Written By Cass Nelson-Dooley, MS
Who doesn’t love a good home makeover show? What they never tell you is the huge amount of invisible toxins that are dumped into any home that gets a kitchen or home remodel. Before you dive in to your own personal HGTV home makeover, arm yourself with the best non-toxic materials to use. We will talk about the best countertops, non-toxic paints, kitchen cabinets, and flooring materials that improve your indoor air quality. You and your family can breathe easy, even with a beautiful new home interior. Find out the symptoms of indoor air pollution to look out for and the #1 most common building material that is emitting toxic fumes and damaging your air quality right now. Learn the Certified mark that helps pinpoint the best building materials to use for home renovations. Since indoor air pollution is a fact of life, we will also talk about the detoxification foods and supplements that will help your body naturally get rid of excess toxins. Clinicians, share this blog with your patients to help them remodel their homes safely.
Indoor air pollution is a serious problem. Americans spend nearly 90 percent of their time indoors, and the air inside your home can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Indeed, the World Health Organization says that 7 million premature deaths each year can be attributed to indoor and outdoor air pollution.
One of the main culprits of indoor air pollution are known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These human-made chemicals are found in paint, dry cleaning, and gasoline. “Volatile” means that these chemicals evaporate easily. VOC gases are invisible to the eye, but can fill the air you breathe. They can cause eye, nose, or throat symptoms, headaches, nausea, or worse. There may be anywhere from 50 to hundreds of individual VOCs circulating in your home. The levels of these chemicals can be 2 to 1000 times higher than outdoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The reason is because so many of our household items emit VOCs. On the flip side, our houses are more airtight than they ever were before. Houses trap the toxins and central heating and air systems recirculate the air over and over again. What to do you get at the end? Very polluted indoor air for you and your family to breathe.
Whether you get sick from toxins like VOCs or not depends on two main factors; an equation if you will. One side of the equation is the number of toxins you come into contact with, whether from a home remodel project, work, or just due to everyday life. The other side of the equation is how well your body can process and clear out those chemicals and harmful substances. The goal is to target both sides of the equation: lower the exposures and boost the detox capacity.
In this blog, we will first talk about how to lower the toxins in your indoor air by buying smart, non-toxic paint and building materials. Then we will discuss the foods and supplements that will help your body clear out any harmful substances that could threaten your health. If you are pregnant or have children, choosing non-toxic indoor paint, countertops, and cabinets are essential. That’s because babies and children are more vulnerable than adults to the adverse effects of indoor air pollution.
Indoor Air Pollution Signs and Symptoms
Respiratory System
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Breathing difficulty
- Chronic cough
- Congestion
- Eye, nose, or throat irritation
- Inflammation of sinuses or lungs
- Recurrent infections of sinuses or lungs
Neurological System
- Brain fog
- Dizziness
- Fatigue or low energy
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Nausea
- Mood changes
- Poor memory or focus
Other Symptoms
- Increased cancer risk
- Sensitivity to chemicals or chemical smells
I often fantasize about doing home remodel projects, but when we were launched head first into a kitchen remodel by surprise, I wasn’t so thrilled. I found myself on a search for non-toxic materials that wouldn’t harm our indoor air quality, were affordable, and that would get my kitchen back in good working order right away. There was an alarming lack of knowledge on the topic. Salespeople had no idea about chemical off-gassing from building materials. Some didn’t even know what VOCs were. When you’re doing a home remodel project, you don’t usually have time to dive into the research. The resources were sparse. So, here’s the summary of what I discovered and what you need to know to make the best decisions for you, your family, and your home.
11 Tips for a Healthier Home and Body
- Choose natural unsealed stone products for countertops
- Choose natural whole wood products for cabinets
- Avoid all laminate (composite) wood products
- Look for products with “no added formaldehyde”
- Choose low-VOC or zero-VOC non-toxic paints
- Look for the Greenguard Gold Certification
- Regularly ventilate your home with fresh air currents and exhaust fans to reduce indoor air pollutants
- Store chemicals outside of the home in a separate building
- Test your home air
- Eat a whole-foods diet rich in foods that naturally remove toxins from the body, such as broccoli, cabbage, carrots, garlic, and onion
- Take liver support supplements containing amino acids, B vitamins, and minerals
Non-toxic Indoor Paint
A fresh coat of paint can transform a room, but the chemicals lurking in paint can make you sick. We all know that telltale smell of a freshly painted room; that is the smell of VOCs. However, after the paint dries, even weeks and months after that smell is gone, paint can continue emitting these harmful gases into your home. Many VOCs are smelly. Think of the gasoline fumes at the pump when filling up the car. But don’t be fooled; there are also many VOCs that are odorless.
By choosing non-toxic paint, you can dramatically reduce the VOCs released into your home. When starting a home improvement project, choose “zero VOC” or “low VOC” indoor paints. Lowe’s, Sherwin Williams, and Home Depot all carry low VOC non-toxic paint products as of this writing. However, not all sales associates even know what VOCs are. You might be on your own when searching for non-toxic paint at Lowe’s or Home Depot.
Look for the UL Greenguard Certified Mark on the paint cans, which shows that the paint has been tested for indoor use. It has passed tests that show it is not a harmful source of indoor air pollution. Although Sherwin Williams does not always have the “zero VOC” label or Greenguard Certified mark on their indoor paint cans, the sales associate told me that it is industry standard to have extremely low VOCs in the paints. Still, always check that the paint you are buying is low VOC.
The Greenguard Certification program helps consumers figure out what products are safe for indoor use by stamping it with a telltale mark. UL Solutions’ Greenguard Certification is a third-party that tests products for chemical emissions using scientific standards. Products are screened for more than 15,000 VOCs that cause indoor air pollution. A Greenguard Certification means that the product has low emissions (or off-gassing) and is appropriate for indoor use. A step above, Greenguard Gold Certification has more rigorous standards and is tailored to keeping children safe from toxic fumes, since children can be more sensitive to these chemicals than adults. For example, formaldehyde levels must be less than 50 ppb for Greenguard Certification, whereas a much lower 7.3 parts per billion are allowed with Greenguard Gold Certification.
We used Valspar 2000 as a non-toxic paint from Lowe’s. It has Greenguard Gold Certification. If you are painting cabinets, we liked Sherwin Williams’ Ovation Plus as a non-toxic, low-VOC paint and it was recommended by the Lowe’s sales associate for that use. It is also Greenguard Gold Certified.
Non-toxic Countertops: Natural Stone over Laminate
You might not think that your kitchen countertops can emit dangerous fumes for years into your home, but they can. Can you guess the most widely available countertop material that is terrible for your home air quality? Laminate wood countertops. Laminate is essentially layers of paper all bonded together with glue. The problem is that the glue contains formaldehyde. Formaldehyde can cause sinus and breathing problems. Countertops can also contain harmful perfluorinated alkyl compounds or lead (see below).
There is one exception to laminate countertops. You can cover old laminate countertops with eco-friendly materials. Since much of the chemicals in the laminate have already off-gassed after 10-20 years, this can be a non-toxic solution for a great price point. If you must choose a laminate countertop, look for one with “no added formaldehyde” (NAF) resins.
Formaldehyde Exposure Symptoms:
- Asthma
- Breathing problems
- Bronchitis
- Dermatitis (skin rashes)
- Headache
- Irritation, burning, and watering of mucous membranes
- Pneumonia
- Rhinitis (runny nose)
Natural stone countertops by themselves are an ideal solution for battling indoor air pollution. However, if they come with a sealant, as many do, they contain perfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS), which can cause developmental and reproductive toxicity. Grout lines must be sealed, too, and those also can contain PFAS. Interestingly, I called five granite countertop companies in Atlanta, Georgia and only one had ever heard of VOCs or chemicals in countertops.
Toxic glazes used on porcelain can contain lead. However, porcelain countertops made in the USA are usually free of lead compounds in their glazes. Ceramic tiles from other countries are also a concern because their glazes or pigments may contain lead. Ceramic tiles made in the USA are typically lead-free. Also, avoid unspecified post-consumer recycled content, which may include lead-containing old cathode ray tubes from TV sets and computer monitors. You can contact the manufacturer to find out what is used.
When picking out a countertop for your kitchen remodel project, pass up the laminate countertops and opt for a stone that doesn’t put toxins into your air. Other good choices are concrete, stainless steel, or Greenguard Certified quartz.
Healthy Non-Toxic Countertop Materials for Indoor Air Quality
- Natural stone (unsealed). Granite and soapstone are low in chemicals and if they are not sealed, they are a great option for healthy air quality.
- Porcelain slab made in the USA (no glazes).
- Concrete countertops are thought to be very good for indoor air quality and they are affordable if you do them yourself.
- Stainless steel. Think of the stainless-steel counters in industrial kitchens. If this look goes with your décor, it is an excellent non-toxic countertop option.
- Engineered stone or quartz (low off-gassing). Greenguard Certified quartz is a good compromise between a healthy indoor environment and a lower price. Mikado quartz carries Greenguard Certification and it is comparable in price to regular quartz. SileStone carries some Greenguard Certified quartz countertops.
Non-toxic Cabinets
This extremely popular and affordable type of kitchen cabinets can send your home into an air quality tailspin: laminate kitchen cabinets. As we discussed earlier, laminate is made of many layers of paper, held together by glue. The glue puts out toxic gases. Unfortunately, laminate cabinets are loaded with formaldehyde that will seep into your home for months to years while you and your family are unaware. They also contain VOCs which can cause problems breathing, or inflammation of the lungs or sinuses.
Laminate cabinets and countertops are widespread and their rock-bottom prices are hard to pass up. It can be very difficult to get real wood cabinets at the usual hardware stores in the United States. It requires a special order, weeks to build, and the prices are at least triple the price of laminate cabinets.
Solid wood cabinets are what you want for the best indoor air quality possible, even though they are more expensive and more difficult to find. Choose solid wood cabinet doors and fronts. If you must buy cabinet bases that contain wood composite (laminate), look for products that are certified by the California Air Resources Board as having no added formaldehyde (NAF) or ultra-low emitting formaldehyde (ULEF). Use Greenguard Gold Certified adhesives, sealants, and finishes instead of finishes or sealers made with harmful solvents, such as petroleum distillates.
We went to a cabinet wholesaler who sold solid wood cabinets with a plywood box. Plywood is not ideal because it is still a processed wood product containing glue, but it was the best compromise we could find between price, speed, and indoor air quality. We painted them ourselves using non-toxic, low-VOC paint with Greenguard Gold Certification.
Non-toxic Flooring
Carpet is a significant source of indoor air pollution. Laminate wood flooring is a source of formaldehyde. When trying to find a low-chemical, healthy flooring material, choose hardwood floors or ceramic tiles made in the USA. They don’t emit fumes like carpet or laminate. They are easy to clean so that indoor allergens are less of an issue. There are some Greenguard Certified stick-on flooring products available, when necessary.
What to Think About When Planning Your Home Remodel:
- How important is healthy indoor air quality to me?
- Does someone in my home have breathing problems like asthma, allergies, sinus, or lung infections?
- How ventilated is my home?
- What is this building material made of?
- Is this a whole building material or a processed/synthetic material?
- Does it off-gas?
- Is it covered with sealers or glazes that might be toxic?
- Does this building material contain glue or formaldehyde? If so, can I find a product that emits lower levels of formaldehyde?
- Is there a Greenguard Gold Certified building material that would work better for this remodel project?
Detoxification Supplements
Toxins are part of our everyday life. Even when you choose low-VOC building materials for your home and non-toxic indoor paint, you and your loved ones are still exposed to unwanted chemicals with any home remodel project. The solution? Make smart choices to minimize toxic exposures in food, water, and air. In addition, you can support your liver detoxification system to better handle the toxins that you do encounter.
The liver is responsible for taking toxins and changing them into less harmful molecules that we can get rid of through sweat, urine, or stool. It does this through a three-step process (known as Phase I, II, and III liver detoxification), which requires important amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Certain foods can help you naturally detox such as broccoli, cabbage, carrots, garlic, and onion. Eating a diet rich in liver-supporting foods is a great way to detox your liver every day. However, diet is not enough for many people.
Detoxification supplements can help people who have more toxins to get rid of. This might be due to a home remodel project, toxic exposures at home or work, or those who have genetic weaknesses with detoxification. Many people simply want to optimize their health. Detoxification supplements provide the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids for liver repair. These are the building blocks that the liver needs to do its job of “taking out the trash.” Specifically, the amino acid glycine with vitamin B5 help the body detoxify VOCs from paint.
Liver Health Supplements:
- Amino acids, including n-acetyl cysteine and glycine
- Antioxidants
- B vitamins
- Glutathione
- Minerals, including selenium, iron, calcium, and zinc
Metabolic Maintenance is the company I recommend for detoxification supplements. I like their trio of detox products. It includes Metabolic Detox Complete protein powder, Metabolic Detox capsules, and BioMaintenance Prebiotic + Fiber. These supplements support phase I and phase II detoxification, as well as a fiber supplement that helps with phase III. Metabolic Maintenance has a proven track record spanning decades in the nutritional supplement industry and they are known for their high-quality products.
Home Remodeling? Do Not Pass Go Without These Tips
Arm yourself with the healthy, non-toxic building materials you need for home or kitchen remodel projects. With any home renovation, there will be an influx of toxins into your home that can add to your indoor air pollution. Toxic exposures are a fact of modern life on planet Earth. However, a successful two-prong strategy is to (1) remove toxins from your air, food, and water and (2) help the body naturally rid itself of toxins. When you choose healthy indoor building materials, you take a big chunk out of the toxins that you and your family breathe every day. You reduce cancer risk, ear, nose, and throat irritation, inflammation, and more. When you eat detoxification foods and take detoxification supplements, you further ramp up the body’s ability to cleanse itself. You and your family will be off to the races when it comes to healthy indoor air and healthier bodies, to boot!