amount of wetness. If you use too little water, the floor will not be clean, and if you use too much, the dust will be pushed around. 

You can mop by hand to alleviate this problem, but make sure that the mop or cleaning cloth you use does not contain any flame retardants. For a natural and effective mopping (and cleaning) procedure, combine all-purpose castile soap and Eco Cleaning Cloth.

Dust better

Many mothers have trained their children to push dust onto the floor first, then sweep and mop it up. You should still dust before vacuuming, but trapping the dust rather than throwing it into the air is preferable. 

You should dust more frequently as well. To remove the majority of the dust, use your HEPA vacuum with a dusting attachment, and then wipe down surfaces with a natural cleanser including orange oil. This will trap dust while also cleaning the surfaces and giving the wood a lovely gloss.

Replace fabrics that contain flame retardants.

Fabrics coated with flame retardants are typically certified for one year. The chemicals dissolve over time if you wash them in your washing machine like any other fabric, which is an excellent reason for buying worn clothing.

You can also choose products made of naturally flame-retardant textiles such as wool, silk, and untreated organic cotton, which are not only flame-retardant but also free of hazardous chemicals. Wool bedding, and some gorgeous Native Organic Cotton Sheets, should be used instead of cotton.

Avoid foam.

Foam furniture is one of the worst offenders because it is extremely combustible. To compensate, producers are required by law to treat these products with flame retardants, resulting in massive volumes of dust for years. Sofas and mattresses, for example, are items on which you spend half your life. Fortunately, ‘chemical-free’ furniture is now available, largely in the form of futons.

These are antimicrobial, dust mite resistant, non-off gassing, and free of harmful flame retardants. They are also naturally flame retardant because they are usually made of wool. Replace these with a wood frame instead of a cloth frame to drastically reduce the number of flame retardants in your home.

Retool your baby and children’s gear.

Because of the potential for fire, anything involving babies and children is routinely treated with flame retardants. Children’s products, such as car seats, plush toys, and especially cotton and synthetic bedding materials, can be extremely flammable. However, most of this is due to fear of lawsuits. 

To keep chemicals out of your baby’s mouth, switch to organic and wool goods, as well as organic cotton sheets. Stuffed animals aren’t necessary for children, but if they want to cuddle, try recycled wool puppets instead.

Go minimalist.

Plastics and electronics are ubiquitous in today’s world, but do you really need so many? Manufacturers treat electronics with chemicals to make them ‘candle resistant.’ Make some decisions by going over each room of your house. 

Do you require it? Is television necessary for everyone? Do you have a lot of plastic kitchen appliances? Are there any alternatives if you do?

Build green.

Insulation and many other building products, particularly foam insulation, include large levels of flame retardant chemicals. Cellular glass and expanded cork are two safe and effective options. Use hardwood or tile instead of carpeting and avoid classic rugs. Rather, invest in a genuine wool rug.

Open your windows.

If you aren’t allergic to the outside, simply open your windows to let more air into your home. To protect yourself from breathing in what you’re stirring up, do this especially when cleaning and agitating the dust in your home. 

Even in the winter, by opening the windows in one room at a time while closing the door to the rest of the home, you can accomplish this without losing heat. Mold can be avoided with proper ventilation, which is especially important in humid climates. Consider having extra ventilation with filtration installed as part of your heating and cooling system by a professional.

Conclusion

The more we learn about chemicals and what’s floating in our homes, it’s easy to feel progressively nervous. There are just a few retardants that are a substantial source of worry and so widely used that they are impossible to avoid. 

Thankfully, science tells us that the best defense against this invisible threat is to clean thoroughly, wash hands, choose chemical-free goods and make use of protective coveralls. Protective coveralls protect you from many hazardous germs and chemicals in any situation that is made up of natural materials.

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