I want to be upfront about something: I am not toxin-free. I still wear my favorite 'recycled polyester' Vuori outfit. I have a half-empty bottle of conventional shampoo in my shower right now. My house is not a perfectly curated wellness sanctuary, and that's not what Hearth & Haven has ever been about.
What I do believe in is paying attention. Once you start learning about what's in everyday products, from the coating on your cookware to the "fragrance" listed on your candle label, it's hard to stop. And I don't think you have to go all-in overnight to make a real difference. Small, consistent swaps over time add up to a genuinely less toxic home without the overwhelm or the guilt of not being perfect.
Here's where I started, and where I'd suggest you start too.
Easy swaps that actually make a difference
Nonstick cookware for cast iron or stainless steel
Conventional nonstick pans are coated with PTFE (Teflon) or similar chemicals that can release toxic fumes when overheated. Cast iron is nearly indestructible, gets better with age, and adds a little iron to your food as a bonus. Stainless steel is another great option if you prefer lighter weight. You don't need to replace everything at once — start with the pan you use every single day.
Plastic food storage for glass
Plastic containers, especially when heated in the microwave or run through the dishwasher repeatedly, can leach BPA and other plasticizers into your food. Glass storage containers are easy to find, last forever, and don't hold onto smells or stains. I made this swap gradually — every time a plastic container cracked or warped, I replaced it with glass. Within about a year, my entire cabinet had turned over.
Synthetic cleaning products for simple alternatives
Most conventional cleaning sprays are loaded with synthetic fragrance, surfactants, and preservatives that linger on your surfaces long after you've wiped them down. A lot of what you actually need to clean your home can be done with white vinegar, baking soda, castile soap, and a few drops of essential oil. Branch Basics and Branch Basics concentrates are a good option if you want a ready-made clean alternative that actually works.
Unfiltered tap water for filtered
Tap water quality varies enormously depending on where you live, and even "safe" municipal water can contain chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals, and trace pharmaceuticals. A countertop filter or under-sink system is one of the higher-impact low-tox swaps you can make, and you don't need a whole-home filtration system to see a difference. Even a simple pitcher filter is a meaningful step up.
Conventional candles for clean-ingredient ones
This one is obviously close to home for me. Most mass-market candles are made with paraffin wax, a petroleum byproduct, and scented with synthetic fragrance that can contain phthalates and other compounds that aren't disclosed on the label. When you burn a candle in a closed room for a few hours, you're breathing whatever is in it. Switching to a candle made with coconut soy wax, phthalate-free fragrance, and a cotton or wood wick is a simple swap that directly improves your indoor air quality.
Detergent bar soap for real cold process soap
Most commercial bar soap isn't actually soap. It's a detergent bar made with synthetic surfactants that strip your skin's natural oils and, in many cases, the glycerin that would have kept your skin moisturized. Real cold process soap, made with plant-based oils and nothing synthetic, is genuinely different on your skin — especially in a dry climate like Denver's. Your daily shower is one of the easiest places to make a low-tox upgrade.
Synthetic air fresheners for natural scent
Plug-in air fresheners, aerosol sprays, and synthetic room sprays are some of the biggest offenders when it comes to indoor air quality. They work by masking odors with a continuous stream of synthetic fragrance compounds — many of which are not disclosed on the label. Opening windows when you can, using a diffuser with essential oils, or burning a clean candle are all better options for a home that actually smells good without the chemical load.
A note on doing this without burning out
The low-tox rabbit hole is deep, and it can get overwhelming fast. One week you're swapping your cookware and the next you're reading about VOCs in your paint and wondering if you need to re-do your entire house. That's not sustainable, and honestly it's not necessary.
My approach has always been to focus on frequency of exposure. The products you use every single day — what you cook in, what you store food in, what you wash with, what you burn in your home — those are the highest-leverage swaps. Start there. Replace things as they wear out rather than throwing everything away at once. And give yourself credit for the choices you're already making, even if the list isn't complete yet.
Progress over perfection, always.
Frequently asked questions
What does low-tox mean?
Low-tox is short for low-toxin. It refers to a lifestyle approach focused on reducing exposure to potentially harmful chemicals in everyday products, from cookware and food storage to cleaning supplies and personal care. It's not about being perfect or chemical-free; it's about making more intentional choices over time.
What are the easiest low-tox swaps to start with?
Some of the easiest starting points are switching from nonstick cookware to cast iron or stainless steel, replacing plastic food storage with glass, swapping synthetic candles for clean-ingredient ones, choosing fragrance-free or naturally scented cleaning products, and filtering your tap water.
Do I have to throw everything out to go low-tox?
No. The most sustainable approach is to replace things as they run out or wear out rather than throwing everything away at once. Starting with the items you use most often gives you the biggest impact without overwhelming your budget.
Are nontoxic candles really better?
Conventional paraffin candles are made from petroleum byproducts and often scented with synthetic fragrance that can contain phthalates and other undisclosed compounds. Clean candles made with coconut soy wax, phthalate-free fragrance, and cotton or wood wicks are a meaningful upgrade for your indoor air quality, especially if you burn candles regularly.
Hearth & Haven
Better ingredients for your home. That's it.
Clean-ingredient candles and cold process soap, handcrafted in Denver. A small swap with a real difference.
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