When you go shopping, it’s likely you don’t even think twice about picking up some cleaning products ready to make your home sparkle. After all, cleaning products are designed to kill everything harmful in our homes, right?

Whilst cleaning products do indeed claim to kill harmful bacteria, they themselves contain far more dangerous chemicals than we’d ever think possible. These chemicals and toxins can cause a variety of harmful symptoms but, where babies are around whose immune systems aren’t as strong as most adults, they can be deadly.

When becoming new parents, most of your energy is probably focused on buying the best baby products you can afford and decorating a bedroom ready for your new little arrival. However, common household products like paint, carpets and even some foods can contain similarly dangerous chemicals and pesticides found in cleaning products. So, shielding your baby from these chemicals is essential to ensure they’re in the healthiest environment possible whilst they’re learning and developing.

So, if you’ve just become new parents or are expecting a new arrival soon, here’s some important tips to limiting both yourselves and your children to exposure from harmful chemicals and toxins.

Learn the meaning of labels

When we see the words ‘biodegradable’ and ‘non-toxic’, we instantly assume the product is safe and free of harmful substances. But this simply isn’t the case, and it’s important you learn the true meaning of labels to prevent accidentally buying dangerous products.

The phrase ‘nontoxic’ simply means the product won’t cause injury to an individual if they’ve swallowed, inhaled or absorbed the product through their skin. This doesn’t mean the product is completely free of chemicals, so it’s important to go through the ingredient list to see exactly what’s inside.

Whilst biodegradable products are thought to be good for the environment, all this term means is that the product will naturally decompose once you’ve finished using it. In no way does this mean the product is healthy and free of chemicals, so don’t be fooled into buying something just because it seems ‘eco-friendly’.

Avoid cleaning products with childproof caps

Whilst this may seem the total opposite of what you should do (after all, childproof caps are there for a reason), avoiding products with childproof mechanisms is actually a good thing when your children are still very young.

Generally, if a cleaning product has a childproof cap, it contains dangerous chemicals that could be harmful to a child who comes into contact with it – hence the cap to avoid them gaining access! But babies and toddlers are naturally curious so, once you’ve cleaned your house with these products, they won’t think twice about placing their hands everywhere and licking them afterward. This will inadvertently put your child in contact with the chemicals you specifically set out for them to avoid!

So, whilst they’re still at a very young age, opt for products without these childproof caps that will be far less harsh and damaging to them. And as long as you keep them somewhere your baby simply can’t reach like a high cupboard, you won’t ever have to worry they’ll start messing around with them.

Check out https://www.cleanhappens.com/products/new-baby-essentials-kit for examples of these baby-friendly cleaners you can use throughout your entire home.

Go organic

With babies being at much higher risk when exposed to pesticides than adults, feeding your baby organic food is guaranteed to reduce their exposure to toxic pesticides and likely improve their overall health and development.

So, next time you go grocery shopping, look out for food labels that clearly state ‘organic’ and opt for these over the regular non-organic food you may be buying for your baby. Yes, organic food is often slightly more expensive than non-organic but, where your baby’s health is concerned, it’s certainly an investment worth making.

But, as mentioned earlier, it’s important you learn the distinction between labels. Most people assume the terms ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ mean the same thing when, in fact, ‘natural’ doesn’t mean organic and simply means the product contains no artificial ingredients and has been through minimal processing.

If your child is still too young for solid foods, you can make your own purees using organic fruits and vegetables. Or if you don’t have time, there are plenty of organic baby food jars available in regular stores – it’s simply just a case of reading the labels!

The vast majority of us have no idea how many chemicals we willingly bring into our homes every time we clean, re-decorate or even cook. But by making a few simple changes like the ones listed above, you’ll instantly be giving your home a chemical detox, making things healthier not only for you but for your children too.

Lewis Simpson works as a practical nurse in a family physician’s practice. He loves to help people be healthier by sharing his insights on a number of lifestyle and family blogs.