Here’s the truth: we can’t control the pollution outside - traffic fumes, factory emissions (not at Grounded!), dust in the air.

But we can control what we bring into our homes.

And that matters more than ever. Today, rates of eczema, asthma, allergies, and hormone-related conditions are rising worldwide. While there are many factors, environmental toxins in the home are one of the most underestimated contributors, especially for babies, children, and the people who clean every day.

Studies even show that indoor air can be 2–5× more polluted than outdoor air, simply from the products we use. 

Some common questions we hear:

• Do natural cleaning products really improve indoor air quality? Yes! They don’t include some of those nasty triggers found in products that commonly offgas.
• What harmful chemicals should I avoid in household cleaning products? Some of the biggest offenders are in common disinfecting products like chlorine bleach, ammonia, intense oven cleaners, and more.
• Can eco-friendly cleaning products reduce allergy symptoms? Yes! Generally removing all types of environmental toxins can be helpful for allergies, but we’re the biggest fans of cleaning, laundry, and products that protect your air quality and skin.

Read below to learn more. 

Here are five hidden household toxins and the swaps that protect your long-term health.

1. Harsh Cleaning Chemicals (Your Home’s Biggest Indoor Air Polluter)

Where they show up: bleach, ammonia sprays, floor cleaners, toilet gels, oven cleaners.

Why they matter: These products release fumes that irritate your lungs and skin instantly, and with long-term exposure can worsen asthma, trigger eczema flare-ups, and contribute to hormonal imbalances.

Your control: Choose plant-based, non-toxic cleaners that are tough on dirt but gentle on you. Grounded Surface Cleaners, Pure Soap, and Instant Disinfectant keep air clean while actually cleaning your space. Or, get creative with more DIY recipes or things found in your pantry - like white vinegar!

2. Synthetic Fragrances, Candles & Air Fresheners (The Invisible Trigger)

Where they show up: candles, aerosols, “fresh linen” detergents, perfume-heavy softeners.

Why they matter: Fragrance chemicals and VOCs can irritate airways, disrupt hormones, and trigger migraines or eczema—especially in kids.

Your control: Ventilate daily, choose essential-oil sprays, and avoid any product that only lists “fragrance” without real ingredients.

3. Laundry Chemicals on Skin + Air (The Toxin We Sleep In)

Where they show up: conventional detergents, softeners, bleaches.

Why they matter: These chemicals sit on the skin all day - and on our bedding all night, causing irritation and breathing issues. Our skin is our largest organ in our body, and can absorb what touches it. Scented formulas release VOCs into the air, making asthma worse indoors.

Your control: Choose natural, fragrance-free laundry detergents, skip dryer sheets, and avoid anything with synthetic perfumes.

4. Pesticides, Insect Sprays & Food Chemicals (What We Eat + Breathe)

Where they show up: mosquito bombs, cockroach sprays, ant killers, pesticide residue on produce.

Why they matter: Many insect sprays contain neurotoxic ingredients and hormone disruptors. Indoors, the fumes linger, affecting children’s lungs and long-term immune health.

Your control:

• Use targeted gels, traps, nets, or crack sealing instead of fogging whole rooms.
• Wash produce thoroughly or soak greens in water + vinegar, or our Fruit & Vegetable Wash.
• Buy organic produce where possible.

5. Plastics + Heat (Small Exposure, Big Impact)

Where they show up: plastic food containers, water bottles, cling film, takeaway packaging, nonstick cookware.

Why they matter: Heating plastic releases BPA and phthalates - linked to hormonal problems, developmental issues, and even fertility impacts.

Your control: Store and reheat food in glass or stainless steel, avoid microwaving plastic, and upgrade water bottles. Consider shifting your cookware to stainless steel, or cast iron.

Why This All Matters

Chronic conditions don’t appear overnight, they build slowly from small exposures. And while conditions like asthma are lowering in some parts of the world - in Africa they’re increasing, especially in urban areas. 

Kids with eczema and asthma often react first, but adults feel the long-term impact too:

• chronic coughing
• skin irritation
• hormone issues
• reduced lung function
• daily headaches
• fatigue you can’t explain

You may not be able to control the outside world.

But inside your home—your air, your surfaces, your laundry, your products—you do have control.

Reducing toxins is one of the simplest, most powerful ways to protect your long-term wellness.

This is the heart of the New Clean: less harsh chemicals, more health, more breath, more life.