Even if you live in an urban location, the air inside your home is likely more polluted than the air on the city streets outside. If you’re a reader of this blog, you probably know that indoor air contamination comes from places like the paint on your walls, carpeting on your floors, and flame retardant treatments in the foam cushions of your upholstered furniture. It’s true that these are all
Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
The Safe Dish Soap Guide Is Here!
Now in our final weeks of summer, the boys and I have been enjoying exploring the city (and still traveling every weekend!). This picture was taken at Battery Park's SeaGlass Carousel, which was actually pretty magical, although Wolfie's face sort of sums up the rest of the trip--it was HOT, we waited 45 minutes for pizza (and wine!), and opted for a $30 Uber-ride home after a major tantrum for a
Honest Detergent Contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, After Calling it “Toxic”
You've probably heard by now that Honest Company detergent was recently found, by two independent lab tests, to contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a foaming agent that Jessica Alba has called "toxic." I have three quick things to say about this: 1) In our review, I listed Honest's detergent as "possibly sneaky" since we couldn't confirm what exactly they use as a surfactant--now we
Spotlight on 1,4-dioxane
What is 1,4-dioxane? 1,4-dioxane is a stabilizing agent and is classified as an ether, as well as a probable human carcinogen. Where You’ll Find It You can be exposed to 1,4-dioxane contamination in the air, water, and cosmetic and cleaning products. 1,4-dioxane has been found in groundwater sites in the United States and can be inhaled through indoor contamination, particularly in the shower
Spotlight on Phenoxyethanol
What is Phenoxyethanol? Also known as Ethylene Glycol Monophenyl Ether, phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative used in consumer products and pharmaceutical drugs. Where You’ll Find Phenoxyethanol & Why It’s Sneaky You’ll find phenoxyethanol in personal care products including makeup (e.g. eye shadow, foundation, and mascara) and moisturizers as well as skin- and hair-care products for
Comet’s Tale, A Safety Review
Comet disinfectant cleanser is just one of several products sold that are meant to “gently” scour our bathtubs, showers, sinks, and tile. Others include Ajax, SoftScrub, and more. These cleaners are effective because they rely on chlorine bleach, and/or a bunch of other chemicals that are often not even listed on the label (which is somehow legal). A chemical analysis of Comet Disinfectant
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser: Is it Toxic?
My client looked sheepish as she swung open the door to the closet that held her cleaning supplies. We had just been through her pantry, where all of her stored foods--exclusively organic items, of course---were housed in glass tubs...from quinoa to oat groats to seaweed, nothing lived in a plastic container of any kind. After moving to the playroom, where I spotted only one piece of plastic
The Honest Company by Jessica Alba: Good, Bad, or Sneaky?
We get multiple emails a day asking about Jessica Alba's line of baby and household products, The Honest Company, whose mission is "to reduce the ubiquitous presence of toxic chemicals in our our natural environment, man-made environments, and our personal environments." It seems that Gimme the Good Stuff readers are all dying to know: Is The Honest Company truly good stuff? I'd feel
The Truth About Organic Dry Cleaning
As you probably know, traditional dry cleaning involves toxic chemicals. Dry cleaners use tetrachloroethylene (commonly known as "perc"), which is classified as a probable human carcinogen, with exposure conferring an increased risk of cervical and esophageal cancers, lymphoma, vision problems, and Parkinson's disease. Perc enters the bloodstream via respiration or through skin absorption, and it
Natural Dish Soap–Does Anything Actually WORK?
If an all-purpose cleaner doesn't work very well, it's kind of hard to tell, right? The same could be said for wood cleaners or even toilet bowl scrubs. But when you use a natural dish soap and find yourself smearing oily water around a pan, the lack of chemical grease-cutters is annoyingly apparent. I used to think Seventh Generation dish soap was a decent choice, but then I learned more about