10 Non-Toxic Living Swaps I Wish I’d Made Sooner

At this point in my healthy living journey, I’ve swapped most of my everyday items for non-toxic alternatives. However, there are a number of items that I switched in more recent years, and in hindsight, I wish I had swapped them earlier!

Trying to switch all of your everyday essentials can be overwhelming and expensive. It’s important to take things one step at a time! I hope this list helps you determine where you should prioritize and focus, and gives you some inspiration for how you should swap your own household items.

A good strategy is to first swap things that you use frequently, especially if it’s everyday! And don’t get too set in your ways with how you use your products. Be open to new ways of doing things, because sometimes there can be a learning curve when adapting to a new product. You will not regret it!

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Natural Pillow

I think having a natural, supportive pillow is very underrated! We spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping, and most people are using pillows that strain their neck or back and are filled with a lot of toxins that can off-gas, such as formaldehyde, flame retardants, and pesticides. I knew that my pillow was important, but I wish I had prioritized it earlier!

I recently upgraded to this latex pillow after being tired of constantly having a sore neck and waking up with headaches. This pillow felt comfortable from the first night and I feel very hopeful that it’s going to help with my pain long-term!

It’s made with 100% natural latex… no memory foam or polyester fill. One thing I don’t like about this specific one is that it comes with a flame-retardant inner cover. I removed the flame-retardant inner cover and don’t plan to ever use it (I’m currently waiting to hear back from the company with more details about what exactly makes the inner cover flame-retardant, because flame-retardant finishes are NOT good for you). Other than that, I am really happy with this pillow and love that it is adjustable, and the price point was a bit lower than some other comparable options.

Another great option is a 100% natural buckwheat hull pillow. These types of pillows get great reviews and I debated between the buckwheat and the latex pillow. I’m hoping to be able to try a buckwheat one in the future too!

Plastic-free coffee maker (French press)

For too long I continued to use our plastic coffee maker, likely exposing us daily to more microplastics than necessary. While the carafe was made out of glass, like most standard drip coffee makers, all the interior parts where the coffee is brewed is plastic!

I finally committed to making our daily coffee exclusively with a stainless steel French press, completely eliminating any plastic being used to make our coffee. There was a slight learning curve for getting used to making our coffee this way (it takes a little longer), but I’m so glad I did this and wish I had done it sooner!

Wood cutting board

I finally got a new cutting board made out of wood. I was surprised how it instantly felt so much nicer to chop on wood! These little things really make a difference! I used to have some bamboo ones, but they didn’t last very long.

I waited for a long time before buying one because I couldn’t find the “perfect” one that didn’t use any mineral oil on it.

I ended up finding one at HomeSense that seemed quite good, and although it isn’t perfect, I’m glad I didn’t wait any longer to make this swap! It had hardly any oil on it, so I felt more comfortable with it.

The cutting board I got is very similar to this Canadian Maple one. I plan to occasionally apply a wax & oil treatment like this that is free from mineral oil! It’s very rare to find a wood conditioner product that doesn’t use mineral oil.

100% plastic-free water bottle

I’ve had a stainless steel water bottle for a long time, but the one I was using everyday still had plastic on the inside of the lid. You’ve probably heard before how high the level of microplastics can be for disposable water bottles, but something new I learned is that the highest amount of microplastics actually comes from the lid– from twisting it on and off! (If I can find that research study again, I’ll add it in here.)

With that in mind, I was determined to find a completely plastic-free water bottle. I bought this stainless steel one, which I am really loving. It is 100% stainless steel- even the inside of the lid!

It is the perfect size to bring along with me for running errands, or to add to our backpack when going hiking. I chose the uninsulated version to make it really lightweight for hiking.

Enameled cast iron pan

This is another area that I compromised on for too long! Despite knowing how harmful non-stick pans are, I continued using a non-stick pan for cooking eggs, in addition to one of those “The Rock” pans for our main cooking pan.

“The Rock” pans make it sound like their textured surface is what makes them non-stick, but it’s actually hard to get clear information on what exactly they are made out of. I finally decided that I do not trust them, and these pans are just too “non-stick” not to have a non-stick coating.

Plus, it looked like the “coating” was starting to wear off (the colour was changing in some spots) so I decided that enough was enough and I took the plunge on an enameled cast iron pan that was on sale. I absolutely love this pan– it is beautiful and is an heirloom piece if taken care of properly. (This one is similar.)

There was a slight learning curve with this pan as well, but overall, the function has been nearly the same and I wish I had made this upgrade sooner!

Embossed glass measuring cup

Does anyone else hate how the typical glass measuring cups have painted numbers that eventually wear off? I swear they do this just so we are forced to buy new ones at some point! What’s worse is that the paint usually contains lead. I just bought this one with embossed measurements (no paint!) and am so excited to start using it!

Natural Deodorant

About 10 years ago, I tried switching from a regular antiperspirant to a natural deodorant. I struggled with the transition and eventually went back to antiperspirant temporarily. However, later on I tried again and this time I stuck with it! I found strategies to get through it and now I only use natural deodorant.

I cringe when I think about how much antiperspirant I used to wear… it makes me sad to realize the abundant chemicals I was exposed to. If you, too, are wanting to make the switch to natural deodorant, this post on how to use natural deodorant will definitely be helpful!

It may require some trial and error for you to find the right one that works for you, but here are my two favourites right now: the vanilla coconut scent by Souldeo and the Dr. Mist spray.

Wood cooking utensils

There came a point in time more recently when I decided once and for all that I was not going to use any more plastic in my kitchen for cooking. Now I still have a few plastic items, but what I am referring to is situations where the plastic will be heated (this is when it more easily leaches into your food). I got rid of ALL my plastic utensils and now use exclusively wood, stainless steel, and silicone.

I thought it was going to be difficult to have to handwash more utensils (the wood ones), but it actually hasn’t been a big deal at all. I wish I had made that swap sooner!

I wrote a whole blog post on the best types of non-toxic cooking utensils, so be sure to check it out here to see my top recommendations!

Organic tampons

I’ve been using organic period products for some time now, but I wish I had done it sooner. Most big brands of tampons and pads are made with so many undisclosed chemicals and/or contaminants. For a long time I used this brand made out of cotton, which are a good choice to start with or if you want something a tad more budget-friendly. However, they only use an organic cotton “core”, implying only the core is actually organic cotton.

Conventional cotton, unfortunately, is grown with heavy pesticide use, so it was important to me to use certified organic cotton in this area.

Now I use the ones from ORGANYC, which are 100% organic cotton. These are totally worth the extra cost when you think about the prolonged, direct skin contact these are making and in a very delicate location. With so many women suffering from conditions related to menstruation and the reproductive system, we need to reduce our chemical exposures in these areas!

Dental floss

Something I learned a little later on in my “natural living” journey is how many brands of dental floss are coated with PFAS (hormone disruptors that bioaccumulate)- the same chemicals used in Teflon non-stick coatings. This is what helps the floss glide easily between teeth. The frustrating part is that they don’t tell you this! You are directly ingesting these chemicals, yet their product doesn’t have an ingredient list… awful!

Natural flosses, on the other hand, rely on natural waxes like beeswax or candelilla wax to help it glide easily between teeth. Some are made out of polyester or nylon, and some are made out of natural silk or a corn bioproduct. They will typically include essential oils such as peppermint for a subtle flavor and antibacterial properties.

I tried a few natural flosses, which DO give you an ingredient list, and this one by Desert Essence is my favourite so far because it doesn’t break in between my tight teeth. This floss from RADIUS is similar and also a great choice!

The flosses made out of silk are a great choice too- they are 100% natural and biodegradable. Unfortunately for me, they would break in between my tight teeth.

With PFAS being one of the most toxic types of chemicals we are exposed to, I wish I had known this earlier!

So there you have it- the top 10 non-toxic items I wish I had swapped earlier! I highly recommend switching out some of these household and personal care items if you haven’t already. If you need any help, let me know!

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