10 essential low-tox habits/products I prioritized in my new home

What I focused on and what I replaced after the fire

For most of us, creating a low tox Home will not happen, and should not happen, overnight. My prior home was carefully curated , over the span of 15 years+ years, into our low tox oasis. Small steps and changes made low tox living super manageable and not stressful.

But, As many of you know, we lost our carefully curated home overnight in January’s Los Angeles fires…

So, why I’m not the norm, we were literally in a situation where we had to replace all of our low tox items virtually overnight. This time, however, I was Armed with 15+ years of low tox research and knowledge which made the process of choosing the better product much easier.

While I still can’t control everything ( we are living in a rental unit which has wall to wall carpeting for example, which would always be a major no-no for me) I can work around just about everything ( including the carpeting! Adding air filters and vacuuming!)

Here are 10 priority items ( in no particular order)

Part 1 (Priority items 1-5)

1. WATER FILTRATION

With few exceptions: filtering your drinking and cooking water will be one of the most important steps you can take towards lower tax living. The reason?

Filtering your drinking water is one of the simplest most powerful ways to cut daily exposure to hidden toxins. Unbeknownst to many, city tap water can contain a cocktail of hidden toxins like : chlorine by products, fluoride, pesticide runoff, trade pharmaceuticals, PFAS, heavy metals and so much more. Filtering your water cuts through that daily toxin burden.

The two types of water filters I recommend are: Reverse osmosis and multi stage carbon. These are the most effective at filtering out many different toxins including hard to remove PFAS.

Reverse osmosis:

• AQUATru Classic Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Purifier: we have this upstairs in our bedroom

• AQUATru Carafe Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Purifier: we used this during our time in Spain. I love that it filters into a glass carafe.

• Pure effects: For 10 years I had their 3 stage under sink filter and tested in independently multiple times. Big fan.

2. AIR FILTERS
Reasons you might want to consider buying an airfilter: you live in an area that is affected by wildfire smoke (basically 80% of the US!) , you live near a busy street, your home has been recently renovated, your home is a new construction, you have newer furniture, you have a family member that is very allergenic, you want to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals inside your home (all homes have them! ). For an overview on buying an air filter and a comparison of some popular models you can read my guide: Air filter buying guide

After years (about 8) of owning a few Austin Air Filters I became an authorized dealer because I always recommended them! As an authorized dealer I can offer you a 10% discount now through the end of the month. For more information, please email me at.: 3littleplums@gmail.com

3. TAKE SHOES OFF WHEN ENTERING HOME

It might seem so simple, yet taking your shower home upon entering your home actually can make a big impact in reducing your indoor exposure to toxic chemicals. Shoes track in: heavy metals, pesticides, fecal matter, bacteria, industrial toxins.

4. NON-TOXIC COOKWARE

We cooked with All Clad stainless steel for 18 years until the fire. Now, I have stainless steel pots and pans from two newer companies that I love ( I still love All Clad stainless steel too and do have 2 of their pots and pans and their kitchen utensils)

• 360 stainless steel:

• Caraway ( i inly recommend their stainless steel)

For years, I only use stainless steel until I finally tried cast-iron about 6 years ago. I really think I love cast-iron even more! It really gives you that easy nonstick finish. These are the cast-iron pans I currently have.

• Field and Co No 10 skillet

• Smithey no 11 deep skillet with lid

For more ( bakeware etc) you can read my post “ Low Tox Kitchen Essentials”

5. LOW- TOX CLEANING SUPPLIES

Unlike some higher cost items, cleaning supplies can be switched out immediately at little to no cost. Conventional cleaning products often hide harsh chemicals like ammonia, chlorine bleach, 1,4 dioxane (a carcinogen) formaldehyde, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances that can irritate skin and lungs short turn and have long term ramifications by messing with out hormones, leading to asthma, cancer damages to the central nervous system and more. You can start by making your own cleaners by mixing vinegar and water for an all purpose cleaner….. I started there and today I buy and use these cleaning products at home:

• Branch Basics (discount code: AIDASPICKS ) Also available on Amazon

• Force of Nature (mostly for the bathroom ( shower and toilet area)

Laundry:

• Meliora

• Molly Suds

Part 2 (items 6-10) coming soon- stay tuned!

6. HIGH QUALITY VACUUM WITH HEPA

Vacuuming is vital to maintaining a lower tox home, The reason is that dust particles are filled with chemicals that come from outdoors, from furniture, from construction materials etc. Dust settles on the floor. This is why vacuuming (and mopping hard flooring) is so so important. BUT you need a vacuum with a HEPA filter- otherwise all the dust and chemicals your vacuum sucks in, eventually escapes the vacuum again into your home. Because we are living in a rental with wall to wall carpets in the bedrooms I decided it was 100% worth the investment to purchase the best possible vacuum. Carpeting can hide toxins in dust and, unless you are vacuuming regularly with a HEPA filter vacuum, carpeting will harbor and continually expose you to countless chemicals that settle on the floor and in dust and that you track in (if you don’t take your shoes off). This is the one I chose.

(a great plastic free mop is: https://amzn.to/4dATAA9

7. 100% NATURAL AND NON-TOXIC MATTRESS AND BEDDING

Our bedrooms should be our sanctuary- at the very least from harmful chemicals. Children particularly spend over 1/3 of their time in their beds. Before adolescence they may sleep between 9-14 hours a day. This is why creating a low tox space in the bedroom is so important. Research this year (2025) has found that children’s bedrooms can release a long list of harmful chemicals including: phthalates, flame retardants and PFAS from mattresses. For our new bedrooms this is what we chose:

MATRESSES:

• King mattress: After the fire I decided to repack my old king mattress with the same one, becauseI love it so much: My Green Mattress Natural Escape

• FULL MATTRESS 1: for my oldest son we tried out Savvy Rest’s totally personalizable natural latex Serenity Mattress ( DISCOUNT CODE: AIDASPICKS for 20% off)

• FULL MATTRESS 2 and 3: for my two youngest we chose Naturepedic’s kids VERSE mattress (discount code: 3LITTLEPLUMS for 15%) I chose this model because it is firmer than the 2 in 1 children model they offer- thus is more comfortable for any big kid or adult who will sleep on it!

PILLOWS:

• I really love the Avocado Green Pillow and we all (in the family) have one. I love that you can personalize the natural latex fill for different family members

• Savvy Rest wool pillow: the other pillow I love in natural wool

SHEETS

• Aizome undyed sheet sets are the purest I have found, made with regenerative cotton and (their dyed sheets) dyed with plant based dyes.

• The kids also have GOTS certified organic cotton sheets from Crate and Barrel… because they are cute :-)

• knit blanket (polyester alternative) : In our old home my sons both had cozy polyester blankets I could not get them to get rid off. they were so old and just releasing micro plastics - yuck! This time I got Aizome’s organic cotton blanket and we ALL love them.

8. NO PERFORMANCE NOR POLYESTER UPHOLSTERY FURNITURE NOR AREA RUGS

This is a big one. Its also the hardest one to source.