The 3 Key Toxins You Need to Remove From Your Home (And Where to Start)

If you've spent any time on social media or health blogs lately, you've probably noticed the same thing I have: a new toxin warning seemingly every week. Chromium-6 in your water. Microplastics in your food. PFAS in your cookware. Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins in your cleaning products. The list goes on and on.

Here's the truth: you're not a chemist. Neither am I. And yet, we're expected to navigate 300,000 synthetic chemicals that have been introduced into our daily lives over just the last century.

Our bodies' natural detoxification systems, the ones that worked brilliantly for thousands of years, weren't designed to handle this continuous chemical exposure. The kidneys, liver, lungs, intestines, and skin that keep us safe are now completely overwhelmed. 

I know this overwhelm intimately. Ten years ago, I watched my twins crawl across our floors and suddenly became hyperaware of every product, every surface, every invisible threat in our home. I spent months researching, reading studies, and trying to memorise compound names I couldn't pronounce. The anxiety was paralysing. The to-do list felt impossible.

Then I discovered something that changed everything: you don't need to know all 300,000 chemicals. You don't need to memorise compound structures or understand toxicology. You need to focus on three key toxin categories that are easy to identify in your lifestyle and, more importantly, not difficult to reduce.

Dr Aly Cohen, one of the world's leading experts in environmental health and author of Detoxify: The Everyday Toxins Harming Your Immune System and How to Defend Against Them, confirms this approach. Rather than creating anxiety around every possible exposure, she encourages focusing on a few chemicals that matter most because they're prevalent, harmful, and avoidable.

Let me walk you through the three toxin categories you actually need to worry about, where they're hiding in your home right now, and the simple swaps that make a genuine difference.

Toxin #1: BPA (Bisphenol A) - The Plastic Problem You Can Actually Solve

You've probably heard of BPA. It was famously banned from baby bottles and sippy cups back in 2012 because of its endocrine-disrupting effects. What you might not know is that BPA didn't disappear. It simply moved to places you're not looking.

Where BPA is Hiding:

The biggest culprit? Canned foods. BPA is used as an interior lining or epoxy resin in most canned goods, from tinned tomatoes to canned beans to that emergency tin of soup in your pantry. Every time you open a can, you're exposing yourself and your family to this endocrine disruptor that mimics oestrogen in the body and has been linked to increased cancer risk.

BPA is also lurking in:

• Plastic food storage containers (especially older ones)
• Plastic water bottles
• Till receipts (the thermal paper coating)
• Some plastic-lined takeaway containers
• The lining of aluminium drink cans 

Why BPA Matters:
As an endocrine disruptor, BPA interferes with your hormone system. This is particularly concerning for children, pregnant women, and anyone with existing hormonal imbalances. Studies have linked BPA exposure to fertility issues, early puberty, increased cancer risk, and metabolic disorders.

The Simple Swaps:
This is where the good news comes in. Research shows that switching from canned foods to fresh or frozen alternatives, combined with replacing plastic storage with glass or stainless steel, can significantly reduce urinary BPA levels within just days.

Here's what I did in my own home:

• Replaced all plastic food storage with glass containers (I use Pyrex and Mason jars - or just keep your collection of Leggos glass jars after spag bol night) 
• Switched to stainless steel water bottles for the whole family (Stanley or other brands are great)
• Bought frozen vegetables instead of canned (often more nutritious anyway)
• Started using fresh tomatoes or tomatoes in glass jars instead of tinned 
• Stopped accepting till receipts unless absolutely necessary (a lot of stores are starting to do this now anyway)

The shift took about two months to complete. I didn't throw everything out at once. I simply stopped buying canned goods and replaced plastic containers as they wore out or I found them on sale. No overwhelm. No financial stress. Just gradual, sustainable change.

Toxin #2: Phthalates - The Hidden Fragrance Trap

Phthalates (pronounced F-thal-ates for those wanting to know) are the toxins most people have never heard of, yet they're in nearly every home in Australia. These chemicals are used to make plastics flexible and to help scents last longer in products. They're endocrine and immune disruptors, and like BPA, they've been linked to increased cancer risk, reproductive issues, and developmental problems in children. 

Where Phthalates are Hiding:
The trickiest thing about phthalates is that they're often unlisted on ingredient labels. If you see the word "fragrance" or "parfum" on any product, assume phthalates are present unless the company specifically states they're phthalate-free.

Phthalates are commonly found in:

• Personal care products (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, moisturiser, makeup)
• Cleaning products (multi-purpose sprays, bathroom cleaners, floor cleaners)
• Laundry detergent and fabric softener
• Dishwasher detergent
• Scented candles
• Incense and oil diffusers with synthetic fragrances
• Air fresheners (plug-ins, sprays, and those little cardboard trees) 

Basically, if it’s mass produced, smells nice and comes in a bottle, it likely contains phthalates and it will be worth your while checking the ingredients.

Why Phthalates Matter:

These chemicals are particularly insidious because they're absorbed through skin contact and inhalation. Every time you wash your hands with scented soap, spray air freshener in your bathroom, or light a synthetic-scented candle, you're exposing yourself to phthalates.

Children are especially vulnerable because they have more skin surface area relative to their body weight and their developing systems are more susceptible to hormonal disruption. 

The Simple Swaps:

This was the category that genuinely shocked me when I started paying attention. I had cupboards full of ‘cleaning products’ that were essentially bottles of synthetic fragrance with a bit of surfactant (the chemical that is used to 'spread' liquid) thrown in. Here's how I tackled it... 

In the bathroom:
- Switched to fragrance-free or naturally scented personal care products (look for essential oils on the ingredient list, not "fragrance")
- Started making my own body scrubs, face and hair oils (simpler than you'd think – subscribe to hear about our downloadable recipe e-book)
- Replaced scented candles with beeswax or soy candles scented only with essential oils

In the laundry: 

• Switched to fragrance-free laundry powder (I now make my own with washing powder)
• Eliminated bought fabric softener (and made my own)
• Stopped using dryer sheets (wool dryer balls with essential oils are such an easy - and better - alternative) 

In the kitchen and living areas:

• Replaced all multi-purpose cleaners with white vinegar, baking soda, and water
• Removed all air fresheners and plug-ins (open windows, use an air purifier, house plants and even a seasonal simmer pot does the job so much better)
• Only buy candles that explicitly state "phthalate-free" or use beeswax 

The shift away from synthetic fragrances took about three months, and I'll be honest: my house smelled less "clean" at first because I'd been conditioned to associate artificial scent with cleanliness. Within a few weeks, my nose adjusted, and now I can't stand the chemical smell of conventional cleaning products.

Toxin #3: Heavy Metals - The Water Quality Issue You Can Control

Heavy metals, lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, get into our bodies primarily through drinking water, though they can also be present in some foods and older homes with lead paint or pipes. Unlike BPA and phthalates, which are synthetic chemicals created in laboratories, heavy metals are naturally occurring elements that have become concentrated in our environment through industrial processes and aging infrastructure. 

Where Heavy Metals are Hiding:
The primary source for most Australians is tap water. Depending on where you live and the age of your home's plumbing, your drinking water may contain varying levels of heavy metals. Older homes built before 1980 are more likely to have lead in their pipes or solder, which can leach into the water supply.

Heavy metals can also be found in:

• Some fish (particularly larger predatory fish that accumulate mercury) 
• Rice and rice products (can contain arsenic from soil and water)
• Some fruit juices (especially apple and grape juice, which may contain arsenic)
• Chocolate and cacao products (may contain cadmium) 
• Older ceramics (which may have been made with lead based glazes)

Why Heavy Metals Matter:

Heavy metals accumulate in the body over time because we can't easily excrete them through normal detoxification pathways. Lead is particularly concerning for children because it affects brain development and can lead to learning difficulties, behavioural problems, and reduced IQ. Mercury affects the nervous system. Arsenic and cadmium are linked to increased cancer risk.

The effects of heavy metal exposure are often subtle and cumulative, making them easy to overlook until significant damage has occurred.

The Simple Swaps:

Dr Cohen emphasises that heavy metals in drinking water can be reduced with reasonable, cost-effective filtration. This was one of the first changes I made in my home because it addressed such a significant daily exposure.

Here's what works:

• Installed a quality drinking water filter system (I use a benchtop filtration and remineralising unit)
• Added minerals back to filtered water (my water filter system does remineralise, but I also add a pinch of Celtic sea salt to my water)
• Test your water before choosing a filter (different filters remove different contaminants, so knowing what's in your water helps you choose the right system)
• Switched to stainless steel or glass for all drinking vessels (no more plastic bottles or aluminium cans with BPA linings)

For food sources:

• Limit consumption of large predatory fish (tuna, swordfish, marlin) to once per week maximum
• Rinse rice thoroughly before cooking and cook it with extra water that you drain off
• Avoid giving young children rice-based products daily
• Check ceramic dishware for lead (particularly vintage or handmade pieces from overseas - anything made pre-1997 in Australia could have lead-glaze)

The water filtration system was my biggest single investment in toxin reduction, $565 - $745AUD, but it's paid for itself many times over in terms of peace of mind and the elimination of bottled water purchases. And the kids love the taste (and actually miss it when we go away on holiday!). But a Britta on-tap system is less than $100, so it’s easy to make a start. 

Where to Start: Your First Swap This Week

I know what you're thinking. This still feels like a lot. Three categories of toxins, multiple rooms in your house, dozens of products to replace. Where do you even begin?

Here's what I tell everyone who asks: 

1. Start with water. Install a quality water filter or buy a benchtop filtration system this week. Water touches every system in your body multiple times per day. You drink it, cook with it, wash food in it, make tea and coffee with it. Filtering your water is the single highest-yield change you can make because it addresses heavy metals, removes chlorine and chloramine, and often filters out pesticide residues and pharmaceutical contaminants as well.
2. Once you've tackled water, move to the kitchen. Replace plastic storage containers with glass as they wear out or break. Stop buying canned goods and switch to fresh or frozen alternatives. These changes address BPA exposure and often result in eating fresher, more nutritious food.
3. Then tackle fragrance. The next time you run out of laundry detergent, buy a fragrance-free version or make your own. When your bathroom cleaner empties, replace it with white vinegar and baking soda. When that scented candle burns down, don't buy another one.

Room by room. Product by product. One small swap at a time.

The Bigger Picture: Supporting Your Body's Natural Detox Systems

Here's what I've learned after a decade of researching and implementing toxin reduction in my own life: removing these three key toxins from your home is only half the equation. The other half is supporting your body's natural detoxification systems so they can process and eliminate the exposures you can't completely avoid.

Your liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, and gut are working constantly to keep you safe. When we reduce the incoming toxic load through simple swaps like the ones I've outlined above, we free up those systems to work more efficiently. But we can also actively support them through movement, sweating, clean water intake, and specific nutrients that enhance detoxification pathways.

This is exactly why I created St Agnes Rituals; after spending years overwhelmed by the complexity of detoxification and frustrated by extreme cleanses that promised miracles but didn’t deliver. I wanted simple, effective rituals that busy parents could actually maintain. Not month-long juice fasts. Not expensive IV treatments. Just daily practices grounded in traditional wisdom and backed by modern understanding of how the body actually works.

My approach, and the philosophy behind every St Agnes Rituals product, is simple: remove first, then add. Reduce your toxic load through smart swaps in your home, then support your body's natural detoxification with gentle, consistent rituals. It's not complicated. It's not overwhelming. It's just honest, practical change that compounds over time.

You Don't Need to Be Perfect

Ten years ago, I was paralysed by the mountain of what I felt I needed to swap out. I felt like if I couldn't eliminate every toxin, why bother trying? If I couldn't afford organic everything, was there any point in buying organic anything? If I couldn't replace every product in my house overnight, should I just give up?

That thinking kept me stuck. What finally broke through was understanding that every small swap reduces your toxic load. Every glass container instead of plastic. Every fragrance-free product instead of scented. Every filtered glass of water instead of tap water from lead pipes. It all adds up.

You're not going to eliminate all 300,000 synthetic chemicals from your life. That's not realistic, and it's not necessary. What you can do is focus on these three key categories (BPA, phthalates, and heavy metals), make gradual swaps in your home and personal care products to reduce incoming exposure, and actively support your body's natural detoxification systems so they're set up to handle the rest more effectively.

Start with water this week. Move to the kitchen next month. Tackle fragrance over the next three months. Room by room, product by product, one small swap at a time. That's how real, sustainable change happens.

Your body is already working so hard to protect you. Our St Agnes Rituals 5-Day Detox Kit can help to support you to process your excess toxin overload. And while 300,000 toxins everyday feels impossible to protect yourself from; the simple swaps above, absolutely will lighten the load. And a lighter load is something all of us could use more of.

Research & References

This article draws on publicly available research, Australian health guidelines, and practitioner-informed insights. Where relevant, peer-reviewed sources are cited to support accuracy and transparency.

References

Detoxify: The Everyday Toxins Harming Your Immune System And How To Defend Against Them (Dr Aly Cohen, MD) https://alycohenmd.com/

Impact of Bisphenol A and its alternatives on oocyte health: a scoping review. Alexandra E Peters, Emmalee A Ford, Shaun D Roma, Elizabeth G Bromfield, Brett Nixon, Kirsty G Pringle, Jessie M Sutherland https://academic.oup.com/humupd/article/30/6/653/7758206

About the Author

Founder of St Agnes Rituals and mother of twins, with a personal focus on reducing the excessive toxin load in the body and home through gentle, sustainable detox rituals.

Disclaimer

This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It does not replace personalised guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Always consult your doctor, naturopath or other qualified practitioner before making changes to your health routine, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or are taking medication. St Agnes Rituals products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.